W BAND STUDIES OF HUMAN OCULAR MELANIN

利用提高的光谱分辨率， W波段ESR光谱仪，我们已经在pH 7和pH 12下测试了ESR 年轻人、中年人和老年人的人体RPE的光谱。 这些数据显示了人RPE的ESR信号随时间的显著变化 年龄。有趣的是，磁参数的明显变化 RPE的W波段ESR信号最早可以在第二时间被检测到 人类生命的十年。因为纯化的黑素小体是从 RPE的，显示ESR信号，其光谱参数与 相应的RPE细胞的那些，我们可以得出结论 观察到的ESR信号完全是由于这些细胞的黑色素。当我们 还没有确定观察到的分子性质 顺磁随年龄的变化，很可能表明 黑色素结构的显著改变。

Taking advantage of the increased spectral resolution offered by the W-band ESR spectrometer, we have examined, at pH 7 and pH 12, ESR spectra of human RPE's of young, intermediate and old individuals. The data show remarkable changes in ESR signal of the human RPE with age. Interestingly, distinct changes in the magnetic parameters of the W-band ESR signal of RPE can be detected as early as in the second decade of the human life. Since purified melanosomes isolated from RPE's, exhibited ESR signals with spectral parameters identical to those of the corresponding RPE cells, we may conclude that the observed ESR signal is entirely due to these cells melanin. While we have not identified yet the molecular nature of the observed paramagnetic changes with aging, it is probable that they indicate significant modification of the melanin structure.