Fluorescent Molecular Rotors are sensors of microenvironmental restriction that become fluorescent only if their rotation is constrained. It has been suggested that the change of fluorescence intensity is caused by the restriction of intramolecular rotational relaxation about the donor-acceptor bond of the fluorophores. Examples of molecular constraint include increased dye (aggregation)1, binding to antibodies2, or being trapped in the polymerization of actin3. There are also studies of membrane fluidity in endothelial cells under fluid shear stress4 where fluorescent molecular rotors are used.
1. Bhattacharyya, A. et al., Indian J. Biochem. Biophys., 32, 442-446 (1995). 2. Iwaki, T. et al., Biochem., 32, 7589-7592 (1993). 3. Sawada, S. et al., Anal. Biochem., 204, 110-117 (1992). 4. Farkas, D.L. and Leif R.C. (ed.), Optical diagnostics of living cells III, Proc SPIE 3291, 101-112 (2000).
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