title: Metal-enhanced fluorescence in the life sciences: here, now and beyond.
abstract: We discuss the phenomenon of enhanced fluorescence in the proximity of metal nanostructures addressing the question of how much fluorescence signal can be obtained from fluorophores in such altered environments. We review its applicability for the methodologies used in the life science, such as immunoassays, flow cytometry and bioimaging. Experimental and theoretical scenarios employing various metal nanostructures - such as homogeneous enhancing substrates, fluorescence-enhancing microbeads, and metal core-dielectric shell nanocomposites - are described.
authors.affiliation: MQ BioFocus Research Centre, Macquarie University, North Ryde, 2109, Sydney, Australia. ewa.goldys@mq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Henrique T M C M
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Baltar
authors.forename: Ewa M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Goldys
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008670:Metals