FRET Imaging in Three-dimensional HydrogelsAmalie E. Donius *1, Sylvain V. Bougoin *1,3, Juan M. Taboas 1,2
1Department of Oral Biology, Center for Craniofacial Regeneration, McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 2Department of Bioengineering, Center for Craniofacial Regeneration, McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 3Laerdal AS
Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) imaging is a powerful tool for real-time cell biology studies. Here a method for FRET imaging cells in physiologic three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel microenvironments using conventional epifluorescence microscopy is presented. An analysis for ratiometric FRET probes that yields linear ratios over the activation range is described.