Ion Indicators
Fluorescent ion indicators can be used as reporters to measure the local ion concentration. The underlying principle of this technique is that the binding of the ion of interest changes the fluorescence properties of the dyes. These changes can be monitored on the stage of a fluorescence microscope.
The steady-state maintenance of highly asymmetric concentrations of anions and inorganic cations is a key feature of living cells. Homeostatic regulation of these ionic gradients is important for many cellular functions. Developing probes to measure ionic concentrations with both spatial and temporal resolution is critical in research ranging from drug discovery to studies of neuronal function.
The advent of fluorescent ion sensitive indicators has improved our understanding of the mechanisms involved in regulating pH and ion such as Ca2+ homeostasis in living cells. Changes in [Ca2+] can alter pH regulatory mechanisms and vice versa, making assignment of either ion to a particular physiological response complex. Thus, techniques to simultaneously measure these two ions have been developed.
Armed with years of experience in neuroscience, Creative Biolabs has developed a number of ion indicators to track calcium, sodium, magnesium, zinc and other ion concentrations with intense fluorescent signals and a range of wavelength options. Besides, combinational probes products used to simultaneously monitor irons and pH are also available for global clients. Please browse the options below to take a deeper look at the tools for your research needs.
