Actin-Tracker Green-488

Actin-Tracker Green-488 is an Actin-specific green fluorescent probe used for staining Actin in cultured cells or tissue slices. The probe consists of phalloidin labeled with the fluorescent dye Alexa Fluor 488, denoted as phalloidin-Alexa Fluor 488. It has a maximum excitation wavelength of 495nm and a maximum emission wavelength of 518nm. The fluorescence spectrum of Actin-Tracker Green-488 is similar to that of FITC, allowing it to be detected under FITC detection conditions.

Phalloidin is a peptide isolated from the death cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides), and it specifically binds to eukaryotic filamentous actin (F-actin), preventing actin depolymerization. Microfilaments are composed of helically polymerized actin molecules, and phalloidin disrupts the dynamic equilibrium of microfilament assembly and disassembly, thereby exerting toxicity on cells. By utilizing the biological property of phalloidin to stabilize microfilaments, fluorescently labeled phalloidin provides a convenient way to visualize the morphology and distribution of microfilaments within cells, making it widely applicable in biological and medical research.

This Actin fluorescent probe possesses the following characteristics:

1. Low required quantity: The probe allows staining of F-actin at the nanometer level, requiring only a small amount.
2. Non-species specific: Unlike antibodies, the binding affinity between phalloidin and F-actin remains consistent across different species, and non-specific staining can be mostly disregarded due to clear distinguishability between stained and unstained regions.
3. Minimal impact on F-actin binding with other proteins: The small size of the probe, with a diameter of approximately 1.2 to 1.5 nanometers and a molecular weight below 2000 Da, does not interfere with the binding of various actin-binding proteins, including myosin, tropomyosin, and troponin.
4. Basic preservation of F-actin functionality: The labeled actin filaments retain their functionality, and the marked muscle fibers can contract, while marked myosin can continue to move.
5. Consistent affinity: In various plant and animal cells, this probe exhibits similar affinity for both large and small microfilaments. Each actin filament can bind to one phalloidin molecule, enabling quantitative studies of F-actin within cells.

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