I haven't tried these dyes but worked with esters of fluo-3, rhod-2
and snarf-1 to a small extent in maize cells. I used low
concentrations of the dyes and checked the loading periodically. I
used cultured maize cells and the problem with this cell line was not
so much of cell wall esterases but the compartmentalization of the
dyes.

Subbaiah, C. C., D. S. Bush and M. M. Sachs. 1998. Mitochondrial
contribution to anoxic Ca2+ signal in maize cells.  Plant Physiol.
118: 759-771: www.plantphysiol.org/cgi/content/full/118/3/759).

Subbaiah, C. C., Bush, D. S. and Sachs, M. M. 1994. Elevation of
cytosolic calcium precedes anoxic gene expression in maize
suspension-cultured cells. Plant Cell  6: 1747-1762.

Subbaiah
--
Subbaiah Chalivendra, Ph. D.
S-27 Turner Hall
Dept. Crop Sciences, 1102 S. Goodwin Ave
University of Illinois
Urbana, IL 61801-4730

Phone: 217 333-9743

Fax:   217 333-6064