OPTICAL FIBRE EPIFLUORESCENSE BIOSENSOR

摘要

TITLE Optical Fibre Epifluorescense Biosensor A distal-end sensing optical fiber objective extension for use in quantitative fluorescence assay studies with a fluorescence microscope comprises optical fibre means. Also included are: a length of optical fibre having proximal and distal ends, adapted to transmit fluorescence emitted from an excited sample, from the distal end to the proximal end. A proximal end alignment stage is operable to selectively position the proximal end in a plane oriented in substantially focused relation with an adjacent objective fluorescencemicroscope lens. A distal end/stage alignment stage is operable to selectively position the distal end relative to a sample stage in substantially focused relation to a sample borne on that sample stage. In this arrangement, fluorescence emitted from the sample is captured from within a relatively deep, distal end depth-of-field. The captured fluorescence is then transmitted to the proximal end, from which it is then re-transmitted from the above-mentioned plane located within the objectives relatively shallower depth-of-field. This arrangement admits sample fluorescence sensed from the relatively deeper depth-of-field, into focused relation with the objective lens to thereby enable improved quantitative fluorescence assay sensitivity.