Abstract
A fluorescent glucose analogue, 6-deoxy-N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1, 3-diazol-4-yl)-aminoglucose (NBDG) has been used for studies of glucose transport. The fluorescence from NBDG was observed with a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). The fluorescence in the blood vessels, however, could not be observed even though substantial amount of NBDG was present in the blood. We investigated the causative factors responsible for this non-fluorescence. It was found that NBDG made an uncertain complex with hemoglobin which decreased the fluorescence intensity of NBDG. However, it appeared that the principal causative factor was absorbance of excitation and emission wave lengths by hemoglobin which resulted in a significant decrease of fluorescence intensity from NBDG in the blood vessels.
