Synthesis of fluorogenic polymers for visualizing cellular internalization

The binding of a polymeric ligand to a cell surface receptor can promote its internalization. Methods to track and visualize multivalent ligands within a cell can give rise to new therapeutic strategies and illuminate signaling processes. We have used the features of the ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) to develop a general strategy for synthesizing multivalent ligands equipped with a latent fluorophore. The utility of ligands of this type is highlighted by visualizing multivalent antigen internalization in live B cells.