Selected new fluorogenic probes that interact in different ways with Hg2+ and MeHg+ have been prepared
and used for the chemical speciation of both cations in aqueous solution as well as in HEK293 cells. The best
selective speciation of Hg2+ and MeHg+ has been achieved by in vitro approaches based on fluorogenic
probes supported in cultured cells, due to the particular sensitivity of the HEK293 cells to permeation by
Hg2+, MeHg+ and the fluorogenic probes. In particular, MeHg+ was selectively detected in cell nuclei by
probe JG45.
