Photoswitchable AIE-Active Supramolecular Self-Assemblies for Biosensing and Bioimaging

Abstract

Photoswitchable fluorescent self-assemblies exhibiting aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties have garnered widespread attention. Due to their great adaptiveness and responsiveness towards different wavelengths required by photoreaction, photo-isomerization, and photoluminescence excitation, these fluorescent self-assemblies show diverse emission behavior in a spatial, temporal, and polychromatic manner. Integrating organic photoswitches and AIE fluorophores, these photoluminescent nano-assemblies have been proven to be an effective approach, allowing the development of sophisticated systems for drug release and cell regulation that can be precisely manipulated through light or other stimuli. This review systematically encapsulates recent advances in photoswitchable fluorescent self-assemblies under multi-scenario biological applications. The construction of photoswitchable AIE fluorophores through covalent and non-covalent interactions and their multimodal regulation are detailed, along with their biological applications in biosensing, bioimaging, and drug therapy.