College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Institute for NanoScale Science and Technology, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci. 2021;184:101-144. doi: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2021.06.009. Epub 2021 Jul 21.
Lipid droplets (LDs) are evolutionarily conserved organelles involved in energy homeostasis and versatile intracellular processes in different cell types. Their importance is ubiquitous, ranges from utilization as the biofunctional components to third-generation biofuel production from microalgae, while morphology and functional perturbations could also relate to the multiple diseases in higher mammals. Biosynthesis of lipids can be triggered by multiple factors related to organismal physiology and the surrounding environment. An early prediction of this might help take necessary actions toward desired outcomes. In vivo visualization of LDs can give molecular insight into regulatory mechanisms and the underlying connections with other cellular structures. Traditional bioprobes for LDs detection often suffer from different dye-specific limitations such as aggregation-caused quenching and self-decomposition phenomena that hinder the research advancement. The emergence of lipid-specific nanoprobes with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) attributes in recent years is promising in remunerative characteristics with defined bioimaging properties. By utilizing the easy synthetic techniques and exploiting the unique physical features of these molecules, highly selective, stable, biocompatible and facile fluorescent probes could be fabricated for lipid detection. This chapter will provide up-to-date insight into the recent advances in lipid-specific AIE-based probes to enhance the opportunities for basic research related to the distinct roles of LDs in living organisms.
脂滴 (LDs) 是进化上保守的细胞器，参与不同细胞类型的能量稳态和多功能细胞内过程。它们的重要性无处不在，从作为生物功能成分的利用到第三代微藻生物燃料的生产，而形态和功能的扰动也可能与高等哺乳动物的多种疾病有关。脂质的生物合成可以被与生物体生理学和周围环境相关的多种因素触发。对这一点的早期预测可能有助于朝着预期的结果采取必要的行动。LDs 的体内可视化可以深入了解调节机制以及与其他细胞结构的潜在联系。传统的 LDs 检测生物探针通常受到不同染料特异性限制的影响，例如聚集导致的猝灭和自分解现象，这阻碍了研究的进展。近年来，具有聚集诱导发射 (AIE) 特性的脂质特异性纳米探针的出现具有有前途的特征，具有明确的生物成像特性和有收益的特性。通过利用简单的合成技术和利用这些分子的独特物理特性，可以制造出高度选择性、稳定、生物相容和简便的荧光探针来检测脂质。本章将提供最新的见解，介绍基于脂质特异性 AIE 的探针的最新进展，以增强与 LDs 在生物体中的不同作用相关的基础研究的机会。
