Conjugation of cationic poly(p-phenylene ethynylene) with dendritic polyethylene enables live-cell imaging.

A new system based on dendritic polyethylene-cationic poly(p-phenylene ethynylene) core-shell nanoparticles was developed for live-cell imaging. By using the combination of molecular-wire and "dendritic effects" strategies, this design provides the new system with higher photoluminescence quantum yields, lower cell viability and better cellular permeability compared with free cationic poly(p-phenylene ethynylene), allowing it to exhibit remarkable improvements in fluorescence imaging for live cells.