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Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Spot Variation Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy for Analysis of Molecular Diffusion at the Plasma Membrane of Living Cells
Published on: November 12, 2020
Systematic evaluation of FRAP experiments performed in a confocal laser scanning microscope--part II: Multiple
G I Hauser1, S Seiffert, W Oppermann
1Institute of Physical Chemistry, Clausthal University of Technology, Arnold-Sommerfeld-Strasse 4, D-38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany.
This study introduces a new method for analyzing fluorescence recovery after photo-bleaching (FRAP) data to determine diffusion coefficient distributions. The technique offers a simple, calibration-free approach to quantify multiple diffusion processes observed in microscopy experiments.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Fluorescence Recovery After Photo-bleaching (FRAP) is a key technique for measuring molecular mobility.
- Quantifying multiple diffusion coefficients from FRAP data can be complex.
- Existing methods often require extensive calibration or are limited in scope.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a systematic procedure for evaluating FRAP data.
- To enable the determination of diffusion coefficient distributions.
- To offer a calibration-free method for quantifying multiple diffusion processes.
Main Methods:
- Systematic evaluation of FRAP data.
- Confocal laser scanning microscopy for time and space-resolved measurements.
- Utilizing mixtures of fluorescent micro-spheres to validate the method.
Main Results:
- A procedure for determining diffusion coefficient distributions from FRAP data is established.
- The method is demonstrated to be straightforward and calibration-free.
- Successful verification using micro-sphere mixtures representing discrete diffusion coefficient distributions.
Conclusions:
- The presented procedure provides an effective means to analyze complex FRAP data.
- This method simplifies the quantification of multiple diffusion processes.
- It offers a reliable tool for biophysical and materials science research involving molecular diffusion.
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