title: Elimination of autofluorescence in immunofluorescence microscopy with digital image processing.
abstract: Autofluorescence can be a very disturbing factor in immunofluorescence microscopy. We present here a method to eliminate autofluorescence. The method is based on the fact that most autofluorescent compounds have broad-banded excitation and emission spectra, whereas specific fluorescent probes have narrow spectra. Two images are recorded and digitized, one at a wavelength exciting both the fluorescent probe and the autofluorescent molecules, and one at a wavelength exciting only the latter. Subtraction of the autofluorescence signal from the total fluorescence signal, using a self-developed computer program, results in an autofluorescence-free image. The procedure is demonstrated for elimination of elastin-derived autofluorescence in human lung alveoli and for elimination of lipofuscin-derived autofluorescence in human heart muscle. The autofluorescence signal is positively correlated with tissue section thickness (r = 0.93; p < 0.0001), and can be used to correct the specific fluorescence signals for section thickness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Van de Lest
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Versteeg
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Veerkamp
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Van Kuppevelt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D005453:Fluorescence; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008168:Lung / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008875:Middle Aged; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar