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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. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A chromophore is part (or moiety) of a molecule responsible for its color. ... Fluorescence induced by exposure to ultraviolet light in vials containing various sized cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots. ... In organic chemistry, functional groups (or moieties) are specific groups of atoms within molecules, that are responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of those molecules. ... Biochemistry (from Greek: , bios, life and Egyptian kēme, earth[1]) is the study of the chemical processes in living organisms. ... A representation of the 3D structure of myoglobin, showing coloured alpha helices. ... Immunofluorescence is the labeling of antibodies or antigens with fluorescent dyes. ... Immunohistochemistry or IHC refers to the process of localizing proteins in cells of a tissue section exploiting the principle of antibodies binding specifically to antigens in biological tissues. ...

Fluorescein isothiocyanate, a reactive derivative of fluorescein, has been one of the most common fluorophores chemically attached to other, non-fluorescent molecules to create new and fluorescent molecules for a variety of applications. Other historically common fluorophores are derivatives of rhodamine, coumarin and cyanine. Fluorescein isothiocyanate Fluorescein is a fluorophore commonly used in microscopy, in a type of dye laser as the gain medium, and in forensics and serology to detect latent blood stains. ... Fluorescein is a fluorophore commonly used in microscopy, in a type of dye laser as the gain medium, in forensics and serology to detect latent blood stains, and in dye tracing. ... Rhodamine B Rhodamine 6G Rhodamine (IPA: []) is a family of related chemical compounds, fluorone dyes. ... Coumarin is a chemical compound; a toxin found in many plants, notably in high concentration in the tonka bean, woodruff, and bison grass. ... Cyanine Cyanine is a polymer hydroxide formula achieved in 1986 by the Universal Chemical Society. ...

A newer generation 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. The Alexa Fluor family of fluorescent dyes is produced by Molecular Probes, a subsidiary of Invitrogen. ... The DyLight Fluor family of fluorescent dyes is produced by Thermo Fisher Scientific. ... For other uses, see PH (disambiguation). ...

Size

The size of the fluorophore might sterically hinder the tagged molecule: Steric effects are the interaction of molecules dictated by their shape and/or spatial relationships. ...

• quantum dot: 2-10 nm (diameter), 100-100,000 atoms
• Green fluorescent protein (GFP) 26 kDa
• luciferin: about 20 atoms

A quantum dot is made from a semiconductor nanostructure that confines the motion of conduction band electrons, valence band holes, or excitons (bound pairs of conduction band electrons and valence band holes) in all three spatial directions. ... It has been suggested that mGFP be merged into this article or section. ... The unified atomic mass unit (u), or dalton (Da), is a small unit of mass used to express atomic and molecular masses. ... Luciferin is a generic name for light-emitting pigments found in organisms capable of bioluminescence, like fireflies, deep-sea fish and microbes. ... Properties For other meanings of Atom, see Atom (disambiguation). ...

See also

• Chromophore
• Fluorescent
• Dark quencher
• Category:Fluorescent dyes

A chromophore is part (or moiety) of a molecule responsible for its color. ... Fluorescence induced by exposure to ultraviolet light in vials containing various sized cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots. ... A quencher is a non-fluorescent dye that absorbs light but does not emit it. ...

External links

• The Database of fluorescent dyes
• Table of fluorochromes [1]