Abstract

This thesis is divided into two parts.Part I describes the organic extraction, separation, and liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of chromophores from human and bovine retinal pigment epithelium. Flurorophores in the retinal pigment epithelium have been implicated in age related macular degeneration. In addition, the synthesis and characterization of a number of bis-retinoid type compounds that may potentially be found in such extracts, or that may be used for insight into pyridinium bis-retinoid reactivity, was accomplished.Part II describes a study of pyridinium bis-retinoid-folic acid coupling with respect to linker type, linker length, and nature of the linkage. Folic acid has been used as a targeting compound for a variety of cancer types. Development of HPLC and UV-Vis conditions suitable for the analysis of this new type of macromolecule was performed.

Degree

College and Department

Physical and Mathematical Sciences; Chemistry and Biochemistry

Rights

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