Abstract: The present invention relates to an ex vivo method for determining the susceptibility of a patient suffering from cancer to respond to a therapeutic treatment based on the administration of an antibody specific for the HER2 protein, this method comprising the quantification of HER2-HER2 dimers in a tissue sample from said patient using the FRET technique. The invention also relates to a kit of reagents for implementing this method.

Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is a method for measuring the luminescence of a long-life fluorescent compound present in a measuring medium, said medium containing a biological sample, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: a) introduction of a long-life fluorescent compound into the measuring medium, b) introduction, into the measuring medium, of a fluorescent marking agent, the absorption spectrum of which allows the excitation thereof at the same wavelength as that used to excite the long-life fluorescent compound, wherein said emission spectrum allows the measurement of the luminescence thereof at the same wavelength as that used to measure the luminescence of the long-life fluorescent compound, c) excitation of the measuring medium with a wavelength corresponding to an absorption peak of the long-life fluorescent compound, d) measurement of the luminescence emitted by the measuring medium immediately after excitation of said medium, mainly corresponding to the luminescence of the

Abstract: The invention concerns the use of the fluorescence polarization phenomenon to improve detection of fluorescent signals during a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). In particular, the invention concerns a method for improving signal/noise ratio in a FRET measurement. The invention also concerns an apparatus for measuring fluorescence following an energy transfer between a donor fluorescent compound and an acceptor fluorescence compound in a measurement medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a quantitative non-microscopic method of detecting intracellular interactions between biomolecules, on living cells, in response to a biological or pharmacological stimulation, by a time-resolved proximate energy transfer effect between two members of a fluorescence donor/acceptor pair.

Abstract: The present invention relates to inositol phosphate derivatives, in which the inositol phosphate is substituted with one or two reactive groups G or one or two conjugated substances or molecules M, said reactive group(s) G or said substance(s) or molecule(s) M being linked to IP1 via a linkage group L, M being chosen from the following group: a tracer, an immunogen, a member of a binding partner pair, a solid support. Application: tools allowing the study of the inositol phosphate cycle and therefore, indirectly, the study of seven transmembrane domain receptors coupled to phospholipase C, receptors having a tyrosine kinase activity, and in general enzymes involved in the variations of the intracellular concentration of IP1.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for reducing the fluorescence quenching caused by the measuring medium, in a fluorescence assay for an analyte using at least one fluorescent label, characterized in that a fluorescent conjugate comprising an oligonucleotide bonded to a rare-earth metal cryptate is introduced into the measuring medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the detection of ligands (agonists or antagonists) specific for a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), which comprises the steps consisting in: 1) bringing a receptor labelled with a member of a donor/acceptor pair into contact with a G? or G?? subunit of a G protein labelled with the other member of the donor/acceptor pair; 2) measuring the transfer by proximity effect between the donor and the acceptor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for reducing the fluorescence quenching caused by the measuring medium in a fluorescence assay, by introducing into said medium of rare earth metal cryptates which are not very sensitive to this fluorescence quenching, said rare earth metal cryptates comprising at least one pyridine radical which is substituted one or more times or unsubstituted. The invention also relates to novel rare earth metal cryptates which are not very sensitive to the fluorescence quenching caused by the measuring medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fluorescent entity comprising a fluorophore, with the exception of a rare earth metal cryptate, covalently attached to one or more oligonucleotide(s) or oligonucleotide analog(s) and comprising at least one functional group, introduced or generated on the fluorophore or one of the oligonucleotides or oligonucleotide analogs, allowing it to be coupled with a carrier molecule. The invention also relates to a fluorescent conjugate consisting of a fluorescent entity covalently attached to a carrier molecule.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of measuring the luminescence emitted in a luminescent assay, which makes it possible to correct certain perturbations due to the measuring medium. The method comprises employing at least one luminescent tracer compound and a luminescent compound used as an internal reference, which, when exposed to the same excitation wavelength, are capable of emitting at different wavelengths, ?1 and ?2 respectively, either by direct luminescence or by the induction of a luminescent emission, and correcting the measurement of the luminescence emitted by the tracer compound at wavelength ?2 on the basis of the measurement of the luminescence emitted by the reference compound at wavelength ?1. The invention further relates to the use of the method in a homogeneous method of detecting and/or determining an analyte, and to a device for carrying it out.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for reducing the fluorescence quenching caused by the measuring medium in a fluorescence assay, by introducing into said medium of rare earth metal cryptates which are not very sensitive to this fluorescence quenching, said rare earth metal cryptates comprising at least one pyridine radical which is substituted one or more times or unsubstituted.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of measuring the luminescence emitted in a luminescent assay, which makes it possible to correct certain perturbations due to the measuring medium.

