Abstract
Metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF) can increase the overall emissions of a multitude of fluorophores by positioning the fluorophore in close proximity to an appropriate metal-coated surface. Near-infrared (near-IR) fluorophores placed near these metal surfaces combine the increased emissions of MEF with the low background characteristics of near-IR fluorescence. Together, this combination of high emission, low background detection may provide a powerful tool in the analysis of biological samples. In this brief review, we will outline the feasibility of using near-IR MEF in biotechnology research, will cover the types of experiments required to bring this technology from the feasibility stage to a commercial product, usable by molecular biologists, and will investigate the sources of background emissions that may be further reduced in the future.