4-Dicyanovinyljulolidine

DCVJ is a fluorogenic dye that is considered a fluorescent molecular rotor because its properties depend on the rotational relaxation of the molecule, which can be influenced by the viscosity of the solvent used (quantum yield increases by decreasing free rotation). It has an excitation maximum at approximately 450 nm, and its emission is approximately 480 or 505 nm for low or high viscosity solvents, respectively. DCVJ has been used to study tubulin dynamics, it binds to tubulin and actin, and increases its fluorescence intensity drastically upon polymerization. DCVJ also binds to phospholipid bilayers, it integrates into the cell membrane and changes its quantum yield with the viscosity of the environment.