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Principles and Applications of Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS)

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Biophotonics: Spectroscopy, Imaging, Sensing, and Manipulation

Abstract

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) is one of the various modern optical techniques that allow access to single fluorescently labeled biomolecules in aqueous solution. In contrast to other fluorescence measurements, however, the parameter of primary interest is not the emission intensity itself, but rather spontaneous intensity fluctuations caused by the minute deviations of a small ensemble of molecules from thermal equilibrium. In general, all physical parameters that give rise to fluctuations in the fluorescence signal are accessible by FCS. It is, for example, rather straightforward to determine local concentrations, mobility coefficients or characteristic rate constants of inter- or intramolecular reactions of fluorescently labeled biomolecules at nanomolar to micromolar concentrations.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biophysics Group, BIOTEC TU Dresden, Tatzberg 47-51, D-01307, Dresden, Germany

    Petra Schwille & Jonas Ries

Authors
  1. Petra Schwille
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  2. Jonas Ries
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Petra Schwille .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Physics, Boston College, Commonwealth Ave 140, Chestnut Hill, 02467, Massachusetts, USA

    Baldassare Di Bartolo

  2. , Department of Physics and Astronomy, Wheaton College, Norton, 02766, Massachusetts, USA

    John Collins

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Schwille, P., Ries, J. (2011). Principles and Applications of Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS). In: Bartolo, B., Collins, J. (eds) Biophotonics: Spectroscopy, Imaging, Sensing, and Manipulation. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series B: Physics and Biophysics. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9977-8_4

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