MTX, a modified version of MTY have been developed for assessing the temperature of mitochondria in living cells. Their use as nanothermometers is dependent on their long term retention in mitochondria, lack of interference with mitochondrial activities, and on their propensity to be unaffected by fluctuations of membrane potential, which is likely enabled by their binding to specific targets within mitochondria.
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Spectral properties of the MTX probe. (a) fluorescence excitation (red) and emission (green) spectra of MTX (1.5 µM) H2O at 32 ◦C and 52 ◦C; (b) fluorescence response of MTX in solution to temperature (% of fluorescence at 32 ◦C). The probe was incubated for 10, 30, and 60 min at 32 ◦C followed by 10, 30, 60 min incubation at 52 ◦C, and the temperature was decreased back to 32 ◦C, as indicated. n = 3; values are means ± SD;
Pitfalls in Monitoring Mitochondrial Temperature Using Charged Thermosensitive Fluorophores, Chrétien, D.; Bénit, P.; Leroy, C.; El-Khoury, R.; Park, S.; Lee, J. Y.; Chang, Y. T.; Lenaers, G.; Rustin, R.; Rak, M. Chemosensors 2020, 8, 124.