Near infrared dyes as lifetime solvatochromic probes for micropolarity measurements of biological systems.

ABSTRACT: The polarity of biological mediums controls a host of physiological processes such as digestion, signaling, transportation, metabolism, and excretion. With the recent widespread use of near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent dyes for biological imaging of cells and living organisms, reporting medium polarity with these dyes would provide invaluable functional information in addition to conventional optical imaging parameters. Here, we report a new approach to determine polarities of macro- and microsystems for in vitro and potential in vivo applications using NIR polymethine molecular probes. Unlike the poor solvatochromic response of NIR dyes in solvents with diverse polarity, their fluorescence lifetimes are highly sensitive, increasing by a factor of up to 8 on moving from polar to nonpolar med

SUBMITTER: Berezin MY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1989699 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature