The bioinspired approaches to tissue strengthening and preservation rely on non-toxic cross-linking agents one of which is glyceraldehyde. In this study we used multiphoton microscopy that employs second harmonic generation (SHG) contrast to evaluate collagen microstructures and two-photon fluorescence (TPF) contrast to monitor progression of cross-linking upon treatment of tissues with glyceraldehyde. We examined collagen hydrogels assembled at 37 °C and 27 °C, bovine scleral and corneal tissues, skin as well as rat tail tendons. The results show a different effect of glyceraldehyde on collagen microstructures within the above tissues. This effect depends on the original microstructural assembly of collagen within a specific tissue. Our data suggests that epidermis (in skin and cornea) will protect collagen from cross-linking with glyceraldehyde. The work highlights benefits of monitoring progression of collagen cross-linking and effects of cross-linking on fiber microstructures as imaged with SHG and TPF signals.

Date Published: 22 February 2013
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 8587, Imaging, Manipulation, and Analysis of Biomolecules, Cells, and Tissues XI, 858725 (22 February 2013); doi: 10.1117/12.2012305

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8587:
Imaging, Manipulation, and Analysis of Biomolecules, Cells, and Tissues XI
Daniel L. Farkas; Dan V. Nicolau; Robert C. Leif, Editor(s)