INTRACELLULAR pH IMAGING METHOD AND APPARATUS USING FLURESCENCE LIFETIME
First Claim
1. A pH measurement method comprising the steps of:
- generating pulsed excitation light including a wavelength that can excite a predetermined fluorescent material contained in living matter, the fluorescent material acting as coenzyme in oxidation/reduction reaction in vivo, and the intensity of the pulsed excitation light not damaging a tissue nor a cell in the living matter and substantially not changing the pH of the living matter;
illuminating a predetermined position in the living matter with the pulsed excitation light;
receiving light including fluorescence emitted from the fluorescent material excited by illumination with the pulsed excitation light;
calculating the lifetime of the fluorescence by time-resolving the intensity of the received fluorescence; and
measuring the pH of the living matter based on the lifetime.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a pH measurement method, pulsed excitation light including a wavelength that can excite a predetermined fluorescent material contained in living matter is generated. The fluorescent material acts as coenzyme in oxidation/reduction reaction in vivo. Further, the intensity of the pulsed excitation light does not damage a tissue nor a cell in the living matter, and does not substantially change the pH of the living matter. Further, a predetermined position in the living matter is illuminated with the pulsed excitation light, and light including fluorescence emitted from the fluorescent material excited by illumination with the pulsed excitation light is received. The lifetime of the fluorescence is calculated by time-resolving the intensity of the received fluorescence, and the pH of the living matter is measured based on the lifetime.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A pH measurement method comprising the steps of:
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generating pulsed excitation light including a wavelength that can excite a predetermined fluorescent material contained in living matter, the fluorescent material acting as coenzyme in oxidation/reduction reaction in vivo, and the intensity of the pulsed excitation light not damaging a tissue nor a cell in the living matter and substantially not changing the pH of the living matter; illuminating a predetermined position in the living matter with the pulsed excitation light; receiving light including fluorescence emitted from the fluorescent material excited by illumination with the pulsed excitation light; calculating the lifetime of the fluorescence by time-resolving the intensity of the received fluorescence; and measuring the pH of the living matter based on the lifetime. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A pH measurement apparatus comprising:
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an excitation light generation means that generates pulsed excitation light including a wavelength that can excite a predetermined fluorescent material contained in living matter, the fluorescent material acting as coenzyme in oxidation/reduction reaction in vivo, and the intensity of the pulsed excitation light not damaging a tissue nor a cell in the living matter and substantially not changing the pH of the living matter; an excitation light illumination means that illuminates a predetermined position in the living matter with the pulsed excitation light; a light receiving means that receives light including fluorescence emitted from the fluorescent material excited by illumination with the pulsed excitation light; a time-resolving means that time-resolves the fluorescence synchronously with illumination with the pulsed excitation light; a detection means that detects the time-resolved fluorescence; and a measurement means that calculates the lifetime of the fluorescence based on the time-resolved fluorescence detected by the detection means and measures the pH of the living matter based on the lifetime. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification