Partitioning of (+-)-5,6-dihydro-6-phenyl-2-n-alkyl-imidazo- [2,1-b]thiazoles into large unilamellar liposomes: a steady-state fluorescence quenching study.

The interaction of the tetramisole derivative (+-)-5,6-dihydro-6-phenyl-imidazo[2,1-b]thiazole and a number of its 2-n-alkyl homologues (-ethyl through -n-pentyl and -n-heptyl) with large unilamellar phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine/dipalmitoylphosphatidic acid (2:1:0.06, w/w) vesicles was studied by means of steady-state fluorescence quenching using 8-(2-anthryl)octanoic acid as membrane probe. Linear Stern-Volmer plots were obtained for each derivative, indicating dynamic quenching. The slopes of the plots decreased with increasing liposomal concentration. For four short-chain homologues (-H, -ethyl, -n-propyl and -n-butyl), the respective membrane partition coefficients Kp and bimolecular quenching rate constants kq were determined from the plots of the reciprocal of the apparent quenching rate constant (kappq)-1 against the lipid volume fraction alpha L of the liposomes. The partition coefficients increased with increasing chain-length of the tetramisoles. A linear relationship was found between the free energy of partitioning and the number of methylene units of the homologues (-delta G degrees per methylene group = 1.6 +/- 0.1 kJ mol-1). For the n-pentyl and n-heptyl derivatives, the fluorescence quenching technique did not allow one to determine their membrane partition coefficients. Analysis of the fluorescence intensity measurements with Scatchard plots gave further evidence for the partitioning nature of the tetramisole derivatives' association with the liposomal membranes.

Fluorescence polarization study of human erythrocyte membranes with 1-phenyl-3-(2-naphthyl)-2-pyrazoline as orientational probe.

The emission and polarization spectra of 1-phenyl-3-(2-naphthyl)-2-pyrazoline (PNP) in various environments were studied. Compared to the widely used orientational membrane probe 1,6-diphenylhexatriene (DPH), PNP is five times less photolabile and since its fluorescence emission maximum is at longer wavelengths (lambda max approximately 445 nm), it is more suitable for use with intact erythrocytes. The limiting fluorescence anisotropy of PNP is 0.385. In erythrocyte ghosts, the steady-state emission anisotropy of PNP is a decreasing formation of wavelength and its temperature dependence parallels that of DPH, dropping from 0.298 at 2 degrees C to 0.185 at 38 degrees C when averaged between 420 and 470 nm.

Modelling of interaction of basic lipophilic ligands with cytochrome P-450 reconstituted in liposomes. Determination of membrane partition coefficients of S-(-)-nicotine and N,N-diethylaniline from spectral binding studies and fluorescence quenching.

The spectral interaction of N,N-diethylaniline and S-(-)-nicotine with cytochrome P450IIB4 reconstituted into large unilamellar vesicles could properly be described by a model for interaction of basic lipid-soluble ligands with membrane-bound acceptor sites in which linear partitioning of non-ionized ligand in the membrane is postulated. Apparent spectral dissociation constants Ksapp for type I binding of N,N-diethylaniline and for type II binding of S-(-)-nicotine increased linearly with increasing lipid volume fraction alpha L of the proteoliposomes. From plots of Ksapp vs. alpha L, the membrane partition coefficient of each ligand was calculated. The apparent affinity of cytochrome P450IIB4 for the ligands increased as the pH was raised from 6.0 to 8.5. However, effective dissociation constants were virtually independent of the pH, indicating that only the uncharged form of the basic ligands interact with cytochrome P450IIB4. For each compound, the apparent quenching rate constants kqapp derived from the Stern-Volmer plots for dynamic quenching of the fluorescence intensity of 8-(2-anthryl)octanoic acid in liposomes, decreased with increasing liposomal concentration. Plots of (kqapp)-1 vs. alpha L of the liposomes yielded the overall bimolecular quenching rate constant kq of each quencher. The kq value for S-(-)-nicotine was about three orders of magnitude less than that for N,N-diethylaniline. The values of the partition coefficient of N,N-diethylaniline, obtained from the binding studies and the fluorescence quenching measurements, were identical (on average, Kp amounted to 383). Analysis of the quenching data of N,N-diethylaniline with Scatchard plots likewise revealed that the association of the compound with liposomal membranes is a pure partition process.

