Growth and Biological\nInteractions of Uric Acid Crystals\nTracked by Heteroatom-Substituted Rhodamines

The formation of pathological crystals is the origin\nof many diseases,\nalthough the growth mechanisms, crystalline formations, interactions\nwith cells, and intracellular activities of the crystals are still\npoorly understood. Uric acid (UA) crystals, one of the essential components\nof kidney stones, are explored by the selective recognition of heteroatom-substituted\nrhodamines (HSRs). Moreover, the highly specific interaction between\nHSRs and UA crystals was also confirmed by the tuned growth of uric\nacid banded spherulites. With the HSR-dyed UA crystals, we sensitively\ntracked the stepwise interaction of crystals and live cells from the\nadhesive, internalization of crystals, and lysosome-involved inflammation\nin vivo.