title: Analysis of progenitor cell-scaffold combinations by in vivo non-invasive photonic imaging.
abstract: Recent developments in stem cell research have promoted a flourishing of new biomaterials and scaffolds for tissue repair. However, there is a scarcity of procedures to monitor the performance of scaffold-stem cell combinations implanted in live animals, avoiding the inherent artefacts associated with in vitro assay conditions. We report the implementation of a procedure based on the use of the luciferase gene as a cell proliferation tracer to monitor, by in vivo non-invasive imaging, the performance of stem cell-biomaterial combinations used for tissue regeneration. In a model system using immunodepressed mice we show preference of a mouse embryonic mesenchymal cell line (C3H/10T1/2) for specific implantation sites and biomaterials during a prolonged in vivo growth period (3 months). Moreover, we analyzed the safety of implanted cells using a sensitive luminometric procedure and showed that the implanted cells did not spread to other organs. Our results demonstrate the utility of this simple and resource-saving procedure in the development and screening of biomaterials for tissue engineering.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Center, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Román
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vilalta
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Annette M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Matthies
authors.forename: Samer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Srouji
authors.forename: Erella
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Livne
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hubbell
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rubio
authors.forename: Jerónimo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blanco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D004795:Enzyme Stability; D005453:Fluorescence; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000378:metabolism; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008156:Luciferases / Q000378:metabolism; D049449:Luminescence; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008863:Microspheres; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology; D017785:Photons; D019736:Prostheses and Implants
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D008156:Luciferases