Comparative Ophthalmologic Study of the Fish Cornea with Laser Raman Spectroscopy

Abstract

We applied conventional scattering-type Raman spectroscopy to the fish corneas. With the corneas of the following fishes; bluegill, Japanese catfish, ayu and Japanese char, the spectra of collagen proteins but not proteoglycans could observed. Three Raman bands specific for carotenoid compound like β-carotene were detected with the corneas of carp and gold fish, indicating that these fishes contain a kind of carotenoid. No carotenoids were detected in the corneas of bluegill, Japanese catfish, ayu or Japanese cher.