Synthesis of a highly metal-selective rhodamine-based probe and its use for the in vivo monitoring of mercury.

This protocol describes detailed procedures for the preparation of a rhodamine-based mercury probe and for its applications to the detection of mercury in cells and vertebrate organisms. The mercury probe 1, which is prepared in two steps from rhodamine 6G, responds rapidly to Hg2+ in aqueous solutions with a 1:1 stoichiometry. Owing to the fact that the probe reacts with Hg2+ in an irreversible manner, it has advantages over other reversible mercury probes in in vivo assays with respect to both sensitivity and selectivity. In addition, fluorescent imaging assays of Hg2+ in live cells and zebrafish by using this mercury probe are detailed in this protocol. The approximate time frame for the preparation of the probe is 24 h and for its use in imaging assays is 1.5 h.