Fluorescence

Luminescence is the process by which a substance emits light, resulting from the transitions of electrons to excited states. Luminescence is categorized into two distinct types: fluorescence and phosphorescence, based on the characteristics of the excited state. Over the past two decades, there has been significant progress in the application of fluorescence within the biological sciences. Fluorescence spectroscopy and time-resolved fluorescence are considered as essential research methods in biochemistry and biophysics. The focus has shifted, and the application of fluorescence has broadened. Fluorescence is a predominant technique widely employed in biotechnology, flow cytometry, medical diagnostics, DNA sequencing, forensics, and genetic analysis, among others. Fluorescence detection has exceptional sensitivity, eliminating the necessity for the costs and complexities associated with managing radioactive tracers for the majority of biochemical assessments. There has been significant expansion in the application of fluorescence for cellular and molecular imaging. Fluorescence imaging can elucidate the localization and quantification of intracellular molecules, occasionally achieving single-molecule detection. Fluorescence technology is employed by researchers across various fields.

-Principles of Fluorescence Spectroscopy (Joseph R Lakowicz)