The primary aliphatic amine of 5-(aminomethyl)fluorescein can be reversibly coupled to aldehydes and ketones to form a Schiff base - which can be reduced to a stable amine derivative by sodium borohydride (NaBH4) or sodium cyanoborohydride (NaCNH3) to form new probes. Carboxylic acids of proteins and other water-soluble biopolymers can be coupled to this molecule in aqueous solution using water-soluble carbodiimides such as EDAC (E2247).