Fig. 1

Increased collagen type I fiber reflection fluorescence with non-enzymatic glycation. Collagen type I fiber conformation observed with CRM (laser ex/em 568/568 nm) at different ribose (R) concentration over a period of twenty-one days. a. In post-glycated DMEM matrices, collagen type I fibers formed aggregates and reflected more fluorescence with elevated R concentrations. b. In post-glycated PBS matrices, collagen type I fibers were short, thin and homogeneous, with no increase of reflected fluorescence with higher R concentration (240 mM). a and b. Reflection fluorescence of non-glycated matrices (controls) was done to the reflective properties of the collagen. Time seems to not affect the reflection fluorescence of collagen. The increase in CRM signal in DMEM gels could also be contributed by the increased aggregation of collagen fibers observed in these gels, perhaps because the presence of glucose. The scale bar corresponds to 40 μm. CRM = Confocal reflection microscope; DMEM = Dulbecco’s modified Eagle medium; PBS = Phosphate-buffered saline