Fluorescence decay of 1-methylpyrene in small unilamellar l-alpha-dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles. A temperature and concentration dependence study.

The fluorescence decay kinetics of 1-methylpyrene in small unilamellar l-alpha-dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles above the phase transition temperature has been studied as a function of concentration and temperature. When the 1-methylpyrene/phospholipid ratio equals 1:2000 no excimer is observed and the fluorescence decay is monoexponential. When this ratio is equal to or higher than 1 200, excimer is observed and the monomer and excimer decays can be adequately described by two exponential terms. The deviation of the monomer decays from monoexponentiality cannot be described by a model where the diffusion-controlled excimer formation is time dependent. The observed decays are compatible with the excimer formation scheme which is valid in an isotropic medium. The activation energy of excimer formation is found to be 29-9 +/-1.4 kJ mol . The (apparent) excimer formation constant and the excimer lifetime at different temperatures have been determined. The diffusion coefficient associated with the excimer formation process varies between 2 x 10(-10) m(2)/s at 70 degrees C to 4 x 10(-11) m(2)/s at 25 degrees C.

Simultaneous analysis of single-photon timing data for the one-step determination of activation energies, frequency factors and quenching rate constants. Application to tryptophan photophysics.

A general global analysis of single-photon timing data is presented in which each fluorescence decay curve can be described by a different decay law. The model parameters can be held in common within one curve and/or between related curves. Any or all parameters can be kept fixed, or they may be variable to seek optimum values. This general analysis allows the determination of activation energies, frequency factors and quenching rate constants in one step. The construction of the global mapping table which relates parameters in one experiment to those in another is explained in detail. The use and performance of this general simultaneous analysis are examined using tryptophan fluorescence decays at pH 6.0 obtained at various emission wavelengths as a function of temperature and added solute quencher. The results show that tryptophan at pH 6.0 decays as a biexponential with decay times which are independent of the analysis wavelength. The decay component with the short lifetime has a deactivation rate constant of 1.4 x 10(9) s-1 independent of temperature. The decay component with the long lifetime has an activation energy of 28 kJ/mol and a frequency factor of 3 x 10(13) s-1; its temperature-independent decay rate constant equals 1 x 10(8) s-1. Recursion formulas for a computer program to estimate activation energies, frequency factors, and decay rate constants are provided.

Global analysis of the time-resolved fluorescence of alpha- chymotrypsinogen A and alpha-chymotrypsin powders as a function of hydration.

The time-resolved tryptophyl fluorescence of alpha-chymotrypsin A and alpha-chymotrypsin in the crystalline state and in buffer solution at room temperature was analyzed globally. Triple-exponential decay functions are necessary to adequately describe the tryptophyl fluorescence decay surfaces of the protein powders as a function of hydration and in solution. The fluorescence lifetimes of alpha-chymotrypsinogen A (tau 1 = 0.32, tau 2 = 1.30 ns, tau 3 = 3.98 ns) and alpha-chymotrypsin(tau 1 = 0.66 n s, tau 2 = 2.26 ns, tau 3 = 5.40 ns) are constant over the entire hydration range. The spectral positions of the decay-associated spectra of the hydrated powders do not shift as a function of hydration. This indicates that the structures of the zymogen and the active enzyme are unaffected by hydration. The lifetimes of alpha-chymotrypsinogen A in phosphate buffer pH 7.4 are tau 1 = 0.37 ns, tau 2 = 1.17 ns and tau 3 = 3.44 ns while the respective values of alpha-chymotrypsin are tau 1 = 0.47 ns, tau 2 = 1.40 and tau 1 = 3.89 ns.

A new analysis method of single molecule fluorescence using series of photon arrival times: theory and experiment.

