FIG. 3.

Fluorescence spectroscopic data acquired from four groups of cartilage samples with different treatments (control, collagenase, C-ABC, and ribose). The time-resolved fluorescence parameters were retrieved with bi-exponential deconvolution. (a) Fluorescence emission spectrum, (b) normalized spectrum, (c) average lifetime, (d) fast decay constant τ₁ (filled symbols) and slow decay constant τ₂ (open symbols), and (e) fractional contribution of the slow decay component A₂. C-ABC, chondroitinase-ABC. Color images available online at www.liebertonline.com/tec