Introduction

 

ER Flipper-TR® is a fluorescent probe that specifically targets the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of cells and reports membrane tension changes through its fluorescence lifetime changes. It contains an ER targeting motive as well as a Flipper fluorophore which senses changes of the organization of lipid bilayer membranes through changes of the twist angle and polarization between the two twisted dithienothiophenes of the mechanophore.

ER Flipper-TR® spontaneously labels the ER of cells and is only fluorescent when inserted in a lipid membrane. It has a broad absorption and emission spectrum, excitation can be commonly performed with a 488nm laser, while emission is collected between 575 and 625nm.

A detailed protocol for staining and FLIM imaging can be found in the datasheet. Probe quantity allows 35 – 150 staining experiments.*

Photophysical Properties

λabs 480 nm
λfl 600 nm
εmax 1.66·104 mol-1·cm-1 (in DMSO)
lifetime 2.8-7 ns
QY 30% (in AcOEt)

*Based on the following conditions: 0.5 – 1 ml staining solution / staining experiments with 0.5 – 1 uM probe concentration. The number of staining experiments can be further increased by reducing volume or probe concentration.

ER Flipper-TR® probe is distributed by Spirochrome under an exclusive license from the University of Geneva, Switzerland and was developed by the NCCR Chemical Biology.