Single molecule fluorescence spectroscopy for quantitative biological applications

Single molecule techniques emerge as powerful and quantitative approaches for scientific investigations in last decades.Among them,single molecule fluorescence spectroscopy(SMFS) is able to non-invasively characterize and track samples at the molecular level.Here,applications of SMFS to fundamental biological questions have been briefly summarized in catalogues of single-molecule counting,distance measurements,force sensors,molecular tracking,and ultrafast dynamics.In these SMFS applications,statistics and physical laws are utilized to quantitatively analyze the behaviors of biomolecules in cellular signaling pathways and the mechanisms of biological functions.This not only deepens our understanding of bio-systems,but also provides a fresh angle to those fundamental questions,leading to a more quantitative thinking in life science.