Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a caged compound that can be photoactivated selectively for specific target cell types and can be used in an individual organism. The objective can be achieved by a compound represented by general formula K-Q-X, which is prepared by binding bioactive substance X, photocleavable protecting group Q, and compound K, which can be an enzyme substrate and is dissociated from Q-X by an enzyme reaction, wherein: Q is a protecting group that is photocleaved by light with a specific wavelength and then dissociated from X, when K is not bound thereto; X is a substance that does not express bioactivity when Q is bound thereto, but expresses bioactivity when Q is dissociated therefrom; and K is dissociated from Q by the above enzyme, so as to form a compound represented by Q-X.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to enable simpler operation in real time and culture while removing unnecessary cells from cultured cells for purification in analyzing, fractionating, and culturing the cells alive and to analyze and fractionate desired cells from the cultured cells to increase the purity, recovery rate, and viability of the cells. The present invention employs a cell-adhesive photocontrollable base material, wherein light irradiation causes the bond dissociation of a photolabile group comprising a coumarinylmethyl skeleton to produce the separation of a cell-adhesive material to leave a non-cell-adhesive material. As a result, cell images can be detected and analyzed to obtain the positional information of desired cells. Based on the positional information thus obtained, the cells can be analyzed and fractionated alive.

Abstract: The present invention provides a crosslinking agent which have photodegradable protective groups at two ends to crosslink double-stranded nucleic acid, a nucleic acid and a protein or a polypeptide, or proteins or polypeptides, in particular, double-stranded RNA; a method for crosslinking a double-stranded RNA or the like using the same; a method for regulating gene expression, which can control the expression of a target gene at an arbitrary timing and location; and a method for examining a gene function. According to the present invention, crosslinking between double-stranded nucleic acids between a nucleic acid and a protein or a polypeptide, or between proteins or polypeptides, in particular, between double-stranded RNA can be easily formed, and in addition, the crosslinking can also be easily removed, so that the expression of a target gene can be easily controlled at an arbitrary timing and location with high efficiency.

Abstract: The present invention provides a crosslinking agent which have photodegradable protective groups at two ends to crosslink double-stranded nucleic acid, a nucleic acid and a protein or a polypeptide, or proteins or polypeptides, in particular, double-stranded RNA; a method for crosslinking a double-stranded RNA or the like using the same; a method for regulating gene expression, which can control the expression of a target gene at an arbitrary timing and location; and a method for examining a gene function. According to the present invention, crosslinking between double-stranded nucleic acids between a nucleic acid and a protein or a polypeptide, or between proteins or polypeptides, in particular, between double-stranded RNA can be easily formed, and in addition, the crosslinking can also be easily removed, so that the expression of a target gene can be easily controlled at an arbitrary timing and location with high efficiency.

Abstract: Protecting groups derived from a halogenated coumarin group, a quinoline-2-one group, a xanthene group, a thioxanthene group, a selenoxanthene group, or an anthracene group are described. The protecting groups is photolabile and can be removed by irradiating the group with light, such as flash photolysis with ultraviolet radiation or pulsed infrared radiation.

Abstract: A target gene can be expressed site-specifically and with desired timing without damaging the cell itself or inducing mutation in a nucleic acid molecule within the cell. Expression of the above target gene is suppressed by allowing a caging agent represented by the following formula (1) to bind to a nucleic acid molecule containing the target gene; and the suppression of expression of the above target gene is cancelled by detaching the caging agent from the above nucleic acid molecule by UV-illumination.

Abstract: Protecting groups derived from a halogenated coumarin group, a quinoline-2-one group, a xanthene group, a thioxanthene group, a selenoxanthene group, or an anthracene group are described. The protecting groups is photolabile and can be removed by irradiating the group with light, such as flash photolysis with ultraviolet radiation or pulsed infrared radiation.