RETINAL SPECTROFLUOROMETER

描述：(改编自《调查者摘要》)我们的目标是发展 一种用于测量和表征本征荧光的商用仪器 (自发荧光)在视网膜中。这一仪器将使我们有可能 拓宽与优势视网膜--脂褐素相关的研究 荧光团--随着年龄的增长，老年性黄斑变性(AMD)和几种 青少年视网膜退行性变。脂褐素也被认为反映了氧化 对视网膜的损伤及其量化将提供一个累积指数 对视网膜的氧化损伤。也将有可能测量黄斑 被认为对眼睛生理有保护作用的色素。 我们在视网膜研究人员和制药公司中看到了这种设备的市场 公司。此外，专门为视网膜设计的仪器 荧光分光光度法将允许研究其他视网膜荧光团 (胶原蛋白、软骨膜、黄素蛋白)，以及开启了 使用外源荧光标记(荧光素、IDG、 BPD等)。 从长远来看，我们认为这项技术有可能被用于筛查 了解AMD的风险，并监测治疗效果。 建议的商业应用： 拟议的商业应用是作为一种研究工具，旨在测量 视网膜选定区域的脂褐素浓度。

DESCRIPTION: (Adapted from the Investigator's Abstract) Our goal is to develop a commercial instrument for measuring and characterizing intrinsic fluorescence (autofluorescence) in the retina. This instrument will make it possible to broaden the research connecting lipofuscin-the dominant retinal fluorophore-with aging, age related macular degeneration (AMD), and several juvenile retinal degenerations. Lipofuscin also is thought to reflect oxidative damage to the retina and its quantification would provide a cumulative index of oxidative damage to the retina. It will also be possible to measure macular pigment which is thought to have a protective role in ocular physiology. We see a market for such a device among retinal researchers and pharmaceutical companies. Furthermore, an instrument designed specifically for retinal spectrofluorometry will allow the study of other retinal fluorophores (collagen, drusen, flavi proteins) as well as open the possibility of quantitative studies using exogenous fluorescent markers (fluorescein, IDG, BPD, etc). Long term, we see the possibility that this technology could be used to screen for risk for AMD, and monitor the effectiveness of treatment. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The proposed commercial application is as a research instrument designed to measure lipofuscin concentrations in selected areas of the retina.