| 20110003308 | NANOPARTICLE-MEDIATED SIGNAL AMPLIFICATION - There is described a new class or type of initiators for polymerization as a means of signal enhancement, nanoparticle initiators, and methods for amplifying signal resulting from recognition events, thereby enhancing the detection of those recognition events. Methods include amplification achieved through polymerization using a nanoparticle initiator conjugated recognition element that is not consumed during the reaction. The polymer formed as a result of the absorption of light by the nanoparticle initiator and introduction of reactive species into a surrounding polymerizable monomer solution occurs in a spatially-limited region directly surrounding the nanoparticle initiator and is indicative of the recognition event(s). In one embodiment, a semiconductor quantum dot nanoparticle initiator is utilized. In another embodiment, a metal nanoparticle is utilized. In another embodiment, the signal is detected without instrumentation. In yet another embodiment, the signal is detected via a transmission-based instrument which captures an image of the formed polymer. | 01-06-2011 |
