Blood-brain-barrier permeable fluorescent astrocyte probes.

The brain's astrocytes play pivotal roles in brain homeostasis, but their contributions to neural circuit function are only beginning to be explored. In order to study astrocytes in their native environment, the field needs imaging probes that are cell-specific, non-toxic, and complementary to existing genetic techniques. We recently described a panel of cationic fluorophores that selectively label rodent and zebrafish astrocytes at low concentrations and short incubation times.

Visualizing the brain's astrocytes.

Astrocytes are the most abundant cell type in the brain and are a crucial part of solving its mysteries. Originally assumed to be passive supporting cells, astrocyte's functions are now recognized to include active modulation and information processing at the neural synapse. The full extent of the astrocyte contribution to neural processing remains unknown.

Design Principles for Cationic, Astrocyte-Targeted Probes.

The brain's astrocytes play key roles in normal and pathological brain processes. Targeting small molecules to astrocytes in the presence of the many other cell types in the brain will provide useful tools for their visualization and manipulation. Herein, we explore the functional consequences of synthetic modifications to a recently described astrocyte marker composed of a bright rhodamine-based fluorophore and an astrocyte-targeting moiety.