Correlative multimodal optical and X-ray fluorescence imaging of brominated fluorophores.

Imaging with multiple modalities can maximise the information gained from the analysis of a single sample. probes for optical fluorescence and X-ray fluorescence microscopy based on brominated 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimide and BODIPY scaffolds have been successfully designed and synthesised. Herein we show that these prototype probes, based on each of these scaffolds, can be imaged in two different cancer cell lines, and that the respective optical fluorescence and X-ray fluorescence signals are well correlated in these images.

Near-Infrared Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe for Detecting Endogenous Cu in the Brain.

Copper participates in a range of critical functions in the nervous system and human brain. Disturbances in brain copper content is strongly associated with neurological diseases. For example, changes in the level and distribution of copper are reported in neuroblastoma, Alzheimer's disease, and Lewy body disorders, such as Parkinson disease and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).

Cell-Penetrating Peptide-Bismuth Bicycles.

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) play a significant role in the delivery of cargos into human cells. We report the first CPPs based on peptide-bismuth bicycles, which can be readily obtained from commercially available peptide precursors, making them accessible for a wide range of applications. These CPPs enter human cells as demonstrated by live-cell confocal microscopy using fluorescently labelled peptides.

Towards multimodal cellular imaging: optical and X-ray fluorescence.

Imaging techniques permit the study of the molecular interactions that underlie health and disease. Each imaging technique collects unique chemical information about the cellular environment. Multimodal imaging, using a single probe that can be detected by multiple imaging modalities, can maximise the information extracted from a single cellular sample by combining the results of different imaging techniques.

Molecular fluorescent sensors for in vivo imaging.

Small-molecule fluorophores are powerful tools for biological research. They have enabled researchers to study cellular architecture and decipher biological processes. Responsive fluorescent sensors have enabled the study of a wide range of analytes and their effects on biological phenomena in situ.

Mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase function is essential for sperm motility and male fertility.

Mitochondrial health is crucial to sperm quality and male fertility, but the precise role of mitochondria in sperm function remains unclear. SDHA is a component of the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) complex and plays a critical role in mitochondria. In humans, SDH activity is positively correlated with sperm quality, and mutations in SDHA are associated with Leigh Syndrome.

Photochemical Mechanisms of Fluorophores Employed in Single-Molecule Localization Microscopy.

Decoding cellular processes requires visualization of the spatial distribution and dynamic interactions of biomolecules. It is therefore not surprising that innovations in imaging technologies have facilitated advances in biomedical research. The advent of super-resolution imaging technologies has empowered biomedical researchers with the ability to answer long-standing questions about cellular processes at an entirely new level.

A Fluorescent Sensor for Quantitative Super-Resolution Imaging of Amyloid Fibril Assembly.

Many soluble proteins can self-assemble into macromolecular structures called amyloids, a subset of which are implicated in a range of neurodegenerative disorders. The nanoscale size and structural heterogeneity of prefibrillar and early aggregates, as well as mature amyloid fibrils, pose significant challenges for the quantification of amyloid morphologies. We report a fluorescent amyloid sensor AmyBlink-1 and its application in super-resolution imaging of amyloid structures.

Versatile naphthalimide tetrazines for fluorogenic bioorthogonal labelling.

Fluorescent probes for biological imaging have revealed much about the functions of biomolecules in health and disease. Fluorogenic probes, which are fluorescent only upon a bioorthogonal reaction with a specific partner, are particularly advantageous as they ensure that fluorescent signals observed in biological imaging arise solely from the intended target. In this work, we report the first series of naphthalimide tetrazines for bioorthogonal fluorogenic labelling.

Synthesis of Nitro-Aryl Functionalised 4-Amino-1,8-Naphthalimides and Their Evaluation as Fluorescent Hypoxia Sensors.

Fluorescent sensors are a vital research tool, enabling the study of intricate cellular processes in a sensitive manner. The design and synthesis of responsive and targeted probes is necessary to allow such processes to be interrogated in the cellular environment. This remains a challenge, and requires methods for functionalisation of fluorophores with multiple appendages for sensing and targeting groups.