FLIM as a tool for metabolic imaging of the cornea

We intend to develop an efficient method of measuring respiratory function of the cornea. With this purpose, we resorted to fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) to monitor the metabolic co-factor flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). FAD and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) are co-factors of the electron transport chain. Therefore alterations in amount of these molecules reflect alterations in the metabolism. For assessing the potential of FLIM for metabolic imaging of the cornea, we performed a series of experiments using a time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) fluorescence lifetime microscope (Picoquant to MicroTime 100 coupled to an Olympus BX51 Microscope). In this technique, the acquired signal is the convolution between the instrument response function (IRF) and the fluorescence signal from the sample. IRF was acquired using an Erythrosin B solution. In this work we show that it is possible to acquire fluorescence lifetime images of rat and bovine corneas using FAD autofluorescence.