The effect of temperature of fluorescence: an animal study

The effect of temperature on the fluorescence of enucleated porcine eyes and rat skin was studied. The fluorescence peak intensity was found to decrease as the tissue temperature increased. A dual-excitation, fiber-based system was used to collect fluorescence and diffuse-reflectance spectra from the samples. A thermal camera was used to determine the temperature of the tissue at the time of fluorescence measurement. The samples were mounted in a saline bath and measurements were made as the tissue temperature was increased from -20°C to 70°C. Results indicate that temperature affects several fluorescence spectra characteristics. The peak height decreased as temperature increased. At temperatures above 60°C, the peak position shifted to lower wavelengths. Heating and cooling experiments of the rat skin demonstrate the recovery of the loss in fluorescence. The diffuse reflectance spectra indicated a change in optical properties past 60°C, but prior to the denaturation temperature for collagen at 57°C, no change in optical properties was observed. Results suggest that the decrease in fluorescence is both a property of fluorescence and a result of altering optical properties.