ORGANIC DOTS WITH AGGREGATION-INDUCED EMISSION CHARACTERISTICS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS

Abstract

FLUORESCENCE IMAGING THAT PROVIDES THE DIRECT VISUALIZATION OF BIOLOGICAL SPECIES OR PROCESSES HAS BECOME THE MOST INDISPENSABLE PLATFORM FOR FUNDAMENTAL STUDIES OF LIVE SCIENCE AND IN PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS. HOWEVER, THE AGGREGATION-CAUSED QUENCHING (ACQ) EFFECT OF CONVENTIONAL ORGANIC DYES HAS GREATLY HAMPERED THEIR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS AND FLUORESCENT NANOPARTICLE FABRICATION. RECENTLY, THE NOVEL FLUOROGENS WITH AGGREGATION-INDUCED EMISSION (AIE) CHARACTERISTICS WHICH SHOW INTENSIFIED FLUORESCENCE IN AGGREGATE STATE HAVE ATTRACTED GREAT RESEARCH INTERESTS IN IMAGING AND OTHER BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS. HOWEVER, THE APPLICATIONS OF AIE FLUOROGENS (AIEGENS) HAVE BEEN MAINLY FOCUSED ON THE DEVELOPMENT SMALL MOLECULAR BIO-PROBES FOR SENSING AND DETECTION, WHERE THE MERITS OF AIE ARE NOT FULLY UTILIZED. THE AIE FEATURE ENABLES THE FABRICATION OF ULTRA-BRIGHT FLUORESCENT NANOPARTICLES, WHICH CAN SERVE AS THE PROMISING IMAGING REAGENTS WITH HIGH SENSITIVITY AND IMAGING CONTRAST. IN THIS T