Recent advances in 1,8-naphthalimide-based small-molecule fluorescent probes for organelles imaging and tracking in living cells

The application of fluorescent probes for organelle imaging and tracking has been extensively explored in recent years due to their unique optical performance. This review focuses on 1,8-naphthalimide (NI) fluorophore highlighting the recent advances in imaging and tracking of individual or multiple organelles in living cells. Specifically, we emphasize their labeling mechanism, and summarize the applications by monitoring their dynamic microenvironment (e.g., viscosity, polarity, temperature, and pH), bioactive species (e.g., cations/anions, molecules, radicals), and the enzyme activities. We also point out the shortcomings of the reported NI-based organelle fluorescent probes and present our perspective on the future developments in this field. We hope this review can be used not only as a reference for beginners, but also as a compass of these fields, and contribute to solving more promising and meaningful topics for chemical and biological researchers. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This review highlights the recent advances in the imaging and tracking of organelles in living cells using 1,8-naphthalimide (NI) fluorophore, focusing on their labeling mechanism and applications for monitoring various aspects of the cell microenvironment. It also discusses the limitations of the reported NI-based organelle fluorescent probes and offers insights into future developments in this field. The review aims to serve as a reference for beginners and a guide for chemical and biological researchers in exploring more promising research topics.