The use of fluorescent probes can be an easy and quick method to analyze whether or not reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in a particular cellular process or the result of a particular drug treatment. ROS activate a variety of cell signaling and death pathways including apoptosis and necrosis (Raha and Robinson. Am J Med Gen 106:62–70, 2001). Here we describe a number of different probes, their specificities, advantages and limitations, as well as useful techniques important for their use.
