Gaillard O, Kapel N, Galli J, Delattre J, Meillet D
Laboratoire d'immunochimie, de neuroimmunologie (INSERM U-134), hôpital de la Salpêtrière, Paris.
Ann Biol Clin (Paris). 1994;52(11):751-5.
Time-resolved fluorometric assay is based on lanthanide fluorescence. This time-resolved fluorescence has a narrow-band emission line whose wavelength differs from that of emission-pulsed light and has a long decay-time. These characteristics make it possible to avoid background interference from sample constituents (protein, light-scattering particles, etc). Europium and its chelates are the most commonly used lanthanides. The europium-labelling of antigens or antibodies is followed by immunoassay. In the final step, fluorescence is measured, after enhancement, as counts per second. This assay has several advantages, including a wide working range, high sensitivity and good practicability. The method has widespread applications in the field of immunoassays in both clinical and research laboratories. The use of non-radioactive europium-labelled probes and the development of simultaneous multiple tests are possible future orientations.
