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Select compatible reagents for western blot imaging, gel documentation, and protein analysis workflows. Explore chemiluminescent substrates, fluorescent reagents, total protein normalization solutions, and gel stains that work with iBright imaging systems to support accurate imaging and quantitative analysis.
Explore the western blot workflow
Choose reagents for your iBright imaging workflow
iBright imaging systems offer up to five imaging modes to support your applications. Efficiently and easily capture data from protein gels, nucleic acid gels, chemiluminescent western blots, fluorescent western blots, and more. Get the most from your investment by having the freedom to choose from multiple detection strategies to meet your experimental needs.
What reagents are compatible with iBright imaging systems?
iBright imaging systems support a wide range of western blot detection reagents, fluorescent dyes, protein stains, nucleic acid stains, and total protein normalization solutions. Use the guide below to identify compatible reagents for your application.
Imaging workflow and recommended reagents
Protein gel
Compatible with colorimetric and fluorescent protein gel stains including Coomassie, silver, SYPRO, and reversible protein stains.
Nucleic acid gel
Compatible with common DNA and RNA stains including ethidium bromide and SYBR stains.
Chemiluminescent blot
Compatible with HRP- and AP-based western blot detection reagents including Supersignal and WesernBreeze substrates.
Fluorescent blot
Compatible with visible and near-IR fluorescent western blot workflows including Alexa Fluor and Alexa Fluor Plus conjugates.
Universal
Supports workflows combining multiple signal types, including chemiluminescent, fluorescent, colorimetric, and total protein normalization reagents.
Fluorescent western blot imaging
The iBright FL1500 Imaging System includes five fluorescent detection channels that support a broad range of visible and near-infrared fluorophores. Multiplex fluorescent western blot imaging is supported with up to four fluorescent channels in a single experiment, enabling simultaneous detection and analysis of multiple protein targets and controls. Researchers can perform multiplex fluorescent western blot analysis using a wide range of commonly used fluorophores, including Alexa Fluor, DyLight, IRDye, StarBright, Qdot, Cyanine dyes, GFP, and RFP.
Fluorescence channels on the iBright FL1500 Imaging System
The iBright FL1500 Imaging System supports visible and near-infrared fluorescent western blot imaging using multiple excitation and emission channel combinations. Use the compatibility guides below to identify supported fluorophores for fluorescent western blot, multiplex detection, and other fluorescence imaging workflows.
Excitation channel |
Filter range (nm) |
Emission channel |
Filter range (nm) |
EX1 |
455–485 |
EM1 |
508–557 |
EX2 |
515–545 |
EM2 |
568–617 |
EX3 |
608–632 |
EM3 |
675–720 |
EX4 |
610–660 |
EM4 |
710–730 |
EX5 |
745–765 |
EM5 |
800–850 |
Need help selecting compatible fluorophores? Compare excitation and emission spectra using the SpectraViewer tool to identify compatible fluorophores for multiplex fluorescent western blot workflows.
The fluorophore families below are compatible with one or more excitation and emission channel on the iBright FL1500 Imaging System.
The iBright FL1500 Imaging System supports a range of Alexa Fluor fluorophores for single-target and multiplex fluorescent western blot imaging.
Alexa Fluor dyes are widely used due to their brightness, photostability, and broad wavelength coverage.
Alexa Fluor Dyes |
Excitation channel |
Emission channel |
Alexa Fluor 488, Alexa Fluor Plus 488 |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
508–557 nm (EM1) |
Alexa Fluor 546 |
515–545 nm (EX2) |
568–617 nm (EM2) |
Alexa Fluor 555, Alexa Fluor Plus 555 |
515–545 nm (EX2) |
568–617 nm (EM2) |
Alexa Fluor 568 |
515–545 nm (EX2) |
568–617 nm (EM2) |
Alexa Fluor 594 |
608–632 nm (EX3) |
675–720 nm (EM3) |
Alexa Fluor 633 |
608–632 nm (EX3) |
675–720 nm (EM3) |
Alexa Fluor 647, Alexa Fluor Plus 647 |
608–632 nm (EX3) |
675–720 nm (EM3) |
Alexa Fluor 660 |
610–660 nm (EX4) |
675–720 nm (EM3) |
Alexa Fluor 680, Alexa Fluor Plus 680 |
610–660 nm (EX4) |
710–730 nm (EM4) |
Alexa Fluor 750 |
745–765 nm (EX5) |
800–850 nm (EM5) |
Alexa Fluor 790 |
745–765 nm (EX5) |
800–850 nm (EM5) |
Related resources
The iBright FL1500 Imaging System supports multiple DyLight fluorophores for western blotting and other fluorescence-based applications. DyLight dyes help provide bright fluorescence across visible and near-infrared detection channels.
DyLight Dyes |
Excitation channel |
Emission channel |
DyLight 488 |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
508–557 nm (EM1) |
DyLight 549/550 |
515–545 nm (EX2) |
568–617 nm (EM2) |
DyLight 594 |
608–632 nm (EX3) |
675–720 nm (EM3) |
DyLight 633 |
608–632 nm (EX3) |
675–720 nm (EM3) |
DyLight 649/650 |
608–632 nm (EX3) |
675–720 nm (EM3) |
DyLight 680 |
610–660 nm (EX4) |
710–730 nm (EM4) |
DyLight 755 |
745–765 nm (EX5) |
800–850 nm (EM5) |
DyLight 800 |
745–765 nm (EX5) |
800–850 nm (EM5) |
Related resources
The iBright FL1500 Imaging System is compatible with several commonly used Qdot fluorophores. Qdot probes offer narrow emission spectra and strong fluorescent signals that can support multiplex imaging applications.
