Morpholine-Functionalized Multicomponent Metallacage as a Vector for Lysosome-Targeted Cell Imaging

Metallacages with suitable cavities and specific functions
are
promising delivery vectors in biological systems. Herein, we report
a morpholine-functionalized metallacage for lysosome-targeted cell
imaging. The efficient host–guest interactions between the
metallacage and dyes prevent them from aggregation, so their emission
in aqueous solutions is well maintained. The fluorescence quantum
yield of these host–guest complexes reaches 74.40%. Therefore,
the metallacage is further employed as a vector to deliver dyes with
different emission colors (blue, green, and red) into lysosomes for
targeted imaging. This research affords a type of vector for the delivery
of various cargos toward biological applications, which will enrich
the usage of metallacages in biomedical engineering.