title: DM-nitrophen AM is caged magnesium.
abstract: DM-nitrophen is a photolabile derivative of EDTA and therefore functions as either caged Ca(2+) or caged Mg(2+). Several papers have been published recently which use the AM ester to load intact cells with DM-nitrophen; under these conditions it is caged Mg(2+). In this commentary, I give a short history of the development and application of caged Ca(2+) probes, explaining why EGTA and BAPTA-based Ca(2+) cages are to be preferred for the photorelease of Ca(2+) under normal intracellular conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, 245 N. 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA. ged@drexel.edu
authors.forename: Graham C R
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Ellis-Davies
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D005029:Ethylenediamines / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D005029:Ethylenediamines; C057014:DM-nitrophen; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D008274:Magnesium; C025603:1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid