Creating new fluorescent probes for cell biology

• Published in: Nature reviews. Molecular cell biology Vol. 3; no. 12; pp. 906 - 918
• Main Authors: Tsien, Roger Y, Zhang, Jin, Campbell, Robert E, Ting, Alice Y
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 01.12.2002
• Subjects: Animals; Biological Transport - physiology; Biologists; Cell Physiological Phenomena; Design; Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer; Fluorescent Dyes; Genes, Reporter; Luminescent Proteins - genetics; Luminescent Proteins - metabolism; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Models, Molecular; Molecular Probe Techniques; Molecular Structure; Mutation; Probes; Protein Structure, Secondary; Protein Structure, Tertiary; Proteins; Recombinant Fusion Proteins - genetics; Recombinant Fusion Proteins - metabolism; United States > US; Massachusetts; California
• ISSN: 1471-0072; 1471-0080
• DOI: 10.1038/nrm976

Fluorescent probes are one of the cornerstones of real-time imaging of live cells and a powerful tool for cell biologists. They provide high sensitivity and great versatility while minimally perturbing the cell under investigation. Genetically-encoded reporter constructs that are derived from fluorescent proteins are leading a revolution in the real-time visualization and tracking of various cellular events. Recent advances include the continued development of 'passive' markers for the measurement of biomolecule expression and localization in live cells, and 'active' indicators for monitoring more complex cellular processes such as small-molecule-messenger dynamics, enzyme activation and protein-protein interactions.