Abstract: The use of a phycobiliprotein-linker peptide complex as a fluorescent tracer in a fluorescent method of detecting and/or determining an analyte in a medium in which it may be present, is disclosed. Fluorescent conjugates consisting of said complex covalently bonded to one of the elements of a ligand/receptor specific binding pair, are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of reducing interference in a fluorescent assay of an analyte, which comprises adding fluoride ions to the measuring medium, and to its use in a fluorescent method of detecting and/or determining an analyte in a medium which may contain it.

Abstract: The invention relates to rare earth cryptates consisting of at least one rare earth salt complexed by a macropolycyclic compound corresponding to one of formulae I or II below, in which:the ring ##STR1## is the N.sub.2 O.sub.4 macrocycle, the N.sub.2 O.sub.3 macrocycle or the bis--bipyridine macrocycle;Y is a spacer arm or group which consists of a divalent organic radical selected from linear or branched C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 alkylene groups optionally containing one or more double bonds and/or optionally being interrupted by one or more heteroatoms such as oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur or phosphorus, or from C.sub.5 to C.sub.8 cycloalkylene groups or C.sub.6 to C.sub.14 arylene groups, the said alkylene or arylene groups optionally being substituted by alkyl, aryl or sulfonate groups;Z is a functional group capable of bonding covalently with a biological substance;R is a methyl group or represents the group --Y--Z; andR' is hydrogen or a group --COOR", in which R" is a C.sub.1 to C.sub.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method employing at least one luminescent tracer compound and a luminescent compound used as an internal reference, which, when exposed to the same excitation wavelength, are capable of emitting at difference wavelengths, .lambda..sub.2 and .lambda..sub.1 respectively, either by direct luminescence or by the induction of a luminescent emission, and correcting the measurement of the luminescence emitted by the tracer compound at wavelength .lambda..sub.2 on the basis of the measurement of the luminescence emitted by the reference compound at wavelength .lambda.1.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of amplifying the emission signal of a luminescent compound in a luminescent assay, and to its use in a luminescent method of detecting and/or determining an analyte in a medium in which it may be present.

Abstract: The invention relates to macrocyclic rare earth complexes which consist of at least one rare earth salt complexed by a macrocyclic compound of formula (I): ##STR1## in which: the bivalent radicals A, B, C and D, which are identical or different, are hydrocarbon chains optionally containing one or more heteroatoms, at least one of said radicals containing at least one molecular unit or essentially consisting of a molecular unit possessing a triplet energy greater than the energy of the emission level of the complexed rare earth ion, at least one of said radicals consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted nitrogen-containing heterocyclic system in which at least one of the nitrogen atoms carries an oxy group, and it being possible for one of the radicals C or D not to exist; andX.sub.1 and X.sub.2, which are identical or different, are hydrogen or a hydrocarbon chain (CH.sub.2).sub.

Abstract: The invention relates to macropolycyclic rare earth complexes, namely cryptates which are useful as fluorescent tracers.

Abstract: The invention relates to rare earth cryptates consisting of at least one rare earth salt complexed by a macropolycyclic compound corresponding to one of formulae I or II below, in which:the ring ##STR1## is the N.sub.2 O.sub.4 macrocycle, the N.sub.2 O.sub.3 macrocycle or the bis-bipyridine macrocycle;Y is a spacer arm or group which consists of a divalent organic radical selected from linear or branched C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 alkylene groups optionally containing one or more double bonds and/or optionally being interrupted by one or more heteroatoms such as oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur or phosphorus, or from C.sub.5 to C.sub.8 cycloalkylene groups or C.sub.6 to C.sub.14 arylene groups, the said alkylene or arylene groups optionally being substituted by alkyl, aryl or sulfonate groups;Z is a functional group capable of bonding covalently with a biological substance;R is a methyl group or represents the group --Y--Z; andR' is hydrogen or a group --COOR", in which R" is a C.sub.1 to C.sub.