Tough, Eu3+ -Induced Luminescent Hydrogel as Flexible Chemosensor for Real-Time Quantitative Detection of Zn2+ Ion

Herein, a novel tough luminescent hydrogel with Europium is fabricated using a facile copolymerization process by introducing 2,2':6',2-terpyridine (TPy) into a dual physical cross-linked hydrogel. The obtained P(NAGA-co-MAAc)/Eu/TPy (x) (x refers to the feed ratio of NAGA to MAAc) hydrogels not only show outstanding mechanical performances (fracture strength, ≈2.5 MPa), but also give a special ability of rapid detection to low concentrations of zinc ions. Attractively, the theoretical limits of detection (LOD) of the hydrogel sensors are calculated as 1.6 µm, which is acceptable within the WHO limit. Furthermore, the continuous change in fluorescence of P(NAGA-co-MAAc)/Eu/TPy (10) strips upon contact with Zn2+ can be clearly observed by the naked eyes with the aid of a portable UV lamp, resulting in semi-quantitative naked-eyes detection through a standard colorimetric card. Moreover, by identifying the RGB value of the hydrogel sensor, it can also realize quantitative analysis. Therefore, excellence in sensing, simplicity in structure, and convenience in using make P(NAGA-co-MAAc)/Eu/TPy (10) hydrogel as a superior fluorescent chemosensor of Zn2+ ions.

Hydrogel-based zinc ion sensor on optical fiber with high resolution and application to neural cells

Solid-state zinc ion sensor is developed with high enough resolution and reproducibility for the potential application in brain injury monitoring. An optical diffuser is incorporated into the zinc ion sensor based on optical fiber and hydrogel doped with the fluorescent zinc ion probe molecule meso-2,6-Dichlorophenyltripyrrinone (TPN-Cl₂). The diffuser transforms the high-peak-intensity excitation light near the fiber end into a broad light with moderate local intensity to reduce the degradation of the probe molecule. Reversible detection can be reached for 1, 2, and 5 μM (10^-6 Molar), with slopes 0.3, 0.6, and 0.8 respectively. This is the pathophysiological concentration range after brain injury. The sensor is applied to neuron-glial cultures and macrophage under the stimulation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), KCl and oxygen/glucose deprivation (OGD) that reflect inflammation, depolarization and ischemia respectively, mimicking events after brain injury. The zinc ion level is raised to 4-5 μM after LPS treatment, and then reduced to <3 μM after the co-treatment with the herbal drug silymarin. The results suggest the conditions of the neural cells under stress can be monitored.

A photo-switchable and thermal-enhanced fluorescent hydrogel prepared from N-isopropylacrylamide with water-soluble spiropyran derivative

Herein, a photo-switchable and thermal-enhanced fluorescent hydrogel has been fabricated from N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) with a mixture of water-soluble acryloyl-α-cyclodextrin/acryloyl-α-cyclodextrin-spiropyran (acryloyl-α-CD/ acryloyl-α-CD-SP) as cross-linkers. The physical properties, photochromic properties, and fluorescent behavior of the hydrogel were characterized. The fluorescence emission of the hydrogel can be reversibly switched 'on/off' by UV/visible light irradiation, and meanwhile the fluorescence intensity can be enhanced by increasing the temperature above the volume phase transition temperature (VPTT) of the hydrogel. The hydrogel also shows spatiotemporal fluorescent behavior, excellent cytocompatibility, and fatigue resistance in photochromic and photo-switchable fluorescent behaviors.

8-Aza-2'-deoxyisoguanosine Forms Fluorescent Hydrogels whereas 8-Aza-2'-deoxyguanosine Assembles into Nucleoside Nanotubes

Fluorescent hydrogels have attracted attention for applications in tissue engineering, drug delivery or as molecular machines. This study describes a nucleoside hydrogel formed by 8-aza-2'-deoxyisoguanosine (z⁸ isoG_d ). The new hydrogel is the first guanosine gel that has intrinsic fluorescence. It has long-term stability and a higher thermal stability (T_gel =77 °C) than gels of 2'-deoxyisoguanosine (T_gel =67 °C) and 2'-deoxyguanosine (T_gel =50 °C). Furthermore, the minimum gel concentration is lower at 0.3 mg per 100 μL for z⁸ isoG_d compared to 0.7 mg for 2'-deoxyisoguanosine. Scanning electron microscopy images show that the z⁸ isoG_d gel forms dense bundles of fibers. The related nucleoside 8-aza-2'-deoxyguanosine does not form a hydrogel but forms nanotube-like structures in the solid state. The fluorescence of the z⁸ isoG_d hydrogel responds to external stimuli such as the addition of alkali metal ions, pH change, heat, and UV irradiation. In binary mixtures with nucleoside shape mimics such as 7-deaza-2'-deoxyisoguanosine, the z⁸ isoG_d hydrogel disintegrates.

A β-diketonate–europium(iii) complex-based fluorescent probe for highly sensitive time-gated luminescence detection of copper and sulfide ions in living cells

A strongly fluorescent β-diketonate–europium(iii) complex was developed for highly sensitive imaging of intracellular copper and sulfide ions with time-gated luminescence mode.

Development of a BODIPY-based ratiometric fluorescent probe for hypochlorous acid and its application in living cells

A BODIPY-based ratiometric fluorescent probe for HOCl has been designed based on the transduction of thioether to sulfoxide function. This probe features a marked absorption and emission blue-shift upon the HOCl-promoted rapid transduction, enabling the highly selective and ratiometric detection. In addition, the probe works excellently within a wide pH range of 4-10, addressing the existing pH dependency issue. Living cells studies demonstrate that the probe is cell membrane permeable and can be employed successfully to image endogenous HOCl generation in macrophage cells.

A highly selective and biocompatible chemosensor for sensitive detection of zinc(ii)

A selective fluorescence chemosensor for Zn²⁺ has been developed with a very low limit of detection value (0.832 nM).

A highly selective ratiometric fluorescent pH probe based on a PAMAM wavelength-shifting bichromophoric system

A novel PAMAM wavelength-shifting bichromophoric system has been successfully developed. Novel compound was configured as a light harvesting antenna where the system surface is labeled with yellow-green emitting 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethylamino-1,8-naphthalimide "donor" units capable of absorbing light and efficiently transferring the energy to a focal Rhodamine 6G "acceptor". The periphery of the system was designed on the "fluorophore-spacer-receptor" format, capable of acting as a molecular fluorescence photoinduced electron transfer based probe. Due to the both effects, photoinduced electron transfer in the periphery of the system and pH dependent rhodamine core absorption, novel antenna is able to act as a selective ratiometric pH fluorescence probe in aqueous medium. Thus, the distinguishing features of the fluorescence resonance energy transfer systems were successfully combined with the properties of classical ring-opening charge transfer systems, which may be beneficially for monitoring pH variations in complex samples.

A hydrogel based zinc(ii) sensor for use in fluorescent multi-well plate analysis

A polymeric hydrogel sensor for zinc has been developed for use in fluorescence multi-well plate assay.