Qdots |
Excitation channel |
Emission channel |
Qdots 525 |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
508–557 nm (EM1) |
Qdots 565 |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
568–617 nm (EM2) |
Qdots 585 |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
568–617 nm (EM2) |
Qdots 605 |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
568–617 nm (EM2) |
Qdots 625 |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
568–617 nm (EM2) |
Qdots 655 |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
675–720 nm (EM3) |
Qdots 705 |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
675–720 nm (EM3) |
Qdots 800 |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
810–850 nm (EM5) |
Related resources
The iBright FL1500 Imaging System supports a variety of commonly used fluorescent proteins and traditional fluorophores, including GFP, RFP, FITC, TRITC, and Cyanine dyes. These fluorophores can be used for fluorescent western blotting, gel imaging, and specialty fluorescence applications.
Traditional and Cyanin dyes |
Excitation channel |
Emission channel |
Fluorescein/FITC |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
508–557 nm (EM1) |
Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
508–557 nm (EM1) |
Oregon Green |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
508–557 nm (EM1) |
Red Fluorescent Protein (RFP) |
515–545 nm (EX2) |
568–617 nm (EM2) |
Rhodamine 123 |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
515–564 nm (EM1) |
Tetramethyl Rhodamine (TRITC) |
515–545 nm (EX2) |
568–617 nm (EM2) |
Texas Red |
608–632 nm (EX3) |
675–720 nm (EM3) |
Cyanin 2 (Cy2) |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
515–564 nm (EM1) |
Cyanin 3 (Cy3) |
515–545 nm (EX2) |
568–617 nm (EM2) |
Cyanin 5 (Cy5) |
608–632 nm (EX3) |
675–720 nm (EM3) |
Cyanin 5.5 (Cy5.5) |
610–660 nm (EX4) |
710–750 nm (EM4) |
Cyanin 7 (Cy7) |
745–765 nm (EX5) |
800–850 nm (EM5) |
The iBright FL1500 Imaging System includes excitation and emission channels compatible with commonly used visible and near-infrared fluorescent labels. Near-infrared dyes such as such as IRDye™ and StarBright™ dyes support sensitive fluorescent detection and multiplex western blot workflows.
IRDye, StarBright |
Excitation channel |
Emission channel |
IRDye 650 |
608–632 nm (EX3) |
675–720 nm (EM3) |
IRDye 680 |
610–660 nm (EX4) |
710–730 nm (EM4) |
IRDye 700 |
610–660 nm (EX4) |
710–730 nm (EM4) |
IRDye 800 |
745–765 nm (EX5) |
800–850 nm (EM5) |
StarBright Blue 520 |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
508–557 nm (EM1) |
StarBright Blue 700 |
455–485 nm (EX1) |
710–730 nm (EM4) |
Chemiluminescent western blot imaging
All iBright imaging systems are compatible with a broad range of HRP- and AP-based chemiluminescent western blot substrates. The following chemiluminescent detection reagents are supported across the iBright CL750, CL1500, and FL1500 imaging systems.
Compatible chemiluminescent detection reagents
- SuperSignal West Atto
- SuperSignal West Pico PLUS
- SuperSignal West Dura
- SuperSignal West Femto
- Pierce ECL Plus
- Other HRP- and AP-based chemiluminescent substrates
Related resources
Protein gel imaging
iBright imaging systems support a wide range of colorimetric and fluorescent protein gel stains for protein visualization, documentation, and quantitative analysis. Use the compatibility guide below to identify supported protein gel stains for your imaging workflow.
Reagent |
FL1500 |
CL1500 |
CL750 |
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Deep purple stains |
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Oriole fluorescent stain |
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Flamingo fluorescent stain |
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Related resources
Nucleic acid gel stains
All iBright imaging systems support commonly used nucleic acid gel stains for DNA and RNA visualization. The following nucleic acid stains are supported for fluorescent and colorimetric gel imaging workflows.
Compatible nucleic acid gel stains:
Colony counting
All iBright imaging systems support commonly used nucleic acid gel stains for DNA and RNA visualization. The following nucleic acid stains are supported for fluorescent and colorimetric gel imaging workflows.
Application |
FL1500 |
CL1500 |
CL750 |
GFP (using transillumination) |
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GFP (using epi-illumination) |
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Crystal violet (using transillumination) |
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Crystal violet (using epi-illumination) |
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Blue/white visible (β-galactosidase/X-Gal/IPTG) |
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Frequently asked questions
The iBright FL1500 Imaging System is compatible with a broad range of visible and near-infrared fluorophores, including Alexa Fluor, DyLight, IRDye™, StarBright™, Qdot, GFP, RFP, FITC, TRITC, and Cyanine dyes.
Yes. iBright imaging systems support imaging of both protein and nucleic acid gels using colorimetric and fluorescent stains. Protein gels can be imaged using Coomassie, silver, and SYPRO Ruby stains, while nucleic acid gels can be imaged using DNA and RNA dyes, including ethidium bromide and SYBR stains. Researchers whose workflows focus exclusively on gel documentation may also consider the iGlow Gel Documentation System.
Yes. iBright imaging systems support total protein normalization workflows using compatible total protein normalization reagents, including No-Stain Protein Labeling Reagent.
All trademarks are the property of Thermo Fisher Scientific and its subsidiaries unless otherwise specified. StarBright, Oriole, and Flamingo are trademarks of Bio-Rad Inc. IR Dyes are trademarks of LI-COR Biotech.
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.