AIE opens new applications in super-resolution imaging

With the rapid development of image processing for scene recognition and visual communication, there is an intense demand to provide the observer with a high-resolution image not only for offering better visualization but also for extracting additional details. In recent years, the invention of super-resolution imaging techniques has overcome the diffraction barrier and has provided clear insights into biological processes at the cellular and molecular scale. In general, the commonly used probes for super-resolution imaging are focused on fluorescent proteins, quantum dots and organic small-molecule fluorophores. Their photostability, biocompatibility and specificity, however, leave much to be desired. Aggregation-induced emission (AIE), a fascinating photoluminescence phenomenon, has found a wide range of applications in fluorescent sensors, biological probes and smart nanomaterials. Herein, we introduce a new class of AIE-based bioprobes for super-resolution imaging, which has recently been reported by Tang and co-workers. The results will inspire the design of AIE luminogens for specific super-resolution imaging in more fields.