FURA-2AM (CAS 108964-32-5) is a cell-permeable fluorescent calcium indicator widely employed in intracellular Ca measurements through ratiometric fluorescence microscopy Chemically it is the acetoxymethyl ester derivative of FURA-2 enhancing membrane permeability and enabling active transport into live cells Upon cytosolic entry intracellular esterases cleave its ester groups converting it into active FURA-2 which binds free Ca ions with 1 1 stoichiometry Ca binding induces a measurable excitation wavelength shift from 380 nm (Ca -free) to 340 nm (Ca -bound) while emission remains constant around 510 nm FURA-2AM s ratiometric measurement reduces artifacts from cell variability probe leakage and photobleaching making it a standard fluorescent probe in calcium signaling studies