A potential water-soluble ytterbium-based porphyrin–cyclen dual bio-probe for Golgi apparatus imaging and photodynamic therapy

An amphiphilic water-soluble ytterbium complex which is photo-selective, functional and Golgi apparatus specific has been designed as a responsive dual probe capable of sensitizing emission within the biological window (660 and 750 nm), generating the singlet oxygen (ΦΔ = 0.45) and triggering local cell damage only upon exposure to visible and near-infrared laser excitation.