INFRARED-SPECTROSCOPY OF HUMAN TISSUE - I - DIFFERENTIATION AND MATURATION OF EPITHELIAL-CELLS IN THE HUMAN CERVIX

Infrared spectral results for the different epithelial layers of human cervical squamous tissue are reported. The layers, representing diffe rent cellular maturation stages, exhibit quite different spectral patt erns. Thus, infrared spectroscopy presents a powerful tool to monitor cell maturation and differentiation. Furthermore, a detailed understan ding of the spectra of the individual layers of tissue permit a proper interpretation of the state of health of cells exfoliated from such t issue. Part II of this series describes the use of the spectral inform ation presented here to interpret the infrared spectra of exfoliated c ells. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.