The amine-containing BODIPY™ TR cadaverine can be reversibly coupled to aldehydes and ketones to form a Schiff base - which can be reduced to a generate stable amine derivative by sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) or sodium cyanoborohydride (NaCNH₃). Carboxylic acids of proteins and other water-soluble biopolymers can be coupled to this molecule in aqueous solution using water-soluble carbodiimides such as EDAC (E2247). The electronically neutral BODIPY™ TR dye is spectrally similar to the red fluorescent Texas Red™™ dye.