Nanoparticles self-assembled from multiple interactions: a novel near-infrared fluorescent sensor for the detection of serum albumin in human sera and turn-on live-cell imaging.

A novel pyrene-conjugated squaraine fluorescent probe SQ-P, which could self-assemble into nanoparticles in aqueous solution through multiple interactions, was designed to selectively detect serum albumin with a turn-on response in the near infrared (NIR) region. More importantly, the probe can quantitatively detect serum albumin in human sera, and be used for imaging in living cells.