Fura-2 AM

Unless otherwise noted, all unused stock solutions should be divided into single-use aliquots and stored at -20 °C after preparation. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles

1. Prepare a 2 to 5 mM stock solution of Fura-2 AM in high-quality, anhydrous DMSO.

1. On the day of the experiment, either dissolve Fura-2 AM in DMSO or thaw an aliquot of the indicator stock solution to room temperature.

2. Prepare a 2 to 20 µM Fura-2 AM working solution in a buffer of your choice (e.g., Hanks and Hepes buffer) with 0.04% Pluronic® F-127. For most cell lines, Fura-2 AM at a final concentration of 4-5 μM is recommended. The exact concentration of indicators required for cell loading must be determined empirically.

   Note: The nonionic detergent Pluronic® F-127 is sometimes used to increase the aqueous solubility of Fura-2 AM. A variety of Pluronic® F-127 solutions can be purchased from AAT Bioquest.

   Note: If your cells contain organic anion-transporters, probenecid (1-2 mM) may be added to the dye working solution (final in well concentration will be 0.5-1 mM) to reduce leakage of the de-esterified indicators. A variety of ReadiUse™ Probenecid products, including water-soluble, sodium salt, and stabilized solutions, can be purchased from AAT Bioquest.

Following is our recommended protocol for loading AM esters into live cells. This protocol only provides a guideline and should be modified according to your specific needs.

1. Prepare cells in growth medium overnight.

2. On the next day, add 1X Fura-2 AM working solution to your cell plate.

   Note: If your compound(s) interfere with the serum, replace the growth medium with fresh HHBS buffer before dye-loading.

3. Incubate the dye-loaded plate in a cell incubator at 37 °C for 30 to 60 minutes.

   Note: Incubating the dye for longer than 1 hour can improve signal intensities in certain cell lines.

4. Replace the dye working solution with HHBS or buffer of your choice (containing an anion transporter inhibitor, such as 1 mM probenecid, if applicable) to remove any excess probes.
5. Add the stimulant as desired and simultaneously measure fluorescence using either a fluorescence microscope equipped with a Fura 2 filter set or a fluorescence plate reader containing a programmable liquid handling system such as a FlexStation, at Ex/Em₁ = 340/510 nm cutoff 475 nm and Ex/Em₂ = 380/510 nm cutoff 475 nm.