Fura-2

Fura-2 is a high affinity, UV excitable intracellular calcium indicator that exhibits the unique property of ratiometry, it is the most popular indicator to accurately quantify calcium.  By applying the ratio of the two wavelengths, variable effects such as indicator concentration, degree of cell loading, photobleaching, detector sensitivity, cell thickness and optical path are all eliminated.  Typically, Fura-2 is excited at 335 and 362 nm while monitoring the 505 nm emission. Fura-2 is available in the following forms:

Acetoxymethyl (AM) ester for non-invasive intracellular loading, >95% purity by HPLC

• 1 mg, (Cat. 0102, $90)

• 20 x 50 µg, (Cat. 0103, $115)

Potassium salt for calibration and invasive loading, >90% purity by HPLC

• 1 mg, (Cat. 0104, $90)

Teflabs will work to accommodate special requests; if you need a different form please let us know at probes@teflabs.com.

Order Fura-2

Want long wavelength ratiometry? Learn more about our new Asante Calcium Red

Special Application Variants of Fura-2

Teflabs also offers the low affinity, and near membrane specialty applications as well as leakage resistant enhanced-performance versions of Fura-2 and other calcium indicators.

Low Affinity

Low affinity Fura-2 has several advantages over its high affinity counterparts:

• Fluorescent response does not saturate at micromolar calcium levels
• Reduced buffering of intracellular calcium and reduced perturbation of calcium transients
• Faster dissociation from calcium allows for measurement of shorter-lived transients.

Our low affinity Fura-2 is based on the electron-withdrawing effect of fluorine on the affinity of the parent dye.  Their K_ds shift from the nanomolar to the micromolar range, with high selectivity for calcium over magnesium, unlike their APTRA based counterparts.  We offer Fura-2 LA (Cat. 0135 formerly Fura-2 FF), Indo-1 LA (Cat. 0138 formerly Indo-1 FF), Fluo-2 LA, and Asante Calcium Red LA (Cat. 3050) low affinity indicators.

Leakage Resistant

These modified indicators are retained in the cell for hours, with little to no change in the properties of their parent compounds.  Numerous publications have emanated since their inception in 1994.

Teflabs is the sole manufacturer of the leakage resistant dyes Fura-2 LR (Cat.0108, formerly Fura-PE3), Indo-1 LR (Cat. 0144, formerly Indo-PE3), Fluo-2 LR and Asante Calcium Red LR (Cat. 3150).

Near Membrane

The near-membrane calcium indicators continue to be highly successful in their niche applications.  Unlike other hydrophobic indicators, these have a piperazine collar to latch into the membrane, leaving the chelating portion to measure calcium in the gates and not lost in the membrane. TEFLabs offers Fura-2  NM (Cat. 0125, formerly FFP-18),  Indo-1 NM FIP-18(Cat. 0127, formerly FIP-18 ), Fluo-2 NM,  and Asante Calcium Red NM (Cat. 3200 ).

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TEFLabs offers both low affinity and near membrane specialty application versions of multiple calcium indicators.

Low Affinity

Low affinity calcium indicators have several advantages over their high affinity counterparts:

• Fluorescent response does not saturate at micromolar calcium levels
• Reduced buffering of intracellular calcium and reduced perturbation of calcium transients
• Faster dissociation from calcium allows for measurement of shorter-lived transients.

Our low affinity indicators are based on the electron-withdrawing effect of fluorine on the affinity of the parent dye.  Their K_ds shift from the nanomolar to the micromolar range, with high selectivity for calcium over magnesium, unlike their APTRA based counterparts.  We offer Fura-2 LA (Cat. 0135 formerly Fura-2 FF), Indo-1 LA (Cat. 0138 formerly Indo-1 FF), Fluo-2 LA, and Asante Calcium Red LA (Cat. 3050) low affinity indicators.

Near Membrane

The near-membrane calcium indicators continue to be highly successful in their niche applications.  Unlike other hydrophobic indicators, these have a piperazine collar to latch into the membrane, leaving the chelating portion to measure calcium in the gates and not lost in the membrane. TEFLabs offers Fura-2  NM (Cat. 0125, formerly FFP-18),  Indo-1 NM FIP-18(Cat. 0127, formerly FIP-18 ), Fluo-2 NM,  and Asante Calcium Red NM (Cat. 3200 ).

Asante Calcium Red, Fura-2, Fluo’s, Indo-1, and Rhod’s comparison based on Excitation, Emission, Ratiometry, Stokes, Photobleaching, and Loading characteristics.

Asante Calcium Red Dye Characteristic Comparison

Teflabs has re-designed our website in order to better serve our customers.  All of our products are listed in our product pages.  Detailed descriptions will be uploaded soon, if you are unable to the information you need please fill free to respond directly to this post, contact us through our web form, our email us directly at probes@teflabs.com.

Teflabs has set aside a limited amount of our new Asante Calcium Red to be distributed on a first come first serve basis.  Complete the form below and return to probes@teflabs.com to sign up for your free sample.

Sample Request Form

Watch our video test results in rat cardiomyocytes.

Asante Calcium Red in vivo Cardiomyocyte testing

Click below to view the Product detail sheet for Asante Calcium Red (AM) and (K + Salt)

Asante Calcium Red AM Product Specification Sheet

Asante Calcium Red (K+ Salt) Product Specification Sheet

Asante Calcium Red performance test in Rat Neurons.

Asante Calcium Red Nodose Neurons

Asant Calcium Red-AM-loading Procedure-Nodose Neuron

Teflabs will be exhibiting at the 2009 American Society for Cell Biology Dec.6-9 in San Diego.  Drop by Booth 442 to learn more about our new Asante family of ion indicators

Welcome to the official TEFLABS Inc. Blog.  We will continue to post test results, Product specs, Loading Procedures and other relevant information for both our new Asante family of indicator dyes as well as our legacy products.

We look forward to using this blog to communicate with the researchers and scientists that are using our products and maintaining an active dialogue between our scientists and our customers.

We look forward to any comments or questions you may have.