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Fluorescence cytophotometry: a valuable method for the quantitative determination of nuclear feulgen-DNA

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Summary

A cytofluorometric apparatus with incident illumination for fluorescence excitation is described here.

Cytophotometric fluorescence measurements (UV- and blue excitation) of acriflavine-acridine yellow-, coriphosphine- and pararosaniline-Schiff stained di-, tetra- and octoploid liver nuclei, leucocytes and sperms (Feulgen reaction) were found to agree with the absorbance data obtained from the same slide by means of the integrating microdensitometer.

The stoichiometry of the fluorescence emission is discussed in detail. It is emphasized that not a linear, but an exponential relationship exists between the emitted fluorescence intensity and the concentration of the fluorescent substance.

Cytofluorometry of Feulgen-stained nuclei has proved to be as reliable and fast as the absorbance scanning measurements at the intergrating microdensitometer.

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Böhm, N., Sprenger, E. Fluorescence cytophotometry: a valuable method for the quantitative determination of nuclear feulgen-DNA. Histochemie 16, 100–118 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00280607

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