Fura-2-acetoxymethyl ester, often abbreviated Fura-2AM, is a membrane-permeant derivative of the ratiometric

calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar to ...

indicator

Fura-2 Fura-2, an aminopolycarboxylic acid, is a ratiometric fluorescent dye which binds to free intracellular calcium. It was the first widely used dye for calcium imaging, and remains very popular. Fura-2 is excited at 340 nm and 380 nm of ...

used in biochemistry to measure cellular calcium concentrations by

fluorescence Fluorescence is the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light or other electromagnetic radiation. It is a form of luminescence. In most cases, the emitted light has a longer wavelength, and therefore a lower photon energy, tha ...

. When added to cells, Fura-2AM crosses cell membranes and once inside the cell, the acetoxymethyl groups are removed by cellular esterases. Removal of the acetoxymethyl esters regenerates "Fura-2", the pentacarboxylate calcium indicator. Measurement of Ca²⁺-induced fluorescence at both 340 nm and 380 nm allows for calculation of calcium concentrations based 340/380 ratios. The use of the ratio automatically cancels out certain variables such as local differences in fura-2 concentration or cell thickness that would otherwise lead to artifacts when attempting to image calcium concentrations in cells.

References

Biochemistry methods Cell culture reagents Cell imaging Fluorescent dyes Oxazoles Benzofuran ethers at the benzene ring Acetate esters Formals {{biochem-stub