Fluorophore

A fluorophore (or fluorochrome, similarly to a <a href="/facts/Chromophore/9RykVkek">chromophore</a>) is a <a href="/facts/Fluorescence/qsJVT2qP">fluorescent</a> <a href="/facts/Chemical_compound/37FXqqtv">chemical compound</a> that can re-emit light upon light excitation. Fluorophores typically contain several combined <a href="/facts/Aromaticity/wK0DzRY6">aromatic</a> groups, or planar or cyclic molecules with several <a href="/facts/Pi_bond/3Q6LAGYK">π bonds</a>.
Fluorophores are sometimes used alone, as a <a href="/facts/Dye_tracing/m0sB6HJs">tracer</a> in fluids, as a <a href="/facts/Dye/a1NSlcsG">dye</a> for <a href="/facts/Staining/jqGqWEE1">staining</a> of certain structures, as a substrate of <a href="/facts/Enzyme/DSI1Fh7y">enzymes</a>, or as a probe or indicator (when its fluorescence is affected by environmental aspects such as polarity or ions). More generally they are <a href="/facts/Covalent_bond/EzMLf3Pz">covalently bonded</a> to <a href="/facts/Macromolecule/039ULSLg">macromolecules</a>, serving as a markers (or dyes, or tags, or reporters) for affine or bioactive reagents (<a href="/facts/Antibodies/MX8pdTdP">antibodies</a>, peptides, nucleic acids). Fluorophores are notably used to stain tissues, cells, or materials in a variety of analytical methods, such as <a href="/facts/Fluorescence_microscope/eMwIdrRR">fluorescent imaging</a> and <a href="/facts/Fluorescence_spectroscopy/mBcweHKk">spectroscopy</a>.
<a href="/facts/Fluorescein/8E4xH5at">Fluorescein</a>, via its <a href="/facts/Amine/JvfYJfP6">amine</a>-reactive <a href="/facts/Isothiocyanate/zk3Q3Pv8">isothiocyanate</a> derivative <a href="/facts/Fluorescein_isothiocyanate/22hQl6TX">fluorescein isothiocyanate</a> (FITC), has been one of the most popular fluorophores. From antibody labeling, the applications have spread to nucleic acids thanks to <a href="/facts/Carboxyfluorescein/4ClX5dTB">carboxyfluorescein</a>. Other historically common fluorophores are derivatives of <a href="/facts/Rhodamine/M0IotHXt">rhodamine</a> (TRITC), <a href="/facts/Coumarin/bW8bsSzK">coumarin</a>, and <a href="/facts/Cyanine/1VRdKM66">cyanine</a>. Newer generations of fluorophores, many of which are proprietary, often perform better, being more photostable, brighter, or less <a href="/facts/PH/RnSv8D7y">pH</a>-sensitive than traditional dyes with comparable excitation and emission.

Fluorophore open-in-new

Fluorophore