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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 19, 2026

Imaging Membrane Potential with Two Types of Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Voltage Sensors

Imaging Membrane Potential with Two Types of Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Voltage Sensors

Published on: February 4, 2016

Optical estimation of absolute membrane potential using fluorescence lifetime imaging.

Julia R Lazzari-Dean¹, Anneliese Mm Gest¹, Evan W Miller^1,2,3

¹Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.

|September 24, 2019

Summary

Researchers developed a new optical method, VF-FLIM, to measure cell membrane potential (Vmem) non-invasively. This technique allows precise Vmem quantification in thousands of cells, revealing insights into cellular signaling and disease.

Keywords:

biochemistry cellular physiology chemical biology fluorescent indicators human membrane potential physics of living systems

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Last Updated: Jan 19, 2026

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Published on: December 22, 2020

Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Biophysics
Physiology

Background:

Cells maintain transmembrane potentials (Vmem) crucial for non-excitable cell physiology.
Vmem's role in cancer and differentiation is understudied due to limited non-invasive measurement methods.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and validate a non-invasive optical method for quantifying absolute Vmem in mammalian cells.
To enable high-throughput, single-cell resolution Vmem measurements.

Main Methods:

Developed Voltage-Fluorophore Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (VF-FLIM) for Vmem visualization and quantification.
Applied VF-FLIM to mammalian cell cultures, measuring Vmem in thousands of cells.
Utilized pharmacological inhibitors to identify ion channel involvement.

Main Results:

VF-FLIM achieved a 100-fold improvement in cell throughput compared to electrophysiology.
Observed a 10-15 mV hyperpolarization in human carcinoma cells upon growth factor stimulation.
Identified the calcium-activated potassium channel KCa3.1 as responsible for the observed hyperpolarization.

Conclusions:

VF-FLIM provides a powerful new tool for optically quantifying absolute Vmem at single-cell resolution.
This method facilitates the re-examination of Vmem's signaling roles in diverse physiological and pathological contexts.
The findings highlight KCa3.1's role in Vmem regulation during growth factor response.