Optical detector for enzyme activation

Activation of an enzyme in a bodily fluid is detected based on the amount of cleavage of a substrate for the enzyme. The substrate is tagged with two fluorescent dyes-a donor and an acceptor. The tagged substrate is presented to the bodily fluid. A device emits energy at a first wavelength into the bodily fluid, and detects energy at second and third wavelengths emitted by the dyes in response to the energy at the first wavelength. Prior to enzymatic cleavage of the substrate, the acceptor emits energy at the third wavelength in response to energy at the second wavelength received through fluorescent resonant energy transfer (FRET) from the donor. After enzymatic cleavage of the substrate, the donor emits energy at the second wavelength. The device can determine the concentration of activated enzyme within the bodily fluid based on the relative intensities of energy, at the second and third wavelengths.