RETINAL SPECTROFLUOROMETER

描述：（改编自研究者摘要）我们的目标是开发 用于测量和表征固有荧光的商业仪器 （autofluorescence）在视网膜。这一工具将使人们有可能 拓宽与脂褐素--视网膜色素变性的优势因子-- 老年性黄斑变性（AMD）和几种常见的黄斑变性 青少年视网膜变性脂褐素还被认为反映了氧化 视网膜损伤及其量化将提供累积指数 氧化损伤视网膜。它也将有可能测量黄斑 被认为在眼睛生理学中具有保护作用的色素。 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。 企业此外，一种专门为视网膜病变设计的仪器 荧光分光光度法将允许其他视网膜荧光团的研究 （胶原蛋白，玻璃疣，黄素蛋白）以及打开的可能性， 使用外源荧光标记物（荧光素，IDG， BPD等）。 从长远来看，我们认为这项技术有可能用于筛选 AMD的风险，并监测治疗的有效性。 拟定商业应用： 拟议的商业应用是作为一种研究仪器，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.