Biochemiluminescence and biomedical applications

Although used for analytical purposes for more than 40 years it is only recently that biochemiluminescence (BCL) has found widespread acceptance. Methods employing BCL reactions now play an important role in biomedical research and laboratory medicine. The main attractions for the assay technology include exquisite sensitivity (attomole-zeptomole), high selectivity, speed and simplicity. In biomedical research, the most important applications of BCL are: (1) to estimate microbial numbers and to assess cellular states (e.g., after exposure to antibiotic or cytotoxic agents) and in reporter gene studies (firefly luciferase gene); (2) NAD(P)H involved in redox/dehydrogenase studies using Vibrio luciferase complex; (3) BCL labels and CL detection of enzyme labels in immunoassays are the most widespread routine application for this technology. BCL enzyme immunoassays represent the most active area of development, e.g., enhanced BCL method for peroxidase and BCL assays for alkaline phosphatase labels using adamantyl 1,2-dioxetane.