Analysis of rat colonic mucosal autofluorescence under excitation with UV/violet light

Abstract

Autofluorescence endoscopy for detection of colonic neoplasia has recently received attention in the field of clinical gastroenterology. Here, we analyzed the characteristics of autofluorescence of the excised normal rat colonic mucosa under UV/violet-light excitation. The results of microscopic measurement showed that the mucosal epithelia were the important source of autofluorescence in the mucosa under UV/violet-light excitation. The fluorescence spectral study revealed that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) seemed to be one of the major substances involved in the autofluorescence of mucosa under UVA light excitation. Our results suggest that the autofluorescence of mucosal epithelia generated by NADH is a major source of the autofluorescence in the mucosal layer under excitation by UVA light. © 2009 Springer-Verlag.