3-D image analysis of fluorescent drug binding

Fluorescent ligands provide the means of studying receptors in whole tissues using confocal laser scanning microscopy and have advantages over antibody- or non-fluorescence-based method. Confocal microscopy provides large volumes of images to be measured. Histogram analysis of 3-D image volumes is proposed as a method of graphically displaying large amounts of volumetric image data to be quickly analyzed and compared. The fluorescent ligand BODIPY FL-prazosin (QAPB) was used in mouse aorta. Histogram analysis reports the amount of ligand-receptor binding under different conditions and the technique is sensitive enough to detect changes in receptor availability after antagonist incubation or…