A Photostable AIEgen for Specific and Real-time Monitoring of Lysosomal Processes.

Lysosomes are recognized as advanced organelles involved in many cellular processes and are also considered as crucial regulators of cell homeostasis. The current strategies for monitoring activities of lysosomes exhibit some limitations. Herein, we synthesized a novel fluorescent probe named 2M-DPAS with AIE characteristics, which was proved to have significant advantages of good biocompatibility, high selectivity, bright emission and excellent photostability. Based on those, 2M-DPAS can be used to continuously monitor the dynamic changes of lysosomes, including autophagy and mitophagy, as well as to track the process of endocytosis of macromolecules in lysosomes, which are of benefit to better know about the lysosomes-related diseases.