Stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy has revolutionized the field of conventional optical microscopes, achieving nanometer-scale resolution, which is crucial for long-term, low-damage imaging of living cells or tissues. STED imaging technology imposes a series of special photophysical property requirements on fluorescent probes to achieve super-resolution imaging. Aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens), known for their enhanced fluorescence in aggregated states, offer superior photostability, strong luminescence efficiency, and reduced background fluorescence compared to traditional fluorescent dyes, making them ideal for long-term imaging. The integration of AIEgens with STED technology has the potential to overcome limitations of traditional fluorescent probes in super-resolution imaging, such as photobleaching effects, and leverages the spatial resolution enhancement capability of STED technology to achieve high-sensitivity super-resolution imaging at the single-molecule level. In this chapter, we firstly introduce the development of super-resolution imaging and the fundamental principles of STED microscopy. Key developments in AIEgens for STED imaging are further summarized, including the synthesis of novel AIE nano-probes for nonspecific labeling of lysosomes and the development of multifunctional AIE nanodots, and the design of AIE probes targeting specific organelles such as microtubules, mitochondria, and lipid droplets. These advancements not only enhance imaging resolution but also improve the capability for long-term observation of cellular dynamics. Finally, the challenges and future directions for AIEgens-STED (AIE luminogens used in STED) imaging technology, including the optimization of AIEgens’ photophysical properties, refinement of probe structure and bio-targeting characteristics, and the matching of excitation and depletion light with the STED optical system, are discussed.

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AIE Luminogens for Stimulated Emission Depletion Microscopy

  • Xiaofeng Fang,
  • Changfeng Wu

摘要

Stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy has revolutionized the field of conventional optical microscopes, achieving nanometer-scale resolution, which is crucial for long-term, low-damage imaging of living cells or tissues. STED imaging technology imposes a series of special photophysical property requirements on fluorescent probes to achieve super-resolution imaging. Aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens), known for their enhanced fluorescence in aggregated states, offer superior photostability, strong luminescence efficiency, and reduced background fluorescence compared to traditional fluorescent dyes, making them ideal for long-term imaging. The integration of AIEgens with STED technology has the potential to overcome limitations of traditional fluorescent probes in super-resolution imaging, such as photobleaching effects, and leverages the spatial resolution enhancement capability of STED technology to achieve high-sensitivity super-resolution imaging at the single-molecule level. In this chapter, we firstly introduce the development of super-resolution imaging and the fundamental principles of STED microscopy. Key developments in AIEgens for STED imaging are further summarized, including the synthesis of novel AIE nano-probes for nonspecific labeling of lysosomes and the development of multifunctional AIE nanodots, and the design of AIE probes targeting specific organelles such as microtubules, mitochondria, and lipid droplets. These advancements not only enhance imaging resolution but also improve the capability for long-term observation of cellular dynamics. Finally, the challenges and future directions for AIEgens-STED (AIE luminogens used in STED) imaging technology, including the optimization of AIEgens’ photophysical properties, refinement of probe structure and bio-targeting characteristics, and the matching of excitation and depletion light with the STED optical system, are discussed.