As one of the most important minerals in the body, potassium is vital for the heart and neurons. Methods that can noninvasively and accurately monitor changes in potassium balances would benefit disease diagnoses as well as offer insight into pathologies. Among the sensing approaches, fluorescent probes serve as a unique detection method for its simplicity, tunable detection range, and bioimaging ability. The design of new probes with highly selective K + receptors and transduction functionality remains a challenge that is motivated by numerous sensing and detection applications. In this minireview, fluoroionophores are summarized that undergo transduction, producing fluorescence signals when interacting with, e. g., potassium ions. The properties of ionophores (afford selective interaction with potassium) and fluorophores (generate signal read-out) are discussed. Molecular structure design and sensing mechanisms are included along with cell imaging applications. The selectivity towards K + and the absorption/ emission characteristics of the probes are of particular interest.
Photoacid
generators (PAGs) are organic compounds that can generate
protons (H+) upon irradiation with certain wavelengths
of light. In this work, we designed and synthesized the first BODIPY-based
PAGs with D–A and D−π–A conjugation structures
and achieved green and red LED light-induced acid generation. By the
use of red-light absorbance, red-LED-triggered cationic polymerization
was demonstrated as a proof-of-concept application of these PAGs.
Chemoresistance is one of the major challenges for cancer treatment, more recently ascribed to defective mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP), significantly diminishing chemotherapeutic agent‐induced apoptosis. A boron‐dipyrromethene (BODIPY) chromophore‐based triarylsulfonium photoacid generator (BD‐PAG) was used to target mitochondria with the aim to regulate mitochondrial pH and further depolarize the mitochondrial membrane. Cell viability assays demonstrated the relative biocompatibility of BD‐PAG in the dark while live cell imaging suggested high accumulation in mitochondria. Specific assays indicated that BD‐PAG is capable of regulating mitochondrial pH with significant effects on mitochondrial membrane depolarization. Therapeutic tests using chlorambucil in combination with BD‐PAG revealed a new strategy in chemoresistance suppression.
Hypochlorous acid (HClO) is produced by white blood cells to defend against injury and bacteria. However, as one of the reactive oxygen species, high intracellular HClO concentration could lead to chronic diseases that affect the cardiovascular and nervous systems. To monitor HClO concentrations in bio‐samples, the fluorescent probe is preferred to have: a) Absorbability in the far‐red window with reduced light toxicity and improved tissue penetration depth; b) Ratiometric features for accurate analysis. In this study, we reported a far‐red ratiometric HClO fluorescence probe based on BODIPY chromophore and aldoxime sensing group. Not only the color change of the probe solution can be detected by the naked eye, but also the emission ratios (I645/I670) showed a significant increase upon the introduction of HClO. More importantly, the feasibility of HClO monitoring in biosamples was demonstrated in vitro using a confocal microscope.
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