Abstract
Lucifer dyes are intensely fluorescent 4-aminonaphthalimides which are readily visible in living cells at concentrations and levels of illumination at which they are nontoxic. Because of their low molecular weight they frequently pass from one cell to another; this widespread phenomenon, termed dye-coupling, is thought to reveal functional relationships between cells. Lucifer dyes can also be used for ultrastructural tracing by comparison of electron micrographs with light micrographs of the same thin section. In addition, they show promise for backfilling neurones through cut nerves, for visualizing the results of retrograde axonal transport and for the covalent labelling of macromolecules.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Stewart, W. W. Cell 14, 741–759 (1978).
Peacock, J. H., Rush, D. F. & Mathers, L. H. Brain Res. 169, 231–246 (1979).
Shafer, M. R. & Calabrese, R. L. Cell Tissue Res. 214, 137–153 (1981).
Crawford, A. C. & Fettiplace, R. J. Physiol, Lond. 306, 79–125 (1980).
Takato, M. & Goldring, S. J. comp. Neurol. 186, 173–188 (1979).
Murphy, A. D. & Kater, S. B. Brain Res. 186, 251–272 (1980).
Bulloch, A. G. M. & Kater, S. B. Science 212, 79–81 (1981).
Laat, S. W. de, Tertoolen, L. G. J., Dorresteijn, A. W. C. & Biggelaar, J. A. M. van den Nature 287, 546–548 (1980).
Goodman, C. S. & Spitzer, N. C. Nature 280, 208–214 (1979).
Gutnick, M. J. & Prince, D. A. Science 211, 67–70 (1981).
Spencer, A. N. & Satterlie, R. A. J. Neurobiol. 11, 13–19 (1980).
Muller, K. J. & Scott, S. A. Science 206, 87–89 (1979).
Muller, K. J. & Scott, S. A. Nature 283, 89–90 (1980).
Scott, S. A. & Muller, K. J. Devl Biol. 80, 345–363 (1980).
Muller, K. J. & Scott, S. A. J. Physiol., Lond. 311, 565–583 (1981).
Fettiplace, R. & Crawford, A. C. Proc. R. Soc. B203, 209–218 (1978).
Bowman, C. & Tedeschi, H. Science 209, 1251–1252 (1980).
Snow, P. J., Rose, P. K. & Brown, A. G. Science 191, 312–313 (1976).
Muller, K. J. & McMahan, U. J. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B194, 481–499 (1976).
Muller, K. J. & Carbonetto, S. J. comp. Neurol. 185, 485–516 (1979).
Stretton, A. O. W. & Kravitz, E. A. Science 162, 132–134 (1968).
Iles, J. F. & Mulloney, B. Brain Res. 30, 397–400 (1971).
Pitman, R. M., Tweedle, C. D. & Cohen, M. J. Science 176, 412–414 (1972).
Tyrer, N. M. & Bell, E. M. Brain Res. 73, 151–155 (1974).
Zipser, B. Brain Res. 182, 441–445 (1980).
Kater, S. B., Murphy, A. D. & Rued, J. R. J. exp. Biol. 72, 91–106 (1978).
Benjamin, P. R., Rose, R. M., Slade, C. T. & Lacy, M. G. J. exp. Biol. 80, 119–135 (1979).
Miller, J. P. & Selverston, A. I. Science 206, 702–704 (1979).
Coggeshall, R. E. & Fawcett, D. W. J. Neurophysiol. 27, 229–289 (1964).
Nicholls, J. G. & Baylor, D. A. J. Neurophysiol. 31, 740–756 (1968).
Kristensson, K. Acta neuropath. (Berl.) 16, 293–300 (1970).
Kristensson, K., Olsson, Y. & Sjöstrand, J. Brain Res. 32, 399–406 (1971).
LaVail, J. H. in Methods in Physiological Psychology, Vol. 2 (ed. Thompson, R. F.) 355–384 (Academic, New York, 1978).
Hendry, I. A., Stach, R. & Herrup, K. Brain Res. 82, 117–128 (1974).
Kuypers, H. G. J. M., Catsman-Berrevoets, C. E. & Padt, R. E. Neurosci. Lett. 6, 127–135 (1977).
Kooy, D. van der, Kuypers, H. G. J. M. & Catsman-Berrevoets, C. E. Brain Res. 158, 189–196 (1978).
McPheeters, M. & Okun, L. M. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 6, Abstr. 247.19 (1980).
Reaves, T. A. Jr & Hayward, J. N. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 6009–6011 (1979).
Spray, D. C., Harris, A. L. & Bennett, M. V. L. Science 204, 432–434 (1979).
Selverston, A. I. & Miller, J. P. J. Neurophysiol. 44, 1102–1121 (1980).
Detwiler, P. B. & Sarthy, P. V. Neurosci. Lett. 22, 227–232 (1981).
Spurr, A. R. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 26, 31–43 (1969).
Lazarides, E. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 23, 507–528 (1975).
Stewart, W. W. J. Am. chem. Soc. (in the press).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stewart, W. Lucifer dyes—highly fluorescent dyes for biological tracing. Nature 292, 17–21 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/292017a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/292017a0
This article is cited by
-
Fluid-phase and membrane markers reveal spatio-temporal dynamics of membrane traffic and repair in the green alga Chara australis
Protoplasma (2021)
-
Spectroscopic Evaluation of Novel Adenine/Thymine-Conjugated Naphthalenediimides: Preference of Adenine-Adenine over Thymine-Thymine Intermolecular Hydrogen Bonding in Adenine- and Thymine-Functionalized Naphthalenediimides
Journal of Fluorescence (2019)
-
Phenalenone Fluorophores-Synthesis, Photophysical Properties and DFT Study
Journal of Fluorescence (2014)
-
A light in the shadow: the use of Lucifer Yellow technique to demonstrate nectar reabsorption
Plant Methods (2013)
-
Fluorescent Dye Conjugates of Rabbit Arylsulfatase A as a Biological Tracer for Protein Endocytosis
Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology (2013)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.