PROCEEDINGS ARTICLE | February 22, 2013
Proc. SPIE. 8588, Multiphoton Microscopy in the Biomedical Sciences XIII
KEYWORDS: Two photon imaging, Proteins, Visualization, Luminescence, Molecules, Cell death, Fluorescence lifetime imaging, Picosecond phenomena, Plasma, Liquids
Biomembranes are ordered and dynamic nanoscale structures critical for cell functions. The biological functions of the membranes strongly depend on their physicochemical properties, such as electrostatics, phase state, viscosity, polarity and hydration. These properties are essential for the membrane structure and the proper folding and function of membrane proteins. To monitor these properties, fluorescence techniques and notably, two-photon microscopy appear highly suited due to their exquisite sensitivity and their capability to operate in complex biological systems, such as living cells and tissues. In this context, we have developed multiparametric environment-sensitive fluorescent probes tailored for precise location in the membrane bilayer. We notably developed probes of the 3-hydroxychromone family, characterized by an excited state intramolecular proton transfer reaction, which generates two tautomeric emissive species with well-separated emission bands. As a consequence, the response of these probes to changes in their environment could be monitored through changes in the ratios of the two bands, as well as through changes in the fluorescence lifetimes. Using two-photon ratiometric imaging and FLIM, these probes were used to monitor the surface membrane potential, and were applied to detect apoptotic cells and image membrane domains.
