A two-photon fluorescent probe for lysosomal zinc ions

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Cell Biology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Lysosomes play crucial roles in cellular processes.
• Dysregulation of zinc homeostasis is implicated in various diseases.
• Accurate detection of intracellular zinc distribution is vital for understanding cellular function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel fluorescent probe for selective detection of zinc ions in lysosomes.
• To visualize endogenous zinc ion distribution in cellular and tissue models.
• To investigate the potential of the probe for biological imaging applications.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of a novel fluorescent probe.
• In vitro validation of probe selectivity for lysosomal versus cytosolic zinc.
• Fluorescence imaging of endogenous zinc ions in NIH 3T3 cells and mouse hippocampal tissues.
• Utilizing two-photon microscopy with 900 nm excitation for deep tissue imaging.

Main Results:

• The fluorescent probe demonstrated high selectivity for lysosomal zinc ions over cytosolic zinc.
• Successful fluorescence imaging of endogenous zinc ions was achieved in lysosomes of NIH 3T3 cells.
• The probe enabled visualization of zinc ion distribution in ex vivo mouse hippocampal tissues.
• Two-photon microscopy provided high-resolution images of zinc localization at 900 nm excitation.

Conclusions:

• The developed fluorescent probe offers a powerful tool for selective lysosomal zinc detection.
• This advancement facilitates the study of zinc homeostasis in biological systems.
• The probe holds promise for investigating the role of lysosomal zinc in health and disease.