Photoswitchable fluorescent diarylethene in a turn-on mode for live cell imagingElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details and supplementary data. See DOI: 10.1039/c2cc30738c

A new diarylethene-derived photochromic compound, with little cytotoxicity, plasma membrane-permeability, and efficient photoswitchability in cells upon alternative UV and visible light irradiation, was synthesized and applied to live cell imaging. A new diarylethene-derived photochromic compound, which is photoswitchable in cells, was synthesized and applied to live cell imaging.