Luminescent nonacoordinate cationic lanthanide complexes as potential cellular imaging and reactive probes

Nonacoordinate Delta- and Lambda-Eu and Tb complexes have been tested as imaging and reactive probes in mouse fibroblast (NIH 3T3) cells. The uptake of these complexes by the cells was assessed by fluorescence microscopy. Complex-induced DNA damage was studied by gel electrophoresis and shown to be a function of complex chirality.