A dual-emission fluorescence-enhanced probe for imaging copper(ii) ions in lysosomes.

We have developed the first example of a fluorescence-enhanced and lysosome-targeted Cu probe (Lys-Cu) with unique dual-channel emissions. The newly synthesized fluorescent probe Lys-Cu, which contains two recognition sites with different sensing mechanisms for Cu, displays fluorescence-enhanced dual-channel emissions with fluorescence response to Cu in the lysosome pH environment. Fluorescence imaging shows that Lys-Cu is membrane-permeable and suitable for visualization of Cu in lysosomes of living cells by dual-channel imaging.