Flipper-TR? probe is a fluorogenic probe that works by specifically targeting the plasma membrane of cells and reports membrane tension changes through its fluorescence lifetime output. It is the most advanced member of the Flipper probes family (see Citation tab with Refs. 1,2,3, and 4). Flipper-TR? spontaneously inserts into the plasma membrane of cells and is only fluorescent when inserted into a lipid membrane in contrast to aqueous solutions where it has very little fluorescence i.e. it is fluorogenic. The probe senses changes in the organization of lipid bilayer membranes, in particular the tension between lipid layers, through the twist angle and polarization between two twisted dithienothiophenes contained in its structure. (see adjacent figure).

Flipper-TR? use requires Fluorescence Liftime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) which is a standard technique in modern microscopic set-ups, for more details see FAQ tab.