文摘
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been found to be the third most important endogenous gaseous signaling molecule after nitric oxide (NO) and carbonic oxide (CO) and plays crucial roles in living organisms and biological systems. Here we use aggregation- induced emission (AIE) of a small organic molecule (TPE-indo) to detect H2S in both solution and living cells. TPE-indo can target mitochondria and aggregate to fluoresce, which can serve as a sensor for monitoring H2S in the mitochondria. We regulate the fluorescence of AIE molecules by tuning the viscosity of the solution to form TPE-indo nanoparticles, constructing a probe for H2S with good selectivity and high sensitivity. The nucleophilic addition of HS- to the TPE-indo is crucial for the rapid H2S detection. The imaging and analysis of H2S in mitochondria of living cells with the probe demonstrate potential biological applications.