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Imaging modalities for the in vivo surveillance of mesenchymal stromal cells
Author(s) -
Hossain Mohammad Ayaz,
Chowdhury Tina,
Bagul Atul
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.835
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-7005
pISSN - 1932-6254
DOI - 10.1002/term.1907
Subject(s) - mesenchymal stem cell , bioluminescence imaging , in vivo , regenerative medicine , stromal cell , magnetic resonance imaging , medicine , cell therapy , pathology , preclinical imaging , biomedical engineering , microbiology and biotechnology , stem cell , biology , cell culture , radiology , transfection , luciferase , genetics
Abstract Bone marrow stromal cells exist as mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and have the capacity to differentiate into multiple tissue types when subjected to appropriate culture conditions. This property of MSCs creates therapeutic opportunities in regenerative medicine for the treatment of damage to neural, cardiac and musculoskeletal tissues or acute kidney injury. The prerequisite for successful cell therapy is delivery of cells to the target tissue. Assessment of therapeutic outcomes utilize traditional methods to examine cell function of MSC populations involving routine biochemical or histological analysis for cell proliferation, protein synthesis and gene expression. However, these methods do not provide sufficient spatial and temporal information. In vivo surveillance of MSC migration to the site of interest can be performed through a variety of imaging modalities such as the use of radiolabelling, fluc protein expression bioluminescence imaging and paramagnetic nanoparticle magnetic resonance imaging. This review will outline the current methods of in vivo surveillance of exogenously administered MSCs in regenerative medicine while addressing potential technological developments. Furthermore, nanoparticles and microparticles for cellular labelling have shown that migration of MSCs can be spatially and temporally monitored. In vivo surveillance therefore permits time‐stratified assessment in animal models without disruption of the target organ. In vivo tracking of MSCs is non‐invasive, repeatable and non‐toxic. Despite the excitement that nanoparticles for tracking MSCs offer, delivery methods are difficult because of the challenges with imaging three‐dimensional systems. The current advances and growth in MSC research, is likely to provide a wealth of evidence overcoming these issues. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.