Fluorescent water-soluble perylenediimide-cored cationic dendrimers: synthesis, optical properties, and cell uptake.

Different generations of perylenediimide-cored dendrimers with peripheral amine groups were synthesized. All these water-soluble dendrimers could rapidly internalize into live cells with high efficacy of gene transfection and low cytotoxicity. Increasing dendrimer generation increased their ability for gene transfection.