Perspective
Steric protection of near-infrared fluorescent dyes for enhanced bioimaging
Steric protection of a long-wavelength dye, by covalent steric appendage or non-covalent encapsulation, produces enhanced photostability, increased fluorescence brightness, decreased self-aggregation, and superior pharmacokinetic profile.
Unravelling the molecular mechanobiology by DNA-Based fluorogenic tension sensor
AI-driven precision subcellular navigation with fluorescent probes
AI-driven precision subcellular navigation with fluorescent probes.
Recent Advances of Versatile Fluorophores for Multifunctional Biomedical Imaging in the NIR-II Region
Recent advances in fluorescent probes for fatty liver imaging by detecting lipid droplets
This review summarizes various probes for imaging LDs in the fatty liver process using different excitation imaging modes and emission wavelengths, as well as analyzing the achievements, challenges and future development trends in this field.
Dual-/multi-organelle-targeted AIE probes associated with oxidative stress for biomedical applications
This review summarizes the recent advancements in biomedical applications of dual-/multi-organelle-targeted aggregation-induced emission (AIE) probes, focusing on their in situ induction of oxidative stress.
A guanidiniocarbonyl-pyrrole functionalized cucurbit[7]uril derivative as a cytomembrane disruptor for synergistic antibacterial therapy
A guanidiniocarbonyl-pyrrole functionalized cucurbit[7]uril derivative as a cytomembrane disruptor has been successfully constructed for synergistic antibacterial therapy.
Sulfur–tetrazine as highly efficient visible-light activatable photo-trigger for designing photoactivatable fluorescence biomolecules
Light-activated fluorescence represents a potent tool for investigating subcellular structures and dynamics, offering enhanced control over the temporal and spatial aspects of the fluorescence signal.
Machine Learning-Assisted Pattern Recognition and Imaging of Multiplexed Cancer Cells via Porphyrin-Embedded Dendrimer Array
A simple hydrogen peroxide-activatable Bodipy for tumor imaging and type I/II photodynamic therapy
A H2O2-activatable Bodipy with simultaneous type I and type II photosensitization was designed for tumor imaging and therapy.
A dual-functional photosensitizer for mitochondria-targeting photodynamic therapy and synchronous polarity monitoring
A dual-functional photosensitizer was developed, exhibiting potent phototoxicity and sensitivity to polarity changes.
Structural isomerism engineering regulates molecular AIE behavior and application in visualizing endogenous hydrogen sulfide
The isomerization effect on coumarin-based AIEgens was systematically analyzed and further applied to H2S detection.
Tuning the affinity of probes with transmembrane proteins by constructing peptide-conjugated cis/trans isomers based on molecular scaffolds
Peptide-conjugated cis/trans isomers were designed. cis-RTP interacts more stably with cell membranes than trans-RTP, and it has shown more excellent properties in inhibiting cell migration and killing cells.
Mitochondrial Membrane Potential-Independent Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probes for Viscosity-Exclusive Imaging
Tailored BODIPY-based fluorogenic probes for phosgene detection: a comparative evaluation of recognition sites
Rare examples of ICT-based fluorescent probes incorporating phosgene specific recognition units at the 2-position of the BODIPY core.
Paper
Assembly-enhanced indocyanine green nanoparticles for fluorescence imaging-guided photothermal therapy
Indocyanine green nanoparticles are formed through co-assembly with an amino acid derivative, achieving both its fluorescence and photothermal properties on nanoplatforms for fluorescence imaging-guided photothermal therapy against tumors.
Paper
Development of a small molecule-based two-photon photosensitizer for targeting cancer cells
BSe-B is a novel photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy using two-photon excitation, selectively targets cancer cell while sparing healthy tissue. It generates type-I reactive oxygen species and shows promise in diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Nucleic acid-binding bis-acridine orange dyes with improved properties for bioimaging and PCR applications
We present novel bis-acridine orange (BAO) dyes that outperform EvaGreen in qPCR over a wider concentration range and show great potential as candidates for bioimaging. The enhanced qPCR performance of the BAO dyes is supported by MD simulations.
Recognition of specific monosaccharides by fluorescence change through the suppression effect on excited-state intermolecular proton transfer reactions
Cyclodextrins, saccharides, and ethanol were examined to assess the effects of hydroxy groups on the ESPT reaction. Differences in the fluorescent behaviors indicate varying interactions between the hydroxy compounds and complexes.
Paper
A fluorescent ratiometric potassium sensor based on IPG4-silica microparticles for selective detection and fluorescence imaging of potassium cations
Potassium cations (K+) play key roles in organisms. Fluorescent ratiometric microsensors for K+ were synthesized using silica microparticles. Their spectral and physicochemical properties were fully investigated for K+ detection and tracking.
A responsive nanoprobe for ratiometric florescence detection of hydroxyl radicals in macrophage polarization
We report the development of a hydroxyl radical responsive nanoprobe based on clay nanoparticles for ratiometric fluorescence determination and imaging of macrophage polarization induced by biomolecules and ultrasound stimulations.
A versatile fluorescent probe for hydrogen peroxide in serotonergic neurons of living brains of mice with depression
Fluorescent probes target serotonin transporter and discern H2O2 in serotonergic neurons in living brains of mice.
