In situ estimation of the entire color and spectra of age pigment-like materials: application of a front-surface 3D-fluorescence technique.
Fluorescent characteristics of age pigment-related materials were re-examined with improved techniques. A series of fluorescent colors, from blue to yellow-red were observed in artificial ceroid/lipofuscin. A front-surface accessory attached to a spectrofluorometer was found very useful in studying the age pigment-like aggregates directly in its solid state. With a three-dimensional (3D)-fluorescence measurement, in addition to the front-surface application, entire fluorescence spectra of artificial ceroid/lipofuscin both in extractions and in non-extractable tissues were obtained. When the front-surface 3D-scan technique was applied to estimate collagen-related age pigments of rat-tails in situ, a dynamic process of age-related protein deterioration accompanied with age pigment development was recorded. The front-surface 3D-fluorescence technique introduced in this study may be used as a practical and effective tool in studying in situ pigment alterations during aging process.
Li
Guolin
G
College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, People's Republic of China. hnsdlgl@yahoo.com
Liao
Yanyang
Y
Wang
Xinhui
X
Sheng
Shuli
S
Yin
Dazhong
D
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002566:Ceroid / Q000032:analysis; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis; D003116:Color; D008062:Lipofuscin / Q000032:analysis; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D013623:Tail; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
D002566:Ceroid; D008062:Lipofuscin; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D003094:Collagen