FluoVolt™ membrane potential detection kit is a representative of a new generation of voltage-sensitive fluorescent probe kits. FluoVolt™ probes combine the excellent properties of fast-responding and slow-responding membrane potential fluorescent probes. FluoVolt™ probes respond to changes in membrane potential in sub-milliseconds and display high response amplitudes.

Learn more about ion indicators, including calcium, potassium, pH and membrane potential indicators›

Features of the FluoVolt™ Membrane Potential Probe include:

• Fast—responds to membrane potential changes in sub-milliseconds
• High sensitivity—typically 25%/100 mV response range
• Can be operated with standard FITC settings for emission/excitation
• Can be used for imaging or membrane Patch Clamp Applications

Membrane potential changes play a central role in many physiological processes, including nerve impulse propagation, muscle contraction, and cell signal transduction. Potentiometric fluorescent probes are important tools for studying these processes and are usually classified as slow-response probes or fast-response probes.

Excellent properties of slow-response probes and fast-response probes
The principle of action of slow-response probes is to enter depolarized cells, bind to proteins or membranes, and express Fluorescence enhancement. This membrane translocation event reduces the ability of these reporters to respond to changes in membrane potential and introduces capacitive loading that may affect cell health. However, these probes can display very high response amplitudes; typically in the 1%/mV range.

Fast-response probes are molecules that are able to change their structure in response to the surrounding electric field and detect transient (millisecond) changes in electrical potential. However, the amplitude of potential-dependent fluorescence changes of fast-responding probes is generally smaller (fluorescence change of 2–10%/100 mV) compared to slow-responding probes.

FluoVolt™ Membrane Potential Probes exhibit excellent properties as slow response probes and fast response probes. FluoVolt™ probe is a fast-response probe with excellent potential-dependent fluorescence response. The response is fast enough to detect very brief (sub-millisecond) potential changes that excite cells and produce signal changes exceeding 25%/100 mV.

Also includes PowerLoad™ and background inhibitor solution
For easy cell loading, the FluoVolt™ Membrane Potential Detection Kit contains PowerLoad™ Concentrate. Thanks to the unique properties of PowerLoad™ solution, it can be used in complete culture medium, thus reducing the negative effects of changing culture media or loading in serum-free media.

Baseline autofluorescence caused by components in the growth medium can be significantly reduced by adding the included Neuro Background Suppressor. This solution is specially formulated for use on neuronal cells and does not cause osmotic shock. Additionally, Neuro Background Suppressor has been used successfully in many different cell types to effectively suppress background fluorescence without affecting the specific cell fluorescence generated in the assay.