<p>Yes, for example there is the, uhh, creatively named &quot;glue sniffer&quot;: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutamate-sensitive_fluorescent_reporter" rel="nofollow noreferrer">GluSnFRs</a> that responds to glutamate by fluorescing, and a couple other varieties as well (also mentioned on that Wikipedia page).</p>
<p>The concept is similar to the calcium-sensitive dyes: couple a motif that binds to the target of interest and causes a conformational change with a motif related to fluorescent proteins like GFP/YFP, such that the binding of the target molecule/ion allows the fluorescent motif to be active.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-13T00:53:18.423Z
2021-07-13T00:53:18.423Z
Bryan Krause
<p>Molecules like GCaMP fluoresce when calcium ions attach to them. I was wondering if this can work with the other neurotransmitters in the brain or compounds that transmit signals outside of neurons.</p>

<neuroscience><neurophysiology><neuroimaging><neuroanatomy>
Are there equivalent calcium imaging molecules that fluoresce in the presence of neurotransmitters between axons?
C-Consciousness
# Are there equivalent calcium imaging molecules that fluoresce in the presence of neurotransmitters between axons?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-07-13)

Molecules like GCaMP fluoresce when calcium ions attach to them. I was wondering if this can work with the other neurotransmitters in the brain or compounds that transmit signals outside of neurons.

**Tags:** neuroscience, neurophysiology, neuroimaging, neuroanatomy


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-07-13. Score: 1

Yes, for example there is the, uhh, creatively named "glue sniffer": [GluSnFRs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutamate-sensitive_fluorescent_reporter) that responds to glutamate by fluorescing, and a couple other varieties as well (also mentioned on that Wikipedia page).

The concept is similar to the calcium-sensitive dyes: couple a motif that binds to the target of interest and causes a conformational change with a motif related to fluorescent proteins like GFP/YFP, such that the binding of the target molecule/ion allows the fluorescent motif to be active.


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