Dr. Sechi -

        Here are a few review articles on caged compounds that I have found
contain many core concepts.

- Adams S.R. and R.Y. Tsien (1993)  - Controlling cell chemistry with 
caged compounds.  Annu. Rev. Physiol. 55:755-784.

- McCray J.A. and D.R. Trentham (1989) - Properties and use of
photoreactive caged compounds.  Annu. Rev. Biophys. Biophys. Chem.
18:239-270.

- Molecular Probes catalog.

However, key concepts such as how to calibrate them are not covered
anywhere.  Examples of how people have accomplished this include
K Khodakhah and D Ogden - J Physiol (caged IP3) and a number of 
papers by R.S. Zucker (caged Ca).

        In regard to handling them, caged compounds should be stable
when dry.  Once in solution, they should be kept frozen and in the dark but 
can tolerate brief exposures to room light.  Some are not stable in 
aqueous solution -- for instance, gamma-CNB-caged glutamate 
degrades slowly in water; this is prevented by storing the stock solution at 
low pH (say 4) and  buffering at the time of use.  Because the uncaging 
reaction is thought to begin by excitation of a lone-pair electron I surmise 
that this strategy could be useful for other caged compounds as well.

        I am sure I am leaving out reams of information but maybe this
will give you what you need.

Dr. Sam Wang
Dept. of Neurobiology - Box 3209
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC  USA 27710
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At 02:03 PM 2/18/97 +0100, you wrote:
>Dear all,
>
>        does anyone know information about the theory and "how to haldle"
>caged probes? Thank you in advance.
>
>Regards,
>
>Antonio
>
>
>Dr. Antonio Sechi
>GBF - Gesellschaft für Biotechnologische
>Forschung mbH
>Dept. of Cell Biology and Immunology
>Mascherode Weg, 1
>D-38124 Braunschweig
>Germany
>Tel.: 0049/531/6181 417 or 443
>Fax:  0049/531/6181 444
>E-mail: [log in to unmask]