FLUORESCENCE ANISOTROPY Meaning and
Definition
-
Fluorescence anisotropy refers to the measure of the degree of polarization of emitted light during fluorescence spectroscopy. It is a technique utilized in molecular biology and biophysics to examine the interaction, binding, or dynamics of molecules or molecular complexes.
When a molecule is excited by polarized light, it emits light in a certain direction. Fluorescence anisotropy determines the difference in the intensity of emitted light parallel to the polarization direction of the excitation light (I‖) versus perpendicular to it (I⊥). Anisotropy is calculated using the equation:
Anisotropy = (I‖ - I⊥) / (I‖ + 2I⊥)
where the anisotropy value ranges from -1 to +1. It provides information about the mobility and rotational characteristics of molecules or complexes in solution. Higher values of anisotropy indicate restricted molecular movement or higher molecular complexity, while lower values suggest greater mobility or simpler molecular structures.
Fluorescence anisotropy can be employed to investigate various biological phenomena, such as protein-protein interactions, protein-drug interactions, DNA-protein binding, conformational changes, and biomolecular dynamics. It is particularly useful when studying molecules in a heterogeneous environment or when monitoring changes in molecular orientation over time.
Overall, fluorescence anisotropy is a valuable tool for researchers seeking to understand the behavior and properties of molecules in solution, providing quantitative data on molecular motion, interactions, and conformations.
Common Misspellings for FLUORESCENCE ANISOTROPY
- dluorescence anisotropy
- cluorescence anisotropy
- vluorescence anisotropy
- gluorescence anisotropy
- tluorescence anisotropy
- rluorescence anisotropy
- fkuorescence anisotropy
- fpuorescence anisotropy
- fouorescence anisotropy
- flyorescence anisotropy
- flhorescence anisotropy
- fljorescence anisotropy
- fliorescence anisotropy
- fl8orescence anisotropy
- fl7orescence anisotropy
- fluirescence anisotropy
- flukrescence anisotropy
- flulrescence anisotropy
- fluprescence anisotropy
- flu0rescence anisotropy
Etymology of FLUORESCENCE ANISOTROPY
The word "fluorescence" originates from the Latin term "fluor", which means "to flow". It was coined by the French scientist George Gabriel Stokes in the 19th century to describe the phenomenon of certain materials emitting visible light after being exposed to certain wavelengths of light. The suffix "-escence" denotes the process or state of becoming or being.
The term "anisotropy" is derived from the Greek words "aniso", meaning "unequal" or "not uniform", and "tropos", meaning "turn" or "direction". Anisotropy refers to the property of a substance that exhibits different physical properties (such as refractive index, electrical conductivity, or fluorescence) when measured along different axes.
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
