Mitochondria-Activated Wash-Free Fluorescent Probe for Visualizing Single-Cell Photodamage

Cell viability assessment is essential in biological and medical research. There is a growing demand for fluorescent probes that can rapidly, reliably, and wash-free evaluate cell viability in complex scenarios. Electron transport chain (ETC) is one of the earliest indicators of cellular distress and holds great potential for assessing cell viability. In this study, we introduce Rhodalive, a mitochondria-targeted ETC-activated fluorescence turn-on probe for single-cell viability assessment. Rhodalive is specifically activated by free electrons leaked from the ETC and localized to the mitochondria, enabling wash-free, spatiotemporal, and super-resolution fluorescence imaging of active mitochondria. Moreover, Rhodalive can effectively distinguish live cells from fixed cells, quantify H₂O₂-induced cell damage, and visualize single-cell photodamage induced by localized blue light exposure and photodynamic therapy. Rhodalive provides a convenient and reliable tool for dynamically assessing single-cell viability with promising applications in evaluating early mitochondrial dysfunction and advancing drug discovery.