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Mitochondrial imaging in live or fixed tissues using a luminescent iridium complex
Alexandra Sorvina1, Christie A Bader1, Jack R T Darby2
1Mechanisms in Cell Biology and Disease Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, 5001, Australia.
Scientific Reports
|May 31, 2018
Summary
This study introduces IraZolve-Mito, an iridium complex that effectively images mitochondrial morphology in both live and fixed samples. This versatile agent offers a universal staining protocol for visualizing mitochondria in various research and clinical settings.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cell Biology
- Pathology
Background:
- Mitochondrial morphology is crucial for organelle function and is altered in many diseases.
- Current mitochondrial imaging agents are limited, especially for fixed samples used in clinical studies.
- Effective imaging of mitochondrial structure is vital for disease diagnosis and progression monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of the iridium complex IraZolve-Mito for imaging mitochondrial morphology.
- To demonstrate the agent's effectiveness in both live and fixed biological samples.
- To establish a versatile staining protocol for mitochondrial visualization.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis and characterization of the iridium coordination complex [Ir(ppy)2(MeTzPyPhCN)]+ (IraZolve-Mito).
- Testing IraZolve-Mito's mitochondrial specificity in live cells (previously reported).
- Demonstration of IraZolve-Mito's efficacy in staining mitochondria in both live and fixed tissue samples.
Main Results:
- IraZolve-Mito effectively stains mitochondria in live cells.
- IraZolve-Mito also demonstrates high efficacy in staining mitochondria within fixed tissue samples.
- The developed protocol is versatile for visualizing mitochondria across different sample types.
Conclusions:
- IraZolve-Mito is a potent agent for imaging mitochondrial morphology in both live and fixed samples.
- The proposed staining protocol offers a universal method for mitochondrial visualization.
- This agent and protocol can benefit cell biologists and pathologists in research and clinical applications.
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