Photochemistry of dyes and fluorochromes used in biology and medicine: some physicochemical background and current applications

An overview of the basic principles of photochemistry is presented to facilitate discussion of fluorescence, quenching and quantum yields. These topics in turn provide the foundation for an account of fluorescence spectroscopy and its application to microscopy. A brief overview of light microscopy and the application of fluorescence microscopy is given. The influences of molecular features, such as aromatic character and substitution patterns, on color and fluorescence are described. The concept of color fading is considered with particular reference to its effect on microscopic preparations. A survey of representative fluorescent probes is provided, and their sensitivity, application, and limitations are described. The phototoxicity of fluorescent molecules is discussed using biomembranes and DNA as examples of targets of toxicity. Photodynamic therapy, a relatively new clinical application of phototoxicity, is described. Both anticancer and antimicrobial applications are noted, and an assessment is given of the current ideas on the ideal physicochemical properties of the sensitizing agents for such applications.