title: Fluorescence fluctuation microscopy: a diversified arsenal of methods to investigate molecular dynamics inside cells.
abstract: Fluorescence microscopy provides insight into the subcellular organization of biological functions. However, images are snap shots averaging over a highly dynamic molecular system. Fluorescence fluctuation microscopy, employing similar detection technology, encompasses a powerful arsenal of analysis tools that investigate the molecular heterogeneity in space and time. Analyzing signal fluctuations from small ensembles (several hundred particles) reveals their concentration, the stoichiometry, the stochastic motion, as well as superimposed signatures of the environment such as spatial confinement and binding events. Thus, fluctuation analysis provides access to dynamic molecular properties that can be used to build physical models of cellular processes. In the last decade these methods experienced a remarkable diversification, which we revisit here with a particular focus on live cell applications.
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany. Electronic address: weidemann@biochem.mpg.de.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weidemann
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany.
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mücksch
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany. Electronic address: schwille@biochem.mpg.de.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schwille
mesh_terms: D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D049490:Systems Biology / Q000379:methods