Department of Chemistry and the MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, Fujian, China.
Anal Bioanal Chem. 2020 Sep;412(24):6085-6100. doi: 10.1007/s00216-020-02635-3. Epub 2020 Apr 16.
Fluorescence imaging technology has been extensively applied in chemical and biological research profiting from its high sensitivity and specificity. Much attention has been devoted to breaking the light diffraction-limited spatial resolution. However, it remains a great challenge to improve the axial resolution in a way that is accessible in general laboratories. Surface plasmon-coupled emission (SPCE), generated by the interactions between surface plasmons and excited fluorophores in close vicinity of the thin metal film, offers an opportunity for optical imaging with potential application in analysis of molecular and biological systems. Benefiting from the highly directional and distance-dependent properties, SPCE imaging (SPCEi) has displayed excellent performance in bioimaging with improved sensitivity and axial confinement. Herein, we give a brief overview of the development of SPCEi. We describe the unique optical characteristics and constructions of SPCEi systems and highlight recent advances in the use of SPCEi for biological applications. We hope this review provides readers with both the insights and future prospects of SPCEi as a new promising imaging platform for potentially widespread applications in biological research and medical diagnostics. Graphical abstract.
荧光成像技术凭借其高灵敏度和特异性，已广泛应用于化学和生物学研究。人们高度关注突破光的衍射极限空间分辨率。然而，以一种在普通实验室中可行的方式提高轴向分辨率仍然是一个巨大的挑战。表面等离激元耦合发射（SPCE），是由薄金属膜附近的表面等离激元和受激荧光团之间的相互作用产生的，为光学成像提供了机会，具有在分析分子和生物系统方面的潜在应用。得益于高度定向和距离相关的特性，SPCE 成像（SPCEi）在生物成像中显示出了优异的性能，提高了灵敏度和轴向限制。本文简要概述了 SPCEi 的发展。我们描述了 SPCEi 系统的独特光学特性和结构，并强调了最近在将 SPCEi 用于生物应用方面的进展。我们希望这篇综述能为读者提供有关 SPCEi 的见解和未来前景，因为它是一个新的有前途的成像平台，有可能在生物研究和医学诊断中得到广泛应用。
