Sensing acetylcholine and anticholinesterase compounds.

Acetylcholine is a key neurotransmitter, and anticholinesterase agents are essential compounds used as medical drugs, pesticides, and chemical warfare agents. A semisynthetic fluorescence-based probe for the direct, real-time detection of acetylcholine and anticholinesterase compounds is introduced. The probe possesses good sensitivity, tunable detection range, and can be selectively targeted to cell surfaces, thereby making it an attractive tool for applications in analytical chemistry and quantitative biology.