XAF Black(TM) Lipofuscin Autofluorescence Blocker

XAF Black(TM) Lipofuscin Autofluorescence Blocker is specifically formulated to reduce autofluorescence from lipofuscin. It is a material that can accumulate in aged human and animal tissues. Lipofuscin is a heterogeneous amalgam mainly composed of oxidized proteins (30 to 70%) and lipids such as triglycerides, free fatty acids, cholesterol, and lipoproteins (20 to 50%). Carbohydrates make a small contribution that proportionally may increase with age (4 to 7%). It is generally considered that the protein content has a significant contribution from mitochondria, e.g., ATP synthase subunit residues in congenital ceroid lipofuscinoses. Lipofuscin accumulates in the lysosomes of many cell types with age and/or in patients with severe malnutrition and cancer cachexia. Due to its broad excitation and emission spectra (400 to 700 nm) the presence of lipofuscin complicates the fluorescence imaging of tissues employing exogenous detection fluorophores. The spectrum of lipofuscin overlaps with those of almost all the commonly used detection fluorophores, making it difficult or even impossible to distinguish between specific labelling and autofluorescence caused by lipofuscin. It often hampers fluorescence-based techniques if not properly addressed and corrected for. XAF Black(TM) Lipofuscin Autofluorescence Blocker can be effectively used to block the autofluorescence of lipofuscin. It can also be used to reduce other background fluorescence, as well as autofluorescence from other sources such as collagen, elastin, and red blood cells. Autofluorescence is the natural emission of biological substances such as NAD(P)H in liver and vitamin A in hepatic stellate cells. Several other endogenous fluorophores are also known to cause autofluorescence in many tissues.