Research tools aimed at exploring mitochondria are becoming more and more popular and cover multiple experimental applications. They go from primary antibodies validated for immuno-assays (see “10 Mitochondrial marker antibodies“) to fluorescent probes for mitochondria-related events monitor in living-cells (e.g. MitoPeDPP for live cell imaging, mitophagy or singlet Oxygen (1O2) detection…). Here I’d like to introduce 3 new molecules developed by Focus Biomolecules to further decipher mitochondrial biology.
How to monitor mitophagy in mammalian cells
Mitochondria keep cells “healthy” in their environment. In this post, we’ll take a look at a new fluorescent assay for the monitoring of mitophagy, a process aimed at clearing damaged or superfluous mitochondria by autophagy, in mammalian cells.
MitoPeDPP: a new mitochondrial fluorescent probe for live cell imaging
Dojindo just completed its offer in the field of mitochondrial research with the release of a unique fluorescent dye for live cell imaging. This post introduces this new MitoPeDPP mitochondrial probe.
How to detect Singlet Oxygen by live cell imaging?
Singlet Oxygen (1O2) fluorescent detection in living cells was limited by the lack of availability of cell membrane permeable dyes. The silicon-based far-red fluorescent probe (Si-DMA) has been especially designed to monitor singlet oxygen in real-time and in living cells. Si-DMA is now commercially available for ROS studies by live-cell imaging.
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Imaging of organelles in living cells
Lysosome staining: Human fibroblasts stained with LysoLive™ SulfGreen
Visualizing fixed cells and tissues only gives snap shots of cellular processes. Over the past years, more and more cellular parameters have become measurable in living cells. For this purpose, there is a growing number of specific stains capable of entering the cell without toxic effects (which could also negatively impact the parameters to be measured). [Read more…]
How to optimise signal to noise in ΔΨm studies?
Mitochondria and their functional status provide an early indication of cellular toxicity and thus have emerged as a critical target in drug discovery and toxicity profiling. Apoptosis, necrosis and slow degenerative disease all exhibit changes in the electrochemical gradient across the mitochondrial membranes, ΔΨm, which give rise to the creation of the electronic potential necessary for ATP production. [Read more…]