Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

Fluorophore

 
 

Fluorescent molecule.

Search unanswered questions...
Enter a word or phrase...
All Community Q&A Reference topics
Wikipedia: Fluorophore
 
A fluorophore-labeled human cell.

A fluorophore, in analogy to a chromophore, is a component of a molecule which causes a molecule to be fluorescent. It is a functional group in a molecule which will absorb energy of a specific wavelength and re-emit energy at a different (but equally specific) wavelength. The amount and wavelength of the emitted energy depend on both the fluorophore and the chemical environment of the fluorophore. This technology has particular importance in the field of biochemistry and protein studies, eg. in immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry.[1]

Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), a reactive derivative of fluorescein, has been one of the most common fluorophores chemically attached to other, non-fluorescent molecules to create new fluorescent molecules for a variety of applications. Other historically common fluorophores are derivatives of rhodamine (TRITC), coumarin, and cyanine.[2] Newer generations of fluorophores such as the Alexa Fluors and the DyLight Fluors are generally more photostable, brighter, and less pH-sensitive than other standard dyes of comparable excitation and emission.[1] [3] [4]

Contents

Size

The size of the fluorophore might sterically hinder the tagged molecule:

Families

Fluorophores can be attached to protein to specific functional groups, such as

or non-specificately (Glutaraldehyde).

These fluorophores are either quantum dots or small molecules. The former a fluorescent semiconductor nanoparticles. The latter molecules which fluoresce thanks to delocalized electrons which can jump a band and stabilize the energy absorbed, hence most fluorophores are aromatic, a propriety that can arise is that when polar molecules stabilize one resonance structure more over the other the dye is sensitive to the environment's polarity (solvatochromic), hence called environmentally sensitive.

Common dye families are:

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Tsien RY, Waggoner Aeditor=Pawley JB (1995). "Fluorophores for confocal microscopy". Handbook of biological confocal microscopy. New York: Plenum Press. pp. 267-74. ISBN 0-306-44826-2. http://books.google.com/books?id=16Ft5k8RC-AC&pg=PA267. Retrieved on 2008-12-13. 
  2. ^ Rietdorf J (2005). Microscopic Techniques. Advances in Biochemical Engineering / Biotechnology. Berlin: Springer. pp. 246-9. ISBN 3-540-23698-8. http://books.google.com/books?id=h9F_RGrIoicC&pg=PA247. Retrieved on 2008-12-13. 
  3. ^ Lakowicz, J.R., Principles of fluorescence spectroscopy. 3rd ed. 2006, New York: Springer. xxvi, 954 p.
  4. ^ http://www.invitrogen.com/site/us/en/home/References/Molecular-Probes-The-Handbook/Introduction-to-Fluorescence-Techniques.html

External links


 
 
Learn More
High-Throughput Screening
Fluorescence microscope (microscopy)
Fluorescent labelling

Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:

 

Copyrights:

Genetics Encyclopedia. Genetics. Copyright © 2003 by The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Fluorophore" Read more