Alexa fluor

Alexa Fluor is a series of dyes that are commonly used in biological research for fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. The dyes were first developed by the company Molecular Probes, now a part of Thermo Fisher Scientific. Alexa Fluor dyes are frequently used in life sciences because of their brightness, photostability, and spectral variety.

History

The Alexa Fluor series was first introduced in the late 1990s by Molecular Probes. The dyes were designed to be brighter and more stable than the traditional fluorescent dyes used in biological research, such as fluorescein and rhodamine. The name "Alexa" is derived from the word "Alexandrite", a type of gemstone that changes color in different light, reflecting the properties of the dyes.

Properties

Alexa Fluor dyes are known for their high fluorescence quantum yield, photostability, and spectral variety. They are available in a range of colors, from blue to far-red, allowing for multiple targets to be visualized simultaneously in a single sample. The dyes are also water-soluble and resistant to photobleaching, making them ideal for long-term imaging studies.

Applications

Alexa Fluor dyes are used in a variety of biological research applications. They are commonly used in fluorescence microscopy, where they can be used to label specific proteins, nucleic acids, or other molecules within a cell or tissue. They are also frequently used in flow cytometry, a technique used to analyze the physical and chemical characteristics of particles in a fluid as it passes through at least one laser.

In addition to these applications, Alexa Fluor dyes can also be used in immunohistochemistry, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and other molecular biology techniques.

See also

• Fluorescence microscope
• Flow cytometry
• Molecular Probes
• Thermo Fisher Scientific