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Related Concept Videos

Labeling DNA Probes03:31

Labeling DNA Probes

DNA probes are fragments of DNA labeled with a reporter tag to enable their detection or purification. The resulting labeled DNA probes can then hybridize to target nucleic acid sequences through complementary base-pairing, and may be used to recover or identify these regions.
Radioisotopes, fluorophores, or small molecule binding partners like biotin or digoxigenin, are the most widely used reporter tags for labeling DNA probes. These labels can be attached to the probe DNA molecule via...
Protein Dynamics in Living Cells01:19

Protein Dynamics in Living Cells

Different fluorescence-based techniques are used to study the protein dynamics in living cells. These techniques include FRAP, FRET, and PET.
Fluorescent recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) is a fluorescent-protein-based detection technique used to quantify protein movement rates within the cell. This method exposes a small portion of the cell to an intense laser beam. The laser beam causes permanent photobleaching of the fluorophore-tagged proteins in the exposed region. As the bleached...
Immunofluorescence Microscopy01:12

Immunofluorescence Microscopy

A fluorescence microscope uses fluorescent chromophores called fluorochromes, which can absorb energy from a light source and then emit this energy as visible light. Fluorochromes include naturally fluorescent substances (such as chlorophylls) and fluorescent stains that are added to the specimen to create contrast. Dyes such as Texas red and FITC are examples of fluorochromes. Other examples include the nucleic acid dyes 4’,6’-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), and acridine orange.
The...
Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy01:37

Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (SRFM) provides a better resolution than conventional fluorescence microscopy by reducing the point spread function (PSF). PSF is the light intensity distribution from a point that causes it to appear blurred. Due to PSF, each fluorescing point appears bigger than its actual size, and it is the PSF interference of nearby fluorophores that causes the blurred image. Various approaches to achieving higher resolution through SRFM have recently been developed.
Photoluminescence: Applications01:14

Photoluminescence: Applications

Photoluminescence offers a wide range of applications due to its inherent sensitivity and selectivity. This technique allows for both direct and indirect analyses of the analyte. Direct quantitative analysis is possible when the analyte exhibits a favorable quantum yield for fluorescence or phosphorescence. However, an indirect analysis may be feasible if the analyte is not fluorescent or phosphorescent, or if the quantum yield is unfavorable. Indirect methods include reacting the analyte with...
Reporter Genes02:11

Reporter Genes

Reporter genes are a type of protein-coding gene that are often tagged to a gene of interest. Once inside a target cell, reporter genes usually produce visually identifiable characteristics like fluorescence and luminescence when expressed along with the gene of interest. Thus, reporter genes “report” the presence or absence of genes of interest in an organism, determine the gene expression pattern, or track the physical location of a DNA segment or protein in the cell.
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Automated Two-dimensional Spatiotemporal Analysis of Mobile Single-molecule FRET Probes
08:26

Automated Two-dimensional Spatiotemporal Analysis of Mobile Single-molecule FRET Probes

Published on: November 23, 2021

Fluorescent probes for bioimaging applications.

Takuya Terai1, Tetsuo Nagano

  • 1Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.

Current Opinion in Chemical Biology
|September 6, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Small organic fluorescent probes are vital for tracking molecules in biology without genetic modification. This review highlights recent advances in probes for metal cations and proteases, applicable in cellular and in vivo imaging.

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Area of Science:

  • Chemical Biology
  • Molecular Imaging
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Small organic fluorescent probes are essential for dynamic biological studies, offering molecular localization and quantification without genetic manipulation.
  • Fluorescence imaging principles underpin the development of these advanced molecular tools.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent achievements in small-molecular fluorescent probe development.
  • To highlight probes for metal cations and proteases, including applications in advanced imaging techniques.

Main Methods:

  • Overview of fluorescence imaging principles.
  • Discussion of recent small-molecular fluorescent probes for specific analytes.
  • Emphasis on probes for metal cations and proteases, including in vivo applications.

Main Results:

  • Probes for metal cations, including those for two-photon imaging, have been developed.
  • Methodologies for visualizing proteases, particularly activity-based probes for in vivo use, are presented.
  • All discussed probes demonstrate applicability in cellular or in vivo imaging.

Conclusions:

  • Small-molecule fluorescent probes are versatile tools for biological research.
  • Recent advancements have expanded their utility in complex imaging applications.
  • These probes facilitate dynamic molecular analysis in biological systems.