Effect of liquid-nitrogen and formalin-based conservation in the in vitro measurement of laser-induced fluorescence from peripheral vascular tissue

In order to investigate the effects of conservation in liquid nitrogen and formalin on peripheral vascular tissue (abdominal aortic, femoral, flank, h am, fibular and tibial artery tissue), laser-induced fluorescence spectra h ave been recorded during the exposure of these tissues to helium-cadmium an d argon ion radiation. The spectral distribution of tissue fluorescence all ows the development of simple algorithms based on the intensity difference in order to discriminate the tissue samples when they are fresh and after t hey have been stored for 24 and 48 h in liquid nitrogen or formalin. (C) 19 98 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.