Development of a urea-bond cleavage reaction induced by nitric oxide for fluorescence imaging
A NO-induced urea-bond cleavage reaction is developed and utilized to generally construct fluorescent probes for imaging NO in living systems.
A DNA nanowire based-DNAzyme walker for amplified imaging of microRNA in tumor cells
We propose a DNAzyme walker constructed from aptamer-modified DNA nanowires, which can efficiently penetrate target cells without the assistance of non-DNA substances. This strategy enables sensitive and effective imaging of miRNA in tumor cells.
The cyano positional isomerism strategy for constructing mitochondria-targeted AIEgens with type I reactive oxygen species generation capability
Based on the cyano positional isomerism strategy, a cationic AIEgen was developed, which can specifically stain mitochondria, and ablate cancer cells through potent type I photodynamic therapy both in vitro and in multicellular tumor spheroid models.
A mitochondria targeting, de novo designed, aggregation-induced emission probe for selective detection of neurotoxic amyloid-β aggregates
A mitochondria targeting, de novo designed, AIE-based Cou-AIE-TPP+ probe for monitoring Aβ aggregation kinetics, imaging Aβ aggregates, and detecting mitochondrial morphology change and dysfunction during Aβ-induced neurotoxicity.
Imaging of ONOO− fluctuations during drug-induced liver/kidney injury in vitro and in vivo via a dicyanoisophorone-based NIR fluorescent probe with a large Stokes shift
Current clinical indicators for assessing liver/kidney injury are functional rather than injury indicators, which may cause some delays in the diagnosis of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) and kidney injury (DIKI).
Organelle-resolved imaging of formaldehyde reveals its spatiotemporal dynamics
Organelle-resolved imaging of formaldehyde reveals the different responses of various organelles to the same cell stressor.
Proximity labeling expansion microscopy (PL-ExM) evaluates interactome labeling techniques
Proximity labeling expansion microscopy (PL-ExM) visualizes superresolution structures of interactome on widely accessible light microscopes, enabling the assessment of the precision and efficiency of proximity labeling techniques.
Paper
An excimer process induced a turn-on fluorescent probe for detection of ultra-low concentration of mercury ions
We successfully developed naphthalene-based fluorescent probe 1 for detection of ultra-low concentrations of Hg2+via the formation of excimer, which resulted in emitted fluorescence.
Paper
Study of transient absorption spectroscopy of a D–π–A structure aggregation-induced emission luminogen and its photodynamic therapy application
Transient absorption spectroscopy has revealed that AIEgens exhibit a more rapid and facile excited-state molecular motion in the solution state compared to the aggregate state, implying the predominance of nonradiative decay in the solution state.
Paper
Dopamine sensing by fluorescent carbon nanoparticles synthesized using artichoke extract
New fluorescent carbon nanoparticles, obtained using artichoke extract, have been used for the ultrasensitive (sub-nanomolar) and selective detection of dopamine in artificial saliva samples.
A small-molecule probe to decipher stress-induced ER microenvironments and ER-Golgi communication
A small molecule organic fluorophore has been developed to monitor the micropolarity inside endoplasmic reticulum in homeostatic and non-homeostatic conditions and visualize ER to Golgi transport.
Clearly fluorescent delineating ER+ breast tumor incisal edge and identifying tiny metastatic tumor foci at high resolution
A turn-on estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) NIR fluorescent probe NB-TAM was prepared and successfully applied to clearly delineate the ER+ breast tumor incisal margin and identify very tiny metastatic tumor foci at high resolution.
Paper
Development of a specific fluorescent probe to detect advanced glycation end products (AGEs)
A novel fluorescent probe, AGO, systematically detects advanced glycation end products involved in aging.
Structure–activity relationships of aniline-based squaraines for distinguishable staining and bright two-photon fluorescence bioimaging in plant cells
Regulation effects of three aniline-based squaraines were investigated. The first expression of distinct tissue labelling and high-resolution 3D reconstruction in the onion and plant cells induced by the subtle structure changes was further evaluated.
Lysosomal-targeted fluorescent probe based pH regulating reactivity for tracking cysteine dynamics under oxidative stress
The ability to detect and visualize cellular events and associated biological analytes is essential for the understanding of their physiological and pathological functions.
About this collection
Fluorescence imaging is a predominant method employed in biological and biomedical research. This powerful technique utilises fluorescent probes that emit light upon excitation, enabling non-invasive and real-time observation of specific targets within the living system. It assists researchers in localizing specific proteins in tissue, visualizing subcellular structures, studying cell organization, monitoring the bio-microenvironment, and even conducting image-guided surgery. From fundamental biological studies to biomedical applications, fluorescence bioimaging continues to facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of the complex biological world and provide us with powerful tools for diagnosis or treatment.
This themed collection, guest edited by Dr Sijie Chen (The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Karolinska Institutet), Prof. Tony D. James (University of Bath), Dr Apurba L. Koner (IISER Bhopal) and Prof. Ben Zhong Tang (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen), aims to provide a platform for recent developments in this rapidly evolving field of fluorescence bioimaging with topics including, but not limited to, fluorescence bioimaging with novel probes, design or synthetic strategies of fluorescent probes, theoretical understanding of fluorescent probe properties and working mechanisms, and new insights into the materials chemistry of fluorescence bioimaging. We hope that readers find this themed collection informative and useful.