A highly selective fluorescent probe for direct detection and isolation of mouse embryonic stem cells

Stem cell research has gathered immense attention in the past decade due to the remarkable ability of stem cells for self-renewal and tissue-specific differentiation. Despite having numerous advancements in stem cell isolation and manipulation techniques, there is a need for highly reliable probes for the specific detection of live stem cells. Herein we developed a new fluorescence probe (CDy9) with high selectivity for mouse embryonic stem cells. CDy9 allows the detection and isolation of intact stem cells with marginal impact on their function and capabilities.