Real-time monitoring of the mitophagy process by a photostable fluorescent mitochondrion-specific bioprobe with AIE characteristicsElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Synthetic route and characterization of TPE-Py-NCS; absorption and PL spectra of TPE-Py-NCS; particle size analysis of TPE-Py-NCS aggregates; MTT assay and photostability for TPE-Py-NCS; fluorescent images of TPE-Py-NCS labelled HeLa cells with different treatments. See DOI: 10.1039/c5cc02486b

An isothiocyanate-functionalized tetraphenylethene is synthesized and used as a fluorescent bioprobe for mitochondrion imaging with high specificity and photostability. The covalent conjugation of the bioprobe to mitochondrial proteins endows it with high resistance to microenvironmental changes, enabling it for real-time monitoring of mitophagy. A tetraphenylethene-based AIE bioprobe is developed for mitochondrial imaging. The probe shows high brightness, tolerance to environmental changes and photostability, making it promising for monitoring of mitophagy process.