Patent ID: 7138280

Claim:
A process for the quantitative optical analysis of biological cells labeled with a fluorescent dye, said process comprising the following steps: a) providing a coherent layer of biological cells labeled with a fluorescent dye applied to a transparent support at the bottom of a reaction vessel and in contact with a solution comprising the fluorescent dye; b) shining excitation energy through the transparent support to cause the biological cells labeled with the fluorescent dye to exhibit fluorescence; c) adding a masking dye to the solution comprising the fluorescent dye, the masking dye absorbing at least one of: i) the excitation energy of the fluorescent dye in the solution; and ii) the emission light of the fluorescent dye in the solution; and d) detecting and analyzing the fluorescence of the biological cells labeled with the fluorescent dye through the transparent support; wherein steps b) and c) are carried out in any order.