FLUOROPHORE Meaning and
Definition
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A fluorophore is a chemical compound or molecule that has the ability to emit light of a longer wavelength when it absorbs light of a shorter wavelength. It is specifically designed to fluoresce or emit light upon excitation. Fluorophores are commonly used in various fields, including fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, and medical diagnostics.
The excitation of a fluorophore occurs when it absorbs photons of a specific wavelength, causing some of its electrons to move to higher energy levels. Subsequently, when these electrons return to their ground state, they release the absorbed energy in the form of light. The emitted light has a longer wavelength than the absorbed light, leading to a shift in color.
Fluorophores possess distinctive absorption and emission spectra, allowing researchers to select specific fluorophores based on their excitation and emission wavelengths. The availability of a wide range of fluorophores with different spectral properties enables multi-color imaging and analysis in biological research. Fluorophores can be classified into various categories, such as organic dyes, quantum dots, green fluorescent proteins (GFP), and fluorescent antibodies.
In summary, a fluorophore is a light-emitting compound that exhibits fluorescence upon excitation. Its unique ability to absorb light of shorter wavelengths and emit light of longer wavelengths makes it a valuable tool in numerous scientific and medical applications that require visualization and detection of specific molecules or structures.
Common Misspellings for FLUOROPHORE
- dluorophore
- cluorophore
- vluorophore
- gluorophore
- tluorophore
- rluorophore
- fkuorophore
- fpuorophore
- fouorophore
- flyorophore
- flhorophore
- fljorophore
- fliorophore
- fl8orophore
- fl7orophore
- fluirophore
- flukrophore
- flulrophore
- fluprophore
- flu0rophore
Etymology of FLUOROPHORE
The word "fluorophore" is derived from two components: "fluoro-" and "-phore".
The prefix "-fluoro" is derived from the Latin word "fluor", meaning "to flow". In this context, it refers to the fluorescence phenomenon, where certain substances emit light after absorbing electromagnetic radiation.
The suffix "-phore" is derived from the Greek word "phoros", meaning "bearer" or "carrier". It is used in scientific terminology to denote a molecule or group of molecules that are responsible for a particular property or function.
So, when combined, "fluorophore" refers to a molecule or a portion of a molecule that is capable of fluorescence, thus carrying the property of fluorescence.
