title: A confocal scanning laser microscope for quantitative ratiometric 3D measurements of [Ca2+] and Ca2+ diffusions in living cells stained with Fura-2.
abstract: A confocal scanning laser microscope (CSLM) for observation and quantitative ratiometric measurements of the intracellular dynamics of Ca2+ ions in living neurons has been developed. The instrument consists of a UV-enhanced CSLM, an optical arrangement providing simultaneous excitation at two wavelengths, an electronic arrangement for processing the simultaneous fluorescence response, and software for computing the absolute Ca2+ concentrations, ([Ca2+]). The instrument can be used for any excitation ratiometric measurements, provided that the dye substance used is excitable by wavelengths between 334 nm and 750 nm (such as, e.g. Fura-2). The spatial resolution of the CSLM, as well as a temporal resolution of 20 ms per line (maximum sampling rate) for dynamic measurements are provided by the instrument. Using Fura-2 in calibrated Ca2+ buffer solutions, the instrument measures [Ca2+] between 0 and 1.35 mumol.l-1 with an error of less than 1%. The capability of the instrument to measure absolute [Ca2+] was verified by recording fluorescence images of test solutions with well defined [Ca2+] values (Molecular Probes, Eugene, Ore., USA, C-3009 calibration solutions). In order to verify the dynamic capability of the instrument in real biological specimens, fluorescence changes of Fura-2 that were due to an intracellular flux of Ca2+ ions, and to an increase of [Ca2+]i (the intracellular Ca2+ concentration) have been recorded in Fura-2-loaded cultured cells of the line TE 671.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Physiology, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Helm
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Franksson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Carlsson
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004058:Diffusion; D005453:Fluorescence; D016257:Fura-2; D007834:Lasers; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium; D016257:Fura-2