Newport Green(TM) DCF Diacetate *Cell Permeant*

Newport Green(TM) DCF Diacetate is a cell-permeable zinc indicator optimized for the quantitative detection of intracellular Zn2+ in live-cell systems. In its diacetate-protected form, the probe passively diffuses across the plasma membrane. Upon cellular entry, endogenous cytosolic esterases hydrolyze the acetyl groups, generating the de-esterified Newport Green(TM) DCF dye, which is water-soluble and effectively retained within the cytoplasm. The activated dye exhibits a moderate affinity for Zn2+ (Kd ~ 1 µM), enabling sensitive detection of physiologically relevant concentrations of labile zinc. Importantly, it displays minimal affinity for Ca2+ (Kd > 100 µM), providing high selectivity for Zn2+ over other intracellular divalent cations. This selectivity makes it particularly suitable for investigating dynamic Zn2+ signaling events in excitable cells, such as neurons, where zinc influx is mediated by glutamatergic stimulation or voltage-gated ion channels. Newport Green(TM) DCF exhibits excitation and emission maxima at approximately 505 nm and 535 nm, respectively, ensuring compatibility with standard FITC filter sets for applications including fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, and high-content imaging.