An Enumerated Outlook of Intracellular Micropolarity Using Solvatochromic Organic Fluorescent Probes

Abstract

The spatiotemporal distribution of intracellular physical parameters of a live cell is heterogeneous and complex. Measuring physical properties inside given cellular compartments (organelles) is challenging and important for therapy and diagnostics. The tiny volume of a single cell and even tinier organelles are not accessible by classical measuring devices. The microenvironment inside an organelle vastly controls the outcome of any biochemical and biophysical processes taking place inside it, which is crucial for the overall cellular health. Therefore, it is very important to understand the microenvironmental physical properties inside cellular organelles. Moreover, specific alterations of such microenvironmental properties were observed in the disease condition, making them a diagnostic hallmark. With this high demand, small-molecule organic fluorophores are emerging as the most successful tool due to their small relative size, bioavailability, and ease of functionalization. In this mini-review, the development of micropolarity-sensitive small organic fluorophore with the capability of targeting a specific cellular organelle has been discussed. Here, we have highlighted the strategies of targeting a specific organelle, the micropolarity, and the challenges and prospects of the field.