title: A selective fluorescent sensor for detecting lead in living cells.
abstract: We present the synthesis, properties, and biological applications of Leadfluor-1 (LF1), a new water-soluble, turn-on fluorescent sensor that is capable of selectively imaging Pb2+ in aqueous solution and in living cells. LF1 combines a fluorescein chromophore and a pseudocrown receptor to provide good selectivity for Pb2+ over a range of biologically and environmentally relevant metal ions in aqueous solution, with sensitivity to parts per billion EPA limits for allowable lead in drinking water. In addition to these attributes, imaging experiments further show that LF1 is the first small-molecule reagent that can be delivered into living cells and report changes in intracellular Pb2+ levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Qiwen
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Evan W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Audrey P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D005452:Fluoresceins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D005470:Fluorometry; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000737:chemistry*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D015394:Molecular Structure
chemical_list: D005452:Fluoresceins; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; C521885:leadfluor-1; D007854:Lead