Synthesis of Cyanine Dyes -- Cyanine Dye–Nucleic Acid Interactions -- Near-Infrared Cyanine Dye–Protein Interactions -- Cyanine Dye-Based Compounds for Tumor Imaging With and Without Photodynamic Therapy -- Merocyanines: Synthesis and Application -- Coumarin Polymethines, Their Boron Complexes and Analogs -- Squarylium Dyes and Related Compounds -- Polymethine Dyes as Fluorescent Probes and Visible-Light Photoinitiators for Free Radical Polymerization -- Stability and Reactivity of Polymethine Dyes in Solution.