New 4,4-difluoro-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (BODIPY)-labeled sphingolipids for membrane studies

The synthesis of a series of new fluorescence labeled sphingolipids containing 4,4-difluoro-1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-4-bora-3alpha,4alpha-diaza-s-indacene-8-yl (Me4-BODIPY-8) group at omega-position of a fatty acyl residue is described. The obtained probes were used in studies of biological and model membrane systems.