Fluorescent calcium indicators have found numerous uses ranging from high-spatial resolution imaging of synaptic activity to high-throughput measurements of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) activation-evoked increases in intracellular Ca²⁺ for drug discovery.
The study of the function of Ca²⁺ ions inside cells is one the most dynamic areas of modern cell biology. Ca²⁺ is known to control neurosynaptic transmission, secretion of hormones, muscle contraction, and a myriad of physiological functions. It is suspected to be involved in cell division, movements of non-muscle cells, as well as memory and learned patterns of the nervous system. In all cases, localized fluctuations in cytosolic free Ca²⁺ levels inside cells are believed to control these functions. Techniques for the measurement and manipulation of Ca²⁺ are therefore crucial and have been advancing rapidly, largely as a result of invention of fluorescent calcium indicators for intracellular calcium imaging applications.
ION sells a collection of calcium dyes, such as Fluo-4 AM, Fura-2 AM, and FLIPR calcium assay kits for GPCR drug discovery and high-throughput screening. We list our fluorescent calcium indicators and Calcium assays by grouping them according to the color of the light they emit on binding calcium, namely Red, Gold, or Green. Ratiometric Ca²⁺ indicators and assay kits are also available.
