Photon reducing agents for reducing undesired light emission in assays

A method of reducing light emission from a sample, comprising:

• contacting said sample with at least one photon reducing agent, wherein said sample comprises a membrane compartment,
• further wherein said membrane compartment comprises at least one photon producing agent,
• wherein said at least one photon reducing agent is a dye and is present in said simple at a concentration that reduces undesired light emission from said simple by at least 30% compared to the light emission from said sample in the absence of said at least one photon reducing agent,
• wherein said at least one photon reducing agent is substantially membrane impermeant,
• wherein said at least one photon reducing agent does not specifically bind to said membrane compartment, and
• wherein said membrane compartment comprises at least one living cell detecting a fluorescence signal from said sample.

A method of reducing undesired light emission from a sample, comprising:

• a) contacting said sample in need of reducing undesired light emission with at least one collisional quencher, wherein said at least one collisional quencher is substantially membrane impermeant,
• wherein said sample comprises either:
• 1) membrane compartment in contact with a solid surface, wherein said membrane compartment includes at least one photon producing agent and said collisional quencher is in an aqueous solution that contacts the outer surface of said membrane compartment, or
• 2) an anti-analyte in contact with a solid surface that can pass light and said anti-analyte optionally has a bound analyte, said analyte includes at least one photon producing agent and said collisional quencher is in an aqueous solution that contacts said anti-analyte,
• wherein said membrane compartment comprises at least one living cell, and
• wherein said at least one collisional quencher does not specifically bind to said membrane compartment or anti-analyte, and
• b) detecting an optical signal from said at least one photon producing agent,
• wherein said collisional quencher is selected to quench fluorescence from said at least one photon producing agent.

A method of reducing undesired light emission from a sample, comprising

• a) contacting said sample in need of reducing desired light emission with least one electronic quencher, wherein said at least one electronic quencher is substantially membrane impermeant, wherein said sample comprises either:
• 1) a membrane compartment in contact with a solid surface, wherein said membrane compartment comprises at least one photon producing agent and said electronic quencher is in an aqueous solution that contacts the outer surface of said membrane compartment, or
• 2) an anti-analyte in contact with a solid surface that can pass light and said anti-analyte optionally has a bound analyte, said analyte includes at least one photon producing agent and said electronic quencher is in an aqueous solution that contacts said anti-analyte,
• wherein said membrane compartment comprises at least one living cell, and
• wherein said at least one electronic quencher does not specifically bind to said membrane compartment or anti-analyte, and
• b) detecting an optical signal from said at least one photon producing agent,
• wherein said electronic quencher is selected to quench fluorescence from said at least one photon producing agent.

A kit for performing a biological, chemical or biochemical assay, comprising:

• a) a photon producing agent;
• and
• b) a photon reducing agent,
• wherein said photon reducing agent is substantially impermeant to a cell membrane of a living mammalian cell,
• wherein said photon reducing agent has an absorption spectrum that overlaps with the absorption, emission or excitation spectrum of said photon producing agent,
• wherein said photon reducing agent does not specifically bind to said cell membrane of said living mammalian cell, and
• wherein said photon reducing agent is present in a solution at an amount sufficient to reduce light emitted from said solution by at least 10% compared to the light emitted from said solution in the absence of said photon reducing agent.

A kit, comprising;

• a) a first and second photon producing agent, and
• b) a photon reducing agent,
• wherein said photon reducing agent is substantially impermeant to a cell membrane of a living mammalian cell,
• wherein said photon reducing agent has an absorption spectrum that overlaps with the absorption, emission or excitation spectrum of said first or second photon producing agent,
• wherein said photon reducing agent does not specifically bind to said cell membrane of said living mammalian cell, and
• wherein said photon reducing agent is present in a solution at amount sufficient to reduce light emitted from said solution by at least 10% compared to the light emitted from said solution in the absence of said photon reducing agent.