The current majority of fluorescent probes are primarily based on fluorescence imaging which relies on single fluorescence emission intensity, and the complex intracellular biological environment dramatically interferes with the accuracy of the assay. Fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) can take advantage of the long-life characteristics of fluorescent probes for background-free optical analysis imaging. However, it places higher demands on designing and preparing of optical probes. An environment-sensitive near-infrared (NIR) probe, TPA-DCPP NPs, was prepared to achieve multidimensional quantification (confocal fluorescence intensity, in situ emission, and lifetime imaging) of intracellular polarity enabling accurate cancer cell discrimination and autophagy monitoring, which is expected to provide ideas for developing probes realizing detect targets precisely in complex biosystems.

目前大多数荧光探针主要基于依赖于单一荧光发射强度的荧光成像，复杂的细胞内生物环境极大地干扰了测定的准确性。荧光寿命成像 (FLIM) 可以利用荧光探针的长寿命特性进行无背景光学分析成像。然而，它对光学探针的设计和制备提出了更高的要求。制备环境敏感的近红外 (NIR) 探针 TPA-DCPP NPs 以实现多维量化（共聚焦荧光强度, in situ emission, and lifetime imaging）的细胞内极性能够实现准确的癌细胞鉴别和自噬监测，有望为开发在复杂生物系统中实现精确检测目标的探针提供思路。