A dual-emission fluorescence-enhanced probe for imaging copper(ii) ions in lysosomes

Abstract

We have developed the first example of a fluorescence-enhanced and lysosome-targeted Cu²⁺ probe (Lys-Cu) with unique dual-channel emissions. The newly synthesized fluorescent probe Lys-Cu, which contains two recognition sites with different sensing mechanisms for Cu²⁺, displays fluorescence-enhanced dual-channel emissions with fluorescence response to Cu²⁺ in the lysosome pH environment. Fluorescence imaging shows that Lys-Cu is membrane-permeable and suitable for visualization of Cu²⁺ in lysosomes of living cells by dual-channel imaging.