Aggregation-Induced Emission Probes for Migrasome Imaging and Visualization
4 affiliations
- 1School of Science and Engineering
- 2Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen
- 3Institute of Materials Research
- 4Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University
Abstract
Migrasomes are highly dynamic, migration-associated membrane organelles involved in intercellular communication, cargo transfer, mitochondrial quality control, and cellular homeostasis. Their continuous formation, growth, maturation, and detachment impose unique demands on fluorescence imaging, particularly for stable and long-term visualization in living systems. Conventional imaging approaches, including protein-based markers and lipophilic membrane dyes, often suffer from genetic manipulation requirements, cellular internalization, membrane redistribution, photobleaching, or insufficient retention. Aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) provide a promising platform to address these limitations because their fluorescence can be activated by restricted molecular motion and their structures can be readily engineered for membrane interaction and functional sensing. In this review, we discuss the molecular design principles of AIEgens for migrasome imaging, with particular emphasis on membrane targeting, durable membrane retention, probe–lipid interactions, photophysical performance, and environmental responsiveness. Representative probes, including TTCPy, OT2SQ, and CDPP-2PF6, illustrate the evolution from phospholipid-targeted structural imaging to mechanosensitive sensing and long-term, lipid-dependent visualization. We further highlight emerging opportunities to improve migrasome selectivity, extend imaging in complex biological systems, and integrate functional readouts of membrane mechanics, lipid remodeling, and cargo dynamics. Together, these advances suggest that rational molecular engineering, rather than AIE activity alone, is central to the development of next-generation probes for selective, longitudinal, and functional migrasome imaging.
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BibTeX
@misc{ye2026aggregationinduced,
title = {{Aggregation-Induced Emission Probes for Migrasome Imaging and Visualization}},
author = {Ziyue Ye and Zheng Zhao and Zijie Qiu and Parvej Alam and Ben Zhong Tang},
howpublished = {ChemRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.26434/chemrxiv.15009494/v1},
url = {https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15009494/v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Aggregation-Induced Emission Probes for Migrasome Imaging and Visualization
AU - Ziyue Ye
AU - Zheng Zhao
AU - Zijie Qiu
AU - Parvej Alam
AU - Ben Zhong Tang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/27
PB - ChemRxiv
DO - 10.26434/chemrxiv.15009494/v1
UR - https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15009494/v1
AB - Migrasomes are highly dynamic, migration-associated membrane organelles involved in intercellular communication, cargo transfer, mitochondrial quality control, and cellular homeostasis. Their continuous formation, growth, maturation, and detachment impose unique demands on fluorescence imaging, particularly for stable and long-term visualization in living systems. Conventional imaging approaches, including protein-based markers and lipophilic membrane dyes, often suffer from genetic manipulation requirements, cellular internalization, membrane redistribution, photobleaching, or insufficient retention. Aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) provide a promising platform to address these limitations because their fluorescence can be activated by restricted molecular motion and their structures can be readily engineered for membrane interaction and functional sensing. In this review, we discuss the molecular design principles of AIEgens for migrasome imaging, with particular emphasis on membrane targeting, durable membrane retention, probe–lipid interactions, photophysical performance, and environmental responsiveness. Representative probes, including TTCPy, OT2SQ, and CDPP-2PF6, illustrate the evolution from phospholipid-targeted structural imaging to mechanosensitive sensing and long-term, lipid-dependent visualization. We further highlight emerging opportunities to improve migrasome selectivity, extend imaging in complex biological systems, and integrate functional readouts of membrane mechanics, lipid remodeling, and cargo dynamics. Together, these advances suggest that rational molecular engineering, rather than AIE activity alone, is central to the development of next-generation probes for selective, longitudinal, and functional migrasome imaging.
ER -