What is the most commonly used fluorophores?

Most Commonly Used Fluorophores

Fluorophores, also known as fluorescent probes or fluorescent dyes, are molecules that absorb light at a specific wavelength and then emit light at a longer wavelength, producing a visible or fluorescent signal. They are widely used in various fields of biological and chemical research for labeling and detecting molecules of interest. Among the plethora of fluorophores available, some have emerged as particularly popular due to their brightness, photostability, and compatibility with available instrumentation.

List of Most Commonly Used Fluorophores

• Fluorescein - Known for its high quantum yield and compatibility with the FITC (fluorescein isothiocyanate) derivative, making it a staple in immunofluorescence and flow cytometry.
• Rhodamine - Valued for its brightness and photostability, rhodamine and its derivatives are used in a wide range of applications, including fluorescence microscopy and DNA sequencing.
• Phycoerythrin (PE) - A protein from cyanobacteria and red algae that is extremely bright and often used in flow cytometry for its high sensitivity.
• Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) - Originally derived from the jellyfish Aequorea victoria, GFP and its variants have revolutionized cell biology by allowing the visualization of protein localization in live cells.
• Cyanine dyes (Cy dyes) - A family of synthetic dyes, including Cy3 and Cy5, known for their use in nucleic acid research and high sensitivity in fluorescence detection.

These fluorophores are selected based on their specific properties, such as excitation and emission wavelengths, brightness, photostability, and compatibility with the detection equipment. Advances in chemistry and biotechnology continue to expand the toolkit of available fluorophores, enabling more sophisticated and sensitive detection methods in scientific research.