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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Nov 1.
Published in final edited form as: Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2018 Feb 2;151-152:262–288. doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2018.01.019

Table 1.

4. Fluorescence anisotropy based imaging microscopy techniques.

Imaging Modality + −
Wide field microscopy
  • -

    Fast acquisition times

  • -

    Inexpensive

  • -

    High Throughput screening
  • -

    Background signal

  • -

    Poor axial resolution

  • -

    Mostly restricted to in vitro measurements

  • -

    Limited volumetric information
Confocal microscopy
  • -

    Relatively inexpensive

  • -

    Moderate acquisition times

  • -

    High axial resolution
  • -

    Requires modifications of the imaging setup that are not always possible on commercial systems

  • -

    Limited in vivo penetration depth
Spinning disk microscopy
  • -

    Relatively inexpensive

  • -

    Large number of fluorophores available.

  • -

    Very fast acquisition times
  • -

    Requires modification of the imaging setup that is not always possible in commercial systems

  • -

    Best for in vitro or small organism imaging
Time-resolved fluorescence microscopy
  • -

    In addition to FA, it provides

  • more information regarding the molecular environement
  • -

    Relatively expensive
Two photon microscopy
  • -

    The modifications of the setup in commercial systems is very simple.

  • -

    High axial resolution

  • -

    High in vivo penetration depth
  • -

    Relatively expensive

  • -

    Restricted number of fluorophores available
Super-resolution microscopy
  • -

    High resolution (planar and axial)

  • -

    Single molecule imaging

  • -

    Relatively slow acquisition times
  • -

    Mostly in vitro based

  • -

    Restricted choice of fluorophores

The Table provides the pros and cons of several fluorescence optical imaging modalities capable to provide fluorescence anisotropy information.