Tryptophan serves as a powerful intrinsic reporter of cellular and molecular health. Its structure is linked to vital biological processes and diseases caused by protein misfolding — such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Type 2 diabetes.
The challenge however is being able to detect it since the excitation, as well as emission, is buried deep in the UV, making standard microscopes ineffective. In this editorial published in BioPhotonics, we explore how fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) can provide a possible solution for the excitation of tryptophan. With the use of Femtosecond laser pulses in the 540- to 550-nm wavelength range accessing the UV range becomes possible, which in turn enables the direct and efficient excitation of tryptophan.
Read the article in BioPhotonics.
