ИСТИНА

Time-resolved luminescent imaging is a powerful technique which can provide subcellular level information. Given that many lanthanide complexes are cell-permeable and the techniques of time-resolved detection in microscopy are well-mastered, it becomes possible to use the unique spectroscopic properties of Ln3+ ions (namely long lifetimes of the excited state and large Stocks shift) to obtain images of cells, for instance, in the context of the follow up the cancer therapy [1]. Among the manifold of lanthanide luminescent compounds those suitable for bio-imaging should combine non-toxicity and aqueous solubility in the non-dissociated form. The search for the appropriate luminescent probe, which meets all the aforementioned requirements, was made among Ln3+ complexes with fluorinated derivatives of benzoic acid as a ligand, which are able to radiate in visible and near infra-red region [2]. Therefore, 10 different ligands with variable number and positions of fluorine atoms were chosen and the chemical and the functional properties of lanthanide complexes with them were thoroughly studied. As a result of such study, the most promising complex Eu(2fb)3(H2O)2 (where H2fb=2-fluorobenzoic acid) was chosen and subjected to modification in order to attach a peptoid for selective cell recognition for monitoring their luminescence in cellulo.