Sub-20 nm nontoxic aggregation-induced emission micellar fluorescent light-up probe for highly specific and sensitive mitochondrial imaging of hydrogen sulfide

Abstract

A salicylaldazine-based amphiphilic polymer (AIE-1) with AIE characteristics was synthesized and self-assembled to form sub-20 nm micelles (AIE-M). The green fluorescence of AIE-M was completely quenched by Cu²⁺ and then recovered with Na₂S, which was utilized for the specific and sensitive detection of S²⁻ in solution and mitochondrial imaging of H₂S in HeLa cells.