AZDye 680 is a bright and photostable near-IR dye that is spectrally and structurally identical to Alexa Fluor® 680 Dye. AZDye 680 is often used for small animal imaging applications in the 700 nm wavelength and provides excellent clearance profiles in animals. Flow cytometry is another common application for this dye. AZDye 680 ideally suited for the 633 nm laser line. This near-IR fluorescent dye is water soluble and pH-insensitive from pH 4 to pH 10. AZDye 680 molecules can be attached to proteins at high molar ratios without significant self-quenching, leading to brighter conjugates and more sensitive detection. The long wavelength emission allows for detection in complex samples with auto-fluorescent background signals.

The NHS ester (succinimidyl ester) of AZDye 680 is the most popular tool for conjugating this dye to a protein or antibody. NHS esters can be used to label to the primary amines (R-NH2) of proteins, amine-modified oligonucleotides, and other amine-containing molecules.