Fluorescence-based assay technologies can offer equivalent, if not gre
ater, sensitivity to isotopic detection systems but have the added adv
antages of greater versatility, stability, safe handling and ease of d
isposal. Emerging technologies for high-throughput applications can be
divided into four categories: time-resolved fluorescence, fluorescenc
e resonance energy transfer, fluorescence:polarization and fluorescenc
e correlation spectroscopy. Novel fluorescence detection equipment has
also been developed specifically for cellular systems. This report de
scribes some of the key technologies that are now commercially availab
le.