Chemiluminescence Methods

Chemiluminescence corresponds to the emission of photons (electromagnetic radiation as light) when chemically excited molecules decay to ground state following a chemical reaction. Chemiluminescence-based methods are accurate and can be successfully used for oxidative stress (OS) monitoring. Chemiluminescent sensors gain access to the intracellular space, present minimal cellular toxicity, and show sensitivity when compared with other chemical probes. Most of the chemiluminescent-based assays rely on the reaction of luminol and lucigenin with an oxidant to form light that can be monitored using a sensitive luminometer. Unfortunately, in most cases, chemiluminescence usually does not allow a specific identification of the oxidant that has been produced (e.g., superoxide, NO, peroxynitrite, hydrogen peroxide, and singlet oxygen). Nevertheless, the global production of oxidants can be measured and imaged on freshly isolated cells. This chapter, which reviews the various excited species that can lead to light generation, is therefore important for scientists who would like to excel in the field of luminescence assays. Recent advances in nanotechnology, which led to the development of new probes for monitoring OS status in medical science using nanosensors, are also presented.