Monitoring Mitochondrial Membrane Potential in Live Cells Using Time-Lapse Fluorescence Imaging

The mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) generated by proton pumps (Complexes I, III, and IV) is an essential component in the process of energy generation during oxidative phosphorylation. Tetramethylrhodamine, methyl ester, perchlorate (TMRM) is one of the most commonly used fluorescent reporters of ΔΨm. TMRM is routinely employed in a steady state for the measurement of membrane potential. However, it can also be utilized with time-lapse fluorescence imaging to effectively monitor the changes in membrane potential in response to a given stimulus by analyzing the change in distribution of the dye with time.