The present invention relates to: a labeling dye having excellent fluorescent intensity and photostability; and a kit.

Conformationally restricted cyanine fluorophores, as well as methods of making and using the compounds, are described. The conformationally restricted cyanine fluorophores have a chemical structure according to Formula I, or a stereoisomer or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof:

##STR00001##

wherein A is

##STR00002##

and wherein each * designates an attachment point of A.

The application provides fluorescent dyes, which are cyanine dyes that incorporate additional aza moieties in the indolenium heterocycles and/or in the methine chains connecting them. Symmetrical and unsymmetrical chemically reactive azacyanine dyes are described for conjugation, as well as their bioconjugates for in-vitro and in-vivo assays and fluorescence imaging.

Provided are a curable composition, a cured film, an optical filter, a solid image pickup element, an image display device, an infrared sensor, a dispersing auxiliary agent, a dispersion, and a method of manufacturing a dispersion. With the curable composition, a cured film having excellent moisture resistance in which the formation of an aggregate derived from a compound having a colorant skeleton is suppressed can be formed. This curable composition includes: a compound A having a structure in which at least one functional group selected from an acid group having a pKa of 3 or lower and a Clog P value of 1.1 or higher, an anionic group obtained by dissociating one or more hydrogen atoms from the acid group, or a salt of the acid group is bonded to a -conjugated structure of a colorant skeleton and having a maximum absorption wavelength in a wavelength range of 650 to 1200 nm; a curable compound; and a solvent.

A film in which a light transmittance when light is transmitted from one surface of the film to the other surface has a maximum value of 10% or lower in a wavelength range of 400 to 830 nm and has a minimum value of 70% or higher in a wavelength range of 1000 to 1300 nm.

Voltage sensitive dyes comprising boron and related compositions and methods are provided. In some embodiments, a voltage sensitive dye comprises an electron acceptor comprising boron. The electron acceptor may be attached (e.g., covalently) to at least one electron donating group and at least one polar group. For instance, the electron acceptor may comprise optionally substituted boron dipyrromethene (e.g., optionally substituted 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene). The point of attachment and chemical nature of the electron donating group(s) and polar group(s) may be selected to impart beneficial properties to the voltage sensitive dye. For instance, the voltage sensitive dye may have an extended difference in the dipole moment between the ground and electronic states due at least in part to the position of the electron donating group(s). The voltage sensitive dyes, described herein, may have high specificity, high signal to noise ratio, fast responsivity, high voltage sensitivity, high photostability, and/or high brightness.

Hydrogels that degrade under appropriate conditions of pH and temperature by virtue of crosslinking compounds that cleave through an elimination reaction are described. The hydrogels may be used for delivery of various agents, such as pharmaceuticals.

Aspects of the disclosure provide biconjugatable labels, labeled biomolecules, and methods of using and making the same.

Disclosed is a compound having the following formula (I):

##STR00001## as well as to the use of such as a dye sensitizer.

Also disclosed is a dye sensitized solar cell including at least one compound of formula (I) as dye sensitizer.

The present invention relates to the field of optical imaging. More particularly, it relates to compounds of the cyanine family with near-infrared emission characterized by improved physico-chemical and biological properties and to conjugates with biological ligands thereof.

The invention also relates to the use of these compounds as optical diagnostic agents in imaging or therapy of solid tumors, to the methods for their preparation and to the compositions comprising them.