Analysis of progenitor cell-scaffold combinations by in vivo non-invasive photonic imaging.
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.
Román
Irene
I
Cardiovascular Research Center, Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
Vilalta
Marta
M
Rodriguez
Julio
J
Matthies
Annette M
AM
Srouji
Samer
S
Livne
Erella
E
Hubbell
Jeffrey A
JA
Rubio
Nuria
N
Blanco
Jerónimo
J
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
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D008156:Luciferases