Method for measuring cellular transmembrane potential changes
View Patent ↗The invention encompasses an improved method for measuring membrane potential using compounds of the formula I as potentiometric probes. These probes may be used in combination with other fluorescent indicators such as Indo-1, Fura-2, and Fluo-3, such probes may be used in microplate reading devices such as FLIPR™, fluorescent imaging plate reader, sold by Molecular Device Corp., of Sunnyvale, Calif.; flow cytometers; and fluorometers. Such probes are used to measure membrane potential in live cells
1. In a method for measuring tranamembrane potential changes in a biological cell, the improvement comprising using compound of Structure I as a potentiometric probe
2. The method of claim 1 comprising:
(a) contacting a fluorescent or luminescent compound of structure I with cell membrane;
(b) stimulating membrane potential changes physically or with a biologically active substance; and
(c) measuring the fluorescence or luminescence changes.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the potentiometric probe is used to measure transmembrane potential changes in combination with a second colored reagent.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the membrane is a plasma membrane of a biological cell.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measurement is made in a fluorescence microplate reader.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the fluorescence microplate reader is a fluorometric plate reader having an integrated pipeting and fluidic system.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measurement is made with a fluorescence flow cytometer.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measurement is made in a fluorescence microscope.
9. A method of claim 1 wherein a compound of Structure I is used in combination with a second fluorescent indicator.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second fluorescent indicator is Indo-1, Fura-2 and Fluo-3, Calcium Green or Fluo-4.