Super-Resolution Near-Infrared Autofluorescence Microscopy Depicts Melanin Containing Organelles of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium in Human Donor Eyes.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

In the human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), melanin localizes to melanosomes as well as melanolipofuscin. Changes in the organelles' volumetric density may have different clinical implications, especially in autofluorescence (AF) imaging. Here, short wavelength (SW)-AF and near-infrared-AF (NIR-AF) of RPE cells including apical processes was evaluated regarding the histological source of the NIR-AF signal.

Methods

Retinal cross-sections from seven human donors (age = 80-89 years) were imaged at the fovea and near periphery using a confocal microscope with different laser excitation wavelengths (λexc; 488, 514, 642, 705, 750, and 785 nm). To further characterize AF RPE granules, the RPE cells were also imaged by structured illumination microscopy (SIM, λexc 488 nm

SUBMITTER: Jauch AS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12577771 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature