title: Optimized protocol of a frequency domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscope for FRET measurements.
abstract: Frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) has become a commonly used technique to measure lifetimes in biological systems. However, lifetime measurements are strongly dependent on numerous experimental parameters. Here, we describe a complete calibration and characterization of a FLIM system and suggest parameter optimization for minimizing measurement errors during acquisition. We used standard fluorescent molecules and reference biological samples, exhibiting both single and multiple lifetime components, to calibrate and evaluate our frequency domain FLIM system. We identify several sources of lifetime precision degradation that may occur in FLIM measurements. Following a rigorous calibration of the system and a careful optimization of the acquisition parameters, we demonstrate fluorescence lifetime measurements accuracy and reliability. In addition, we show its potential on living cells by visualizing FRET in CHO cells. The proposed calibration and optimization protocol is suitable for the measurement of multiple lifetime components sample and is applicable to any frequency domain FLIM system. Using this method on our FLIM microscope enabled us to obtain the best fluorescence lifetime precision accessible with such a system.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Research Institute, Science and Technology University of Lille, 1 rue du Prof. Calmette, Lille Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Aymeric
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leray
authors.forename: Franck B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Riquet
authors.forename: Elodie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.forename: Corentin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spriet
authors.forename: Dave
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trinel
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Héliot
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D002477:Cells / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*