FLIM measures how long fluorescent molecules stays in their excited state before emitting a photon, in addition to how bright it is. This lifetime is sensitive to the molecule’s local environment, such as pH, ion concentration, or interactions with other molecules. This enables FLIM measurements to add functional information to images. Because lifetime is independent of fluorophore concentration and light intensity, FLIM is especially useful for studying molecular interactions (e.g. FRET) and cellular metabolism with high robustness. FLIM measurements are possible on our Leica Stellaris Falcon DIVE system.

 

Banner image courtesy of Tzu-Wen Hong