Focus Article

Design and biomedical applications of fluorescent probes based on hemicyanine dyes

M. A. Ustimova, O. A. Fedorova

A. N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334 Moscow, Russian Federation

Abstract: In recent years, fluorescence-based methods have been extensively used to analyze biological processes and to develop medical diagnostic systems. Small molecules, primarily dyes, are commonly used as fluorescent reagents. This review focuses on hemicyanine dyes and their application as fluorophores in biomedical research. These compounds exhibit high affinity for biological molecules, which explains their widespread use for staining nucleic acids and cellular organelles such as mitochondria, lysosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, and nuclei. Examples of hemicyanines used for detecting pathological conditions, including mitophagy, β-amyloid aggregation, and others are also provided.

Keywords: hemicyanine dyes, styryl dyes, polymethine dyes, fluorescent sensor, bioimaging, DNA, RNA, mitochondria, lysosomes, β-amyloid, endoplasmic reticulum, BSA, HSA.

Received: 15.05.2025
Accepted: 28.07.2025

Language: English

DOI: 10.71267/mencom.7826

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