Distribution of two metabolically related fluorophors in human lens measured by laser microprobe.
Automated Raman microprobe spectrometry revealed the distribution of a major fluorophor, 3-OH-L-kynurenine-O-beta-glucoside, in human lenses from 0.38 to 71 yr. A three-dimensional perspective grid map with fluorescence intensity as the third dimension shows maximum fluorescence in the infant lens nucleus. At 12 yr the fluorescence peak is broadened and a toroid-shaped maximum occurs also in the outer cortex, creating a toroid-shaped minimum between the two maxima. By 71 yr the nuclear maximum is lower but a new (green) fluorophor (excitation 488 nm: emission 530 nm) has appeared as a toroidal maximum in the same location as the blue minimum, suggesting the conversion of the blue fluorophor to the unidentified green fluorophor.
Yu
N T
NT
School of Chemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332.
Barron
B C
BC
Kuck
J F
JF
D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005960:Glucosides / Q000032:analysis*; D006027:Glycosides / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007737:Kynurenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D007904:Lens Cortex, Crystalline / Q000032:analysis; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000032:analysis*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman
D005960:Glucosides; D006027:Glycosides; C029366:hydroxykynurenine glucoside; D007737:Kynurenine