This class of neuron stains comprises fluorescent conjugates of cholera toxin subunit B, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), and isolectin GS-IB4. Introduced via microinjection or iontophoresis, these probes are fixable and photostable retrograde tracers and offer choices for synaptic studies (WGA) and to differentiate between neuronal subtypes (GS-IB4).
Cholera toxin subunit B binds to glycosphingolipids in axonal membranes and serves as a retrograde tracer. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) conjugates bind to sialic acid and N-acetylglucosaminyl residues in neuronal membranes and serve as retrograde tracers that will also cross synapses. Isolectin GS-IB4 is selective for terminal α-D-galactosyl residues and serves to differentiate between neuronal subtypes. |
 Human cheek epithelial cells labeled with Alexa Fluor® 350 wheat germ agglutinin and stained with SYTOX® Green nucleic acid stain. |
| Readout | Direct fluorescence imaging of cells with punctate signal |
| Carrier | Wheat Germ Agglutinin |
| Standard filter set(s) | Cy®5 |
| Fluorophore/conjugate | Qdot® 655 |
| Ex/Em (nm) | /655 |
| Tissue sections | Yes |
| In vivo neurons | No |
| Fixed tissue sections | No |
| Cultured cells | Yes |
| Cell loading | Iontophoresis |
| Staining mode | Exogenous |
| Best for | Cell populations |
| Fixable | Yes |
| Transport | Retrograde |
| Photobleaching resistance |  |
| Synaptic transfer | Yes |
| Gap junction transfer | No |
| Bibliography | Citations |
| Quantity | 200 µL |
| Cat. No. | Q12021MP |
Properites
| Readout | Direct fluorescence imaging of cells with uniform signal distribution, binds to sialic acid and N-acetylglucosaminyl residues in neuronal membranes |
| Carrier | Wheat Germ Agglutinin |
| Tissue sections | Yes |
| In vivo neurons | No |
| Fixed tissue sections | No |
| Cultured cells | Yes |
| Cell loading | Iontophoresis |
| Staining mode | Exogenous |
| Best for | Cell populations |
| Fixable | Yes |
| Transport | Retrograde |
| Photobleaching resistance | |
| Synaptic transfer | Yes |
| Gap junction transfer | No |
| Bibliography | Citations |
Selection Guide
|
Standard filter set(s)
|
Fluorophore/
conjugate |
Ex/Em (nm)
|
Quantity
|
Cat. No.
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat Germ Agglutinin, Alexa Fluor® 350 Conjugate | DAPI | Alexa Fluor® 350 | 346/442 | 5 mg | W11263 |
| Wheat Germ Agglutinin, Alexa Fluor® 488 Conjugate | FITC | Alexa Fluor® 488 | 495/519 | 5 mg | W11261 |
| Wheat Germ Agglutinin, Alexa Fluor® 555 Conjugate | TRITC | Alexa Fluor® 555 | 555/565 | 5 mg | W32464 |
| Wheat Germ Agglutinin, Alexa Fluor® 594 Conjugate | Texas Red® | Alexa Fluor® 594 | 590/617 | 5 mg | W11262 |
| Wheat Germ Agglutinin, Alexa Fluor® 633 Conjugate | Texas Red® | Alexa Fluor® 633 | 632/647 | 5 mg | W21404 |
| Wheat Germ Agglutinin, Alexa Fluor® 647 Conjugate | Cy®5 | Alexa Fluor® 647 | 650/668 | 5 mg | W32466 |
| Wheat Germ Agglutinin, Alexa Fluor® 680 Conjugate | Cy®5.5 | Alexa Fluor® 680 | 679/702 | 5 mg | W32465 |
| Readout | Binds to ganglioside GM1 to label lipid rafts; requires secondary detection | Direct fluorescence imaging of cells, selective for ganglioside GM1 | ||||
| Carrier | Cholera Toxin Subunit B (Recombinant) | |||||
| Standard filter set(s) | NA | FITC | TRITC | Texas Red® | Cy®5 | |
| Fluorophore/conjugate | Biotin-XX | Horseradish peroxidase | Alexa Fluor® 488 | Alexa Fluor® 555 | Alexa Fluor® 594 | Alexa Fluor® 647 |
| Ex/Em (nm) | NA | 495/519 | 555/565 | 590/617 | 650/668 | |
| Tissue sections | Yes | |||||
| In vivo neurons | No | |||||
| Fixed tissue sections | No | |||||
| Cultured cells | Yes | |||||
| Cell loading | Iontophoresis, microinjection | |||||
| Staining mode | Exogenous | |||||
| Best for | Cell populations | |||||
| Fixable | Yes | |||||
| Transport | Retrograde | |||||
| Photobleaching resistance | NA | |
||||
| Synaptic transfer | No | |||||
| Gap junction transfer | No | |||||
| Bibliography | Citations | |||||
| Quantity | 100 µg | 100 µg | 100 µg | 100 µg | 100 µg | 100 µg |
| Cat. No. | C34779 | C34780 | C34775 | C34776 | C34777 | C34778 |
| Readout | Selective for terminal α-D-galactosyl residues; requires secondary detection | Direct fluorescence imaging of cells, selective for terminal α-D-galactosyl residues | |||
| Carrier | Isolectin GS-IB4 from Griffonia simplicifolia | ||||
| Standard filter set(s) | NA | FITC | Rhodamine | Texas Red® | Cy®5 |
| Fluorophore/conjugate | Biotin-XX | Alexa Fluor® 488 | Alexa Fluor® 568 | Alexa Fluor® 594 | Alexa Fluor® 647 |
| Ex/Em (nm) | NA | 495/519 | 578/603 | 590/617 | 650/668 |
| Tissue sections | Yes | ||||
| In vivo neurons | Yes | ||||
| Fixed tissue sections | No | ||||
| Cultured cells | Yes | ||||
| Cell loading | Microinjection, iontophoresis | ||||
| Staining mode | Exogenous | ||||
| Best for | Cell populations | ||||
| Fixable | Yes | ||||
| Transport | Bidirectional | ||||
| Photobleaching resistance | NA | |
|||
| Synaptic transfer | No | ||||
| Gap junction transfer | No | ||||
| Bibliography | Citations | ||||
| Quantity | 500 µg | 500 µg | 500 µg | 500 µg | 5 mg |
| Cat. No. | I21414 | I21411 | I21412 | I21413 | W32466 |
Resources |
|
| Molecular Probes® Handbook |
BioProbes® article |