Selective viable cell discrimination by a conjugated polymer featuring aggregation-induced emission characteristic

Detection and discrimination viable cells with high selectivity are critically important in monitoring cell activity to provide key information on therapeutic efficacy. In this work, a tetraphenylethene-based conjugated polymer featuring aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristic was designed and synthesized, which could be used to selectively discriminate viable cells from apoptotical cells, dead cells and pathogens. Thanks to its synergistic effect and high molecular weight, the polymer shows unique advantages over low-mass organic probes, such as better biocompatibility, higher selectivity and stronger tracing ability. Moreover, we figured out that the negatively charged side-chain of the conjugated polymer and the endocytosis process both play crucial roles in this selective discrimination behavior, making this probe a powerful tool for guiding precise cancer therapy.