Peptide-based Biosensing and In vivo Imaging Approaches for Early Detection and Targeted Therapy of Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major microvascular complication of diabetes, with early dysfunction occurring at molecular and cellular levels that traditional clinical imaging fails to capture. Advances in in vivo imaging and biosensing enable real-time, dynamic, and molecular-scale assessment of retinal pathology. Peptides, owing to their high specificity, tunable structures, and biocompatibility, serve as ideal linkers between molecular recognition and imaging or sensing signal output. This review highlights recent progress in peptide-based in vivo imaging and biosensing strategies for DR, emphasizing probe design principles, molecular targeting mechanisms, and current application challenges. By integrating chemical biology with emerging analytical technologies, peptide-driven approaches hold strong promise for early diagnosis and continuous monitoring of DR, facilitating future translation toward precision ophthalmic medicine.