Progress in modifications and applications of fluorescent dye probe

This review summarizes the labeling technology and applications of fluorescent dye probe in biology, especially the characteristics, modi. cations and applications of cyanine dyes. Based on the currently available modi. cation methods of fluorescent dye probe, we discuss the studies of enhancing the water-solubility, improving the degree of biocompatibility and target-labeling, increasing the sensitivity and decreasing the toxicity of fluorescent dye. We also give a brief introduction on the modi. cation method, that the fluorescent dye is directly introduced onto the cell surfaces by amine derivatives or azides to intensify the transferring information of aberrant cells. We suggest that fluorescent dye modified with chitosan oligosaccharide can obviously increase the degree of biocompatibility and target-labeling, and decrease the degree of toxicity. (C) 2008 National Natural Science Foundation of China and Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier Limited and Science in China Press. All rights reserved.