Up to now, single molecule fluorescence experiments were performed by dividing the time into a set of intervals and to observe the number of fluorescence photons arriving in each interval. It is obvious that the detected photons carry less information than the arrival times of the photons themselves. From the arrival times, one can still calculate the number of photons in any user-defined interval; whereas, when only the number of photons in an interval are recorded, information about their positions in time is lost. Therefore, we present a new analysis method of single molecule fluorescence data based on the positions in time of the detected fluorescence photons. We derive mathematically different statistical characteristics describing the single molecule fluorescence experiment assuming an immobilized molecule. The theory of point processes using the generating functionals formalism is ideally suited for a consistent description, linking the statistical characteristics of the excitation and detected photons to the statistical characteristics of the single motionless molecule. We then use computer-generated data sets mimicking the single molecule fluorescence experiment to explore the parametric estimation of mono- and bi-exponential single molecule impulse response functions (SMIRFs) via the following statistical characteristics: the probability density distributions (pdd) of the single and first photocount time positions in a user-defined detection interval, the probability distribution of the number of photocounts per user-defined detection interval, the time correlation function and the pdd of the time interval between two consecutive photocounts. It is shown that all of the above characteristics ensure a satisfactory recovery of the decay time of mono-exponential SMIRFs for a broad range of excitation intensities and widths of user-defined detection intervals. For bi-exponential SMIRFs, the selection of the experimental conditions is more critical and dependent on the detection procedure. At lower excitation intensities it is advantageous to use the pdds of the single and first photocount time occurrences in the user-defined detection interval. To show the practical usefulness of the new analysis method, series of photon arrival times from immobilized single molecules of DiI and rhodamine 6G were analyzed to estimate triplet lifetimes and intersystem crossing yields.

Analysis of the exponential character of single molecule rotational correlation functions for large and small fluorescence collection angles.

Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations and single molecule fluorescence microscopy experiments have been performed in order to investigate the influence of the numerical aperture (NA) of the microscope objective on the exponential character of the rotational correlation functions of probes embedded in complex matrices. The results obtained by using either a dry lens (NA=0.95) or an oil objective (NA=1.4) show that, in the moderately (simulations) and deeply (experiment) supercooled melts, the rotational (linear dichroism) correlation functions of the single molecules (SMs) exhibit a nonexponential character. Furthermore, by fitting Kohlrausch-Williams-Watt functions to the correlation curves, the stretching parameters turn out to be very similar for both types of objectives. Our results demonstrate that the nonexponentiality is intrinsic to the complex rotational dynamics of the SM in the supercooled solid and point to the validity of the use of a high NA dry lens to perform such experiments.

Fluorescence lifetime fluctuations of single molecules probe the local environment of oligomers around the glass transition temperature.

Single molecule fluorescence experiments have been performed on a BODIPY-based dye embedded in oligo(styrene) matrices to probe the density fluctuations and the relaxation dynamics of chain segments surrounding the dye molecules. The time-dependent fluorescence lifetime of the BODIPY probe was recorded as an observable for the local density fluctuations. At room temperature, the mean fraction of holes surrounding the probes is shown to be unaffected by the molecular weight in the glassy state. In contrast, the free volume increases significantly in the supercooled regime. These observations are discussed in the framework of the entropic theories of the glass transition.

Determination of the partition of the tetramisole derivative (+-)-5,6-dihydro-6-phenyl-2-n-propyl-imidazo[2,1-b]thiazole into liposomal membranes by fluorescence quenching of the membrane probe 8-(2-anthryl)-octanoic acid.

Fluorescence quenching has been used to study the partition of the tetramisole derivative (+-)-5,6-dihydro-6-phenyl-2-n-propyl-imidazo[2,1-b]thiazole into liposomes, consisting of a mixture of egg L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine, egg phosphatidylethanolamine and dipalmitoylphosphatidic acid (2:1:0.06 w/w/w). The tetramisole derivative quenched the fluorescence of the intramembrane probe 8-(2-anthryl)-octanoic acid. The quenching process could be rationalized by a model for dynamic quenching in which an intermediate excited-state non-emitting complex (PQ)* between neutral quencher (Q) and excited probe (P*) is involved: [sequence: see text] where kd, k-d and ki represent the rate constants of complex formation, dissociation and deactivation, respectively. The subscripts A and L denote the aqueous and lipid phases, and the asterisk indicates the excited state. Linear Stern-Volmer plots were obtained from quenching experiments of fluorescence intensities and fluorescence life-times. The slopes of the plots were dependent on the lipid volume fraction of the liposomes. Measurement of the reciprocal of the apparent bimolecular quenching rate constant at various lipid volume fractions yielded the partition coefficient Kp and the overall quenching rate constant kq[kq = kdki/(ki+k-d)] of the tetramisole derivative. The steady-state measurements were performed at three different pH-values. Time-correlated single photon counting measurements revealed a single-exponential fluorescence decay for 8-(2-anthryl)-octanoic acid in the presence and absence of quencher. The quenching results were in accordance with the model that only the neutral form is capable of partitioning into the lipid phase. Combined average values of 318 and 6.59 x 10(8) M-1s-1 were calculated for the partition coefficient and the bimolecular quenching rate constant, respectively, from the steady-state and time-resolved quenching experiments.

Potential misevaluation of the ground-state dissociation constant from fluorimetric titrations: application to the ion indicators SBFI, PBFI, and fura-2.

A test based on time-resolved fluorescence experiments is proposed to assess the interference of an excited-state reaction with the fluorimetric determination of the ground-state dissociation constant Kd of ion [symbol: see text] fluorescent indicator complexes. If an inflection point occurs in the plot of the fluorescence signal vs -log [ion] in the concentration range of the ion where both decay times are invariant, this inflection point can be associated with the correct Kd. In contrast, the inflection point(s) in the concentration range where the decay times vary cannot be attributed to Kd. The test is applied to the fluorescent ion indicators SBFI (for Na+), PBFI (for K+), and Fura-2 (for Ca2+). In all three cases the decay times are invariant in the physiological concentration ranges of the respective ions, indicating that the fluorimetrically determined Kd values are actually the true Kd values.

Fluorescence quenching with lindane in small unilamellar L,alpha-dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles.

The lateral mobility and lipid-water partition of the pesticide lindane was studied by fluorescence quenching of N-isopropylcarbazole (NIPC) and L,alpha-palmitoyl-beta-(N-carbazolyl) undecanoylphosphatidylcholine (PCUPC) in liposomes of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine at 50 degrees C. In isotropic solvents the quenching reaction was highly inefficient. A scheme for dynamic quenching, in which the monomolecular quenching rate constant is small, was valid. In lipid bilayers the same scheme was applied to describe the quenching results but the rate constant of the back-reaction of the excited complex to quencher and excited probe was of comparable magnitude to the monomolecular quenching rate constant. This phenomenon results in biexponential decays of the fluorescent probe in the presence of quencher. All the rate constants of the scheme could be determined. Stern-Volmer plots at different membrane concentrations were obtained from fluorescence intensity and decay time measurements. From these plots the true bimolecular quenching rate constant, Kq, and the rate constant for lateral diffusion, kd, were determined: kq[NIPC] = 3.2 +/- 0.5 x 10(8) M-1 s-1, kq[PCUPC] = 1.9 +/- 0.4 x 10(8) M-1 s-1, kd[NIPC] = 6.6 +/- 0.8 x 10(8) M-1 s-1. The smaller value of kq compared to kd for the quenching reaction of NIPC with lindane indicates that this quenching reaction is not diffusion controlled. The lateral diffusion coefficient D of lindane was found to be 1.7 +/- 0.2 x 10(-6) cm2/s in dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles at 50 degrees C. The partition coefficient of lindane in these lipid bilayers is very high (greater than 2000).

Interaction of 7-n-alkoxycoumarins with cytochrome P-450(2) and their partitioning into liposomal membranes. Assessment of methods for determination of membrane partition coefficients.

A study was made of the binding of 7-ethoxy-, 7-n-propoxy- and 7-n-pentoxy-coumarin to cytochrome P-450(2) reconstituted into large unilamellar liposomes composed of a mixture of egg L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine, egg phosphatidylethanolamine and dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid (2:1:0.06, by weight). The apparent spectral dissociation constants Ksapp. increased linearly with increasing proteoliposomal concentration. When both cytochrome P-450(2) and NADPH:cytochrome P-450 reductase were reconstituted into liposomes, the apparent Michaelis constants Kmapp. for O-dealkylation of 7-methoxy-, 7-ethoxy- and 7-n-propoxy-coumarin showed a similar dependence on the proteoliposomal concentration. The results were in accordance with models for kinetic or equilibrium processes in biphasic systems containing membrane-bound catalytic or acceptor sites, in which a linear solute partition in the bilayer membrane is postulated. The methyl, ethyl and n-propyl ether were readily dealkylated. However, the O-dealkylation rate of 7-n-butoxycoumarin was low and became very small for longer alkyl ethers. Both the effective dissociation constants and effective Michaelis constants decreased with elongation of the alkyl side chain of the coumarins. From plots of the apparent dissociation constants and apparent Michaelis constants against the lipid volume fraction of the proteoliposomes, the membrane partition coefficients for several homologues were calculated. When protein-free liposomes were added to 7-n-alkoxycoumarin solutions, the fluorescence intensity of the coumarins decreased and eventually became negligible in the presence of an excess of liposomal material. On the assumption that the overall fluorescence can be ascribed exclusively to the fraction of 7-n-alkoxycoumarin molecules present in the aqueous phase, partition coefficients for liposomal accumulation of the test compounds could be determined directly. For several coumarin ethers, comparable values were derived for the membrane partition coefficients from binding, kinetic and fluorescence intensity measurements. The change in free energy per methylene group of the 7-n-alkoxycoumarins for partitioning between n-octanol and buffer was significantly different from the value for liposome partitioning.

Study of the time-resolved tryptophan fluorescence of crystalline alpha-chymotrypsin.

The tryptophan environments in crystalline alpha-chymotrypsin were investigated by fluorescence. The heterogeneous emission from this multitryptophan enzyme was resolved by time-correlated fluorescence spectroscopy. The fluorescence decays at 296-nm laser excitation and various emission wavelengths could be characterized by a triple-exponential function with decay times tau 1 = 150 +/- 50 ps, tau 2 = 1.45 +/- 0.25 ns, and tau 3 = 4.2 +/- 0.4 ns. The corresponding decay-associated emission spectra of the three components had maxima at about 325, 332, and 343 nm. The three decay components in this enzyme can be correlated with X-ray crystallographic data [Birktoft, J.J., & Blow, D.M. (1972) J. Mol. Biol. 68, 187-240]. Inter- and intramolecular tryptophan-tryptophan energy-transfer efficiencies in crystalline alpha-chymotrypsin were computed from the accurately known positions and orientations of all tryptophan residues. These calculations indicate that the three fluorescence decay components in crystalline alpha-chymotrypsin can be assigned to three distinct classes of tryptophyl residues. Because of the different proximity of tryptophan residues to neighboring internal quenching groups, the decay times of the three classes are different. Decay tau 1 can be assigned to Trp-172 and Trp-215 and tau 2 to Trp-51 and Trp-237, while the tryptophyl residues 27, 29, 141, and 207 all have decay time tau 3.

Fluorescence decay of pyrene in small and large unilamellar L, alpha-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles above and below the phase transition temperature.

The fluorescence decays of pyrene in small and large unilamellar L, alpha-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles have been investigated as a function of probe concentration and temperature. When the molar ratio of pyrene to phospholipid equals 1:3000, no excimer emission is observed and the fluorescence decays are mono-exponential. When this ratio is equal to or higher than 1:120, excimer formation is observed. Above the phase transition temperature the observed fluorescence decays of monomer and excimer can be adequately described by a bi-exponential function. The monomer decays can be equally well fitted to a decay law which takes into account a time-dependence in the probe diffusion rate constant. The fluorescence decay kinetics are compatible with the excimer formation scheme which is valid in an isotropic medium. The excimer lifetime and the (apparent) rate constant of excimer formation have been determined as a function of probe concentration at different temperatures above the phase transition temperature. The activation energy of excimer formation is found to be 29.4 +/- 1.3 kJ/mol. In small unilamellar vesicles the diffusion constant associated with the pyrene excimer formation process varies from 8.0 X 10(-7) cm2/s at 40 degrees C to 2.2 X 10(-6) cm2/s at 70 degrees C. Below the phase transition temperature the monomer decays can be described by a decay law which takes into account a time dependence of the rate constant of excimer formation. The lateral diffusion coefficient of pyrene calculated from the decay fitting parameters of the monomer region varies from 4.0 X 10(-9) cm2/s at 20 degrees C to 7.9 X 10(-8) cm2/s at 35 degrees C. No significant difference could be observed between the pyrene fluorescence decay kinetics in small and large unilamellar vesicles.

Photophysics of the fluorescent K+ indicator PBFI.

The fluorescent indicator PBFI is widely used for the determination of intracellular concentrations of K+. To investigate the binding reaction of K+ to PBFI in the ground and excited states, steady-state and time-resolved measurements were performed. The fluorescence decay surface was analyzed with global compartmental analysis yielding the following values for the rate constants at room temperature in aqueous solution at pH 7.2: k01 = 1.1 x 10(9) s-1, k21 = 2.7 x 10(8) M-1s-1, k02 = 1.8 x 10(9) s-1, and k12 = 1.4 x 10(9) s-1. k01 and k02 denote the respective deactivation rate constants of the K+ free and bound forms of PBFI in the excited state. k21 represents the second-order rate constant of binding of K+ to the indicator in the excited state whereas k12 is the first-order rate constant of dissociation of the excited K(+)-PBFI complex. From the estimated values of k12 and k21, the dissociation constant Kd* in the excited state was calculated. It was found that pKd* (-0.7) is smaller than pKd (2.2). The effect of the excited-state reaction can be neglected in the determination of Kd and/or the K+ concentration. Therefore, intracellular K+ concentrations can be accurately determined from fluorimetric measurements by using PBFI as K+ indicator.

A new calibration equation for ratiometric fluorescent ion indicators: Application to fura-2.

The absolute values of intracellular ion concentrations as monitored by specific fluorescent indicators are determined by using calibration curves obtained underin vitro andin vivo conditions. In the derivation of the calibration curve by Grynkiewicz et al [(1985)J. Biol. Chem 260, 3440] it is implicitly assumed that the observed fluorescence signal is directly related to the concentrations of the free dye and the dye-ion complex in the ground state. We modified the calibration equation so that ion binding and dissociation in the excited state are taken into account. The extended calibration equation assumes the knowledge of the rate constants in the excited state. Expressions for the calibration curve assuming the absence or presence of an excited-state reaction are compared for the Ca(2+) indicator Fura-2. The excited-state rate constants are determined by global compartmental analysis of time-resolved fluorescence decays of Fura-2 collected at various excitation and emission wavelengths using different Ca(2+) concentrations. It is found that for Fura-2 there is negligible interference of the excited-state reaction so that the original calibration can used.

Pharmacology of inositol trisphosphate receptors.

In almost all cells, cytosolic Ca(2+) is a crucial intracellular messenger, regulating many cellular processes. In non-excitable as well as in some excitable cells, Ca(2+) release from the intracellular stores into the cytoplasm is primarily initiated by the second messenger inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP(3)), which interacts with the IP(3) receptor (IP(3)R), a tetrameric intracellular Ca(2+)-release channel. This review focuses on the pharmacological modulation of the various functionally important sub-domains of the IP(3)R, including the IP(3)-binding domain, calmodulin-binding sites, adenine nucleotide-binding sites and the sites for interaction for FK506-binding proteins and other regulators. We will particularly focus on the pharmacological tools that interfere with these domains and discuss their relative specificity for the IP(3)R, thereby indicating their potential usefulness for unraveling the complex functional regulation of the IP(3)R.

Photophysics of the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator Fura-2.

The photophysics of the complex forming reaction of Ca2+ and Fura-2 are investigated using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements. The fluorescence decay traces were analyzed with global compartmental analysis yielding the following values for the rate constants at room temperature in aqueous solution with BAPTA as Ca2+ buffer: k01 = 1.2 x 10(9)s-1, k21 = 1.0 x 10(11) M-1 s-1, k02 = 5.5 x 10(8) s-1, k12 = 2.2 x 10(7) s-1, and with EGTA as Ca2+ buffer: k01 = 1.4 x 10(9) s-1, k21 = 5.0 x 10(10) M-1 s-1, k02 = 5.5 x 10(8) s-1, k12 = 3.2 x 10(7) s-1. k01 and k02 denote the respective deactivation rate constants of the Ca2+ free and bound forms of Fura-2 in the excited state. k21 represents the second-order rate constant of binding of Ca2+ and Fura-2 in the excited state, whereas k12 is the first-order rate constant of dissociation of the excited Ca2+:Fura-2 complex. The ionic strength of the solution was shown not to influence the recovered values of the rate constants. From the estimated values of k12 and k21, the dissociation constant K*d in the excited state was calculated. It was found that in EGTA Ca2+ buffer pK*d (3.2) is smaller than pKd (6.9) and that there is negligible interference of the excited-state reaction with the determination of Kd and [Ca2+] from fluorimetric titration curves. Hence, Fura-2 can be safely used as an Ca2+ indicator. From the obtained fluorescence decay parameters and the steady-state excitation spectra, the species-associated excitation spectra of the Ca2+ free and bound forms of Fura-2 were calculated at intermediate Ca2+ concentrations.