A micellar model for the disaggregating effect of detergents on phthalocyanin dyes
Juarranz, A.; Stockert, J.C.; Cañete, M.; Villanueva, A.
Cellular and Molecular Biology 31(5): 379-384
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0145-5680 PMID: 4084943 Document Number: 252473
Molecules of phthalocyanin dyes in aqueous solutions tend to form aggregates even at low concentrations. Disaggregation of these stacked dye complexes can be achieved with non-polar solvents or with detergents at suitable concentrations. In this work, we describe the spectral modifications of some basic and acid phthalocyanin dyes by different types of detergents, which induce the same monomerizing effect as organic solvents. Detergent molecules in aqueous solution tend to group themselves forming micelles, which provide the dyes with an environment similar to the binding sites of certain cellular substrates (e.g. micelles of anionic detergents resemble the intercalative binding site in DNA). Thus, the use of detergents proves very adequate as a spectral test system for the study of staining interactions between dyes and cell components.