AIEgen based light-up probes for live cell imaging

Fluorescent light-up probes comprising a tetraphenylethene unit with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics and a water-soluble peptide have been designed and synthesized which provide cell membrane and nuclear permeability to live cells. This strategy has offered new opportunities for the development of probes with light-up ability and good signal-to-noise ratio. The selectivity or targeting specificity is determined by the peptide sequence, i.e. a nuclear localization signal that leads to nucleus imaging and a cell biomarker targeting peptide that offers specific light-up imaging of HT-29 cells.