A Cell Apoptosis Probe Based on Fluorogen with Aggregation Induced Emission Characteristics

A fluorogen-based aggregation-induced emission zinc-dipicolylamine (AIE-ZnDPA) probe with aggregation-induced emission characteristics has been designed and synthesized to detect cell apoptosis. AIE-ZnDPA does not respond to healthy cells but selectively stains and lights up fluorescence in the membranes of early stage apoptotic cells as well as the nuclei of late stage apoptotic cells. Without zinc coordination, the precursor lipophilic AIE dipicolylamine (AIE-DPA) probe stains healthy cells and shows high affinity for lipid droplets (LDs).