Fluorescent PyrAte-(<i>S</i>)-citalopram conjugates enable imaging of the serotonin transporter in living tissue.

ABSTRACT: Fluorescent labeling techniques have enabled the visualization of various biomolecules, cellular structures, and their associated physiological processes. At the same time, there remains a demand for developing novel fluorescent compounds possessing unique chemical properties for biological imaging. A recently developed class of fluorophores, termed PyrAtes, displays optimal brightness and large Stokes shifts that are ideal for fluorescence microscopy. Herein, we report the development of PyrAte-based fluorescently labeled ligands that bind to the serotonin transporter (SERT), a membrane transport protein important for neurotransmitter homeostasis, which hitherto has not been visualized in its native environment using fluorescent small molecules. The design of a PyrAte fluorophore a

SUBMITTER: Belleza OJV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11891579 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature