Abstract: The invention describes crown ether chelators, including crown ethers having the formula and aza-substituted and thia-substituted analogs thereof. These crown ethers may be substituted by a dye moiety, a chemically reactive group, a conjugated substance, or a combination thereof. Chelators that are substituted by fluorescent dyes are particularly useful as indicators for metal cations, particularly Na+ and K+ ions, and particularly where binding of the target ion results in a change in the fluorescence properties of the indicator that can be correlated with the ion concentration. Methods are provided for utilizing reactive groups on the chelators for conjugation to dyes, lipids and polymers and methods for enhancing entry of the indicators into living cells.

Abstract: The invention describes crown ether chelators, including crown ethers having the formula and aza-substituted and thia-substituted analogs thereof. These crown ethers are substituted by a dye moiety, a chemically reactive group, a conjugated substance, or a combination thereof. Chelators that are substituted by fluorescent dyes are particularly useful as indicators for metal cations, particularly Na+ and K+ ions, and particularly where binding of the target ion results in a change in the fluorescence properties of the indicator that can be correlated with the ion concentration. Methods are provided for utilizing reactive groups on the chelators for conjugation to dyes, lipids and polymers and methods for enhancing entry of the indicators into living cells.

Abstract: The present invention describes novel dyes, including coumarins, rhodamines, and rhodols that incorporate additional fused aromatic rings. The dyes of the invention absorb at a longer wavelength than structurally similar dyes that do not possess the fused aromatic rings. Many of the dyes of the invention are useful fluorescent dyes. The invention includes chemically reactive dyes, dye-conjugates, and the use of such dyes in staining samples and detecting ligands or other analytes.

Abstract: The invention describes crown ether chelators, including crown ethers having the formula 1

Abstract: The present invention describes novel dyes, including coumarins, rhodamines, and rhodols that incorporate additional fused aromatic rings. The dyes of the invention absorb at a longer wavelength than structurally similar dyes that do not possess the fused aromatic rings. Many of the dyes of the invention are useful fluorescent dyes. The invention includes chemically reactive dyes, dye-conjugates, and the use of such dyes in staining samples and detecting ligands or other analytes.

Abstract: The invention relates to dipyrrometheneboron difluoride-substituted nucleotides substituted by a dipyrrometheneboron difluoride label on a phosphate moiety. The nucleotides of the invention are useful in fluorescence assays, including protein binding assays and assays for hydrolase enzymes.

Abstract: Facile syntheses for fluorinated resorcinol and aminophenol derivatives are provided that yield isomer-free products in good yield. These novel methods use generally available precursors and standard laboratory reagents and equipment to reproducibly produce these synthetically useful reagents in relatively large quantities. The resulting fluorinated resorcinols and aniinophenols possess utility in the preparation of fluorinated fluorescein and rhodol dyes.

Abstract: The family of dyes of the invention are fluoresceins and rhodols that are directly substituted on one or more aromatic carbons by fluorine. These fluorine-substituted fluorescent dyes possess greater photostability and have lower sensitivity to pH changes in the physiological range of 6-8 than do non-fluorinated dyes, exhibit less quenching when conjugated to a substance, and possess additional advantages. The dyes of the invention are useful as detectable tracers and for preparing conjugates of organic and inorganic substances.

Abstract: The present invention describes a family of photolabile caged ionophores. The compounds of the present invention are photolytically cleavable esters of nigericin, ionomycin, A-23187, 4-Br-A-23187 and monensin. The photolysis of the present compounds allows the release of the free ionophore in vivo or in vitro with precise spatial and temporal control. The compounds are useful in the study of ion transport and control in cells and across membranes.

Abstract: The present invention describes a family of photolabile caged nucleotides, including cyclic nucleotides. The compounds of the present invention are caged analogs and derivatives of NAD.sup.+, NADH, NADP, NADPH, NAADP and cADPR. The photolysis of the present compounds allows the release of the free nucleotide in vivo or in vitro with precise spatial and temporal control. The compounds are useful for the photolytic generation of free nucleotides in aqueous samples, for example, in the study of calcium mobilization in cells and cell homogenates.

Abstract: The present invention comprises 6,8-difluoro-7-hydroxycoumarins and derivatives of 6,8-difluoro-7-hydroxycoumarins, including reactive dyes, dye-conjugates and enzyme substrates. These fluorine-substituted fluorescent dyes typically possess greater photostability and lower pH sensitivity in the physiological pH range than their nonfluorinated analogs, exhibit less fluorescence quenching when conjugated to a substance, possess absorption and emission spectra that closely match those of their nonfluorinated analogs, and also exhibit higher quantum yields than their nonfluorinated analogs.

Abstract: The invention relates to caged compounds for the study of biological processes, where the caged compound has a photoremoveable .alpha.-carboxy-substituted o-nitrobenzyl group. Covalent attachment of the substituted o-nitrobenzyl to a parent compound yields a caged compound with biological and/or physical properties that are significantly altered from the original properties of the parent compound. Illumination of the caged compounds to cleave the photoremoveable group yields the parent compound with its original properties restored.

Abstract: The invention describes the synthesis and use of photoactivated (or caged) fluorescent dyes. Upon illumination at less than about 400 nm the caged dyes release highly fluorescent, water soluble hydroxypyrenesulfonic acid dyes according to the following equation: ##STR1## X, Y, and Z are independently sulfonic acid, a sulfonic acid salt, a hydroxyl group, or hydrogen, with at least one of X, Y, and Z being a sulfonic acid or sulfonic acid salt. LINK is either an ether linkage or a carbonate linkage. BLOCK is a caging group whose photolysis results in liberation of a free hydroxypyrenesulfonic acid dye.The caged fluorescent dyes are useful for application in aqueous solutions, including fluids of biological origin. The caged dyes of the present invention are especially useful for flow tagging velocimetry.