Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026

14:16
Fluorescence detection methods for microfluidic droplet platforms
Published on: December 10, 2011
Fluorescence measurement by a streak camera in a single-photon-counting mode
Masayuki Komura1, Shigeru Itoh
1Division of Material Science (Physics), Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furocho, Chikusa, Nagoya, Japan.
Photosynthesis Research
|July 2, 2009
Summary
A new fluorescence measurement system using a streak camera enables easy, detailed analysis of picosecond kinetics. This system identified a new F689 fluorescence band in spinach Photosystem II particles.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Spectroscopy
- Photosynthesis research
Background:
- Fluorescence decay analysis is crucial for understanding energy transfer in biological systems.
- Existing methods can be limited in ease of use and data analysis capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a novel, user-friendly fluorescence measurement system for detailed kinetic analysis.
- To demonstrate the system's capability in characterizing fluorescence properties of various biological samples.
Main Methods:
- Development of a fluorescence measurement system utilizing a streak camera in single photon-counting mode.
- Acquisition of 2D fluorescence images in wavelength and time domains.
- Application of global analysis to picosecond fluorescence decay data from spinach Photosystem II particles at low temperatures (4-77 K).
Main Results:
- Identification of a new fluorescence emission band (F689) alongside established bands (F680, F685, F695) in spinach Photosystem II.
- Observation of a blue shift in the steady-state fluorescence spectrum below 77 K, attributed to increased F689 emission.
- Demonstration of the system's versatility by imaging fluorescence from diverse samples including plant leaves, bacteria, and corals.
Conclusions:
- The developed system offers efficient data handling and detailed analysis for fluorescence decay studies.
- The findings provide new insights into the energy transfer dynamics and spectral properties of Photosystem II.
- The system's broad applicability extends to various biological samples, facilitating advanced fluorescence imaging and analysis.
Related Concept Videos
Fluorescence and Phosphorescence: Instrumentation
Fluorometers and spectrofluorometers are two types of instruments used for measuring molecular fluorescence. These instruments differ in how they select excitation and emission wavelengths and the type of light sources they utilize. Fluorometers use absorption interference filters to choose excitation and emission wavelengths. The excitation source in a fluorometer is typically a low-pressure mercury vapor lamp that emits intense lines distributed throughout the ultraviolet and visible regions.
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.
Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy
Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy or TIRF is an advanced microscopic technique used to visualize fluorophores in samples close to a solid surface with a higher refractive index, such as a glass coverslip. TIRF only allows fluorophores in proximity to the solid surface to be excited. When light from a medium with a lower refractive index (such as air) hits the glass coverslip at a critical angle, the light undergoes total internal reflection stead of passing through the glass.
Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy
Confocal microscopy is an advanced microscopic technique. The prime advantage of the confocal microscope over other microscopy techniques is its ability to block the out-of-focus light from the illuminated samples using pinholes. It is widely used with fluorescence optics to obtain high-resolution, sharp contrast images. Unlike optical microscopes, confocal microscopes use a focused beam of light laser to scan the entire sample surface at different z-planes. These microscopes are, therefore,...

