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Bioluminescent probes are powerful tools for visualizing biology in live tissues and whole animals. Recent years have seen a surge in the number of new luciferases, luciferins, and related tools available for bioluminescence imaging. Many were crafted using classic methods of optical probe design and engineering. Here we highlight recent advances in bioluminescent tool discovery and development, along with applications of the probes in cells, tissues, and organisms. Collectively, these tools are improving in vivo imaging capabilities and bolstering new research directions., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Bioorthogonal reactions have long been used to examine individual biomolecules in living systems. Studies of multi-component networks demand not only reliable bioorthogonal chemistries, but also combinations of reactions that can be used in tandem. Such 'orthogonal bioorthogonal' transformations have been reported in recent years, and these chemistries are enabling new explorations into biology. This article highlights the development of orthogonal bioorthogonal reactions and their application in multi-target imaging and macromolecule assembly. Methods to tune and control orthogonal reactivity are also discussed, along with prospects for identifying new classes of compatible reactions., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Cellular communication drives diverse aspects of organismal biology ranging from immune function to memory formation. The mechanisms by which cells transact information in vivo, though, are not completely understood. This is due, in part, to a lack of tools for observing collections of cells in their native habitats. New optical probes are being crafted to image networks of cell-cell interactions (i.e., 'interactomes') in tissues and live organisms. Examples of these probes-and their use in visualizing cell contacts and macroscopic cell networks-are highlighted., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Over the past two decades, there has been intense interest in designing and implementing selective (bioorthogonal) reactions for biomolecule tracking. Here we review the most widely used bioorthogonal chemistries in live cells and animals, drawing particular attention to the unique functional groups underlying these transformations. We also describe recent efforts to tune functional group reactivities and stabilities to access even more rapid and selective chemistries. Last, we highlight ongoing challenges in identifying new bioorthogonal reagents and combinations of reactions that can be used concurrently to tag multiple biomolecules., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) exploits the light-emitting properties of luciferase enzymes for monitoring cells and biomolecular processes in living subjects. Luciferases can be incorporated into a variety of non-luminescent hosts and used to track cells, visualize gene expression, and analyze collections of biomolecules. This article highlights recent applications of BLI to studies of mammalian biology, along with the development of novel bioluminescent probes to 'see' cells and molecules in action. Collectively, these efforts are expanding our understanding of living systems and shedding light on the molecular underpinnings of disease., (2009. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)