title: Bioluminescent imaging in bone.
abstract: Monitoring gene expression in vitro and in vivo, is crucial when analyzing osteogenesis and developing effective bone gene therapy protocols. Until recently, molecular analytical tools were only able to detect protein expression either in vitro or in vivo. These systems include histology and immunohistochemistry, fluorescent imaging, PET (micro-PET), CT (micro-CT), and bioluminescent imaging. The last is the only system to date that can enable efficient quantitative monitoring of gene expression both in vitro and in vivo. Effective bioluminescent imaging in bone can be achieved by using transgenic mice harboring the luciferase reporter gene, downstream of an osteogenesis specific promoter. The aim of this chapter is to comprehensively describe the various protocols needed for the detection of bioluminescence in bone development and repair.
authors.affiliation: Skeletal Biotechnology Laboratory, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Yoram
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zilberman
authors.forename: Yossi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gafni
authors.forename: Gadi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pelled
authors.forename: Zulma
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gazit
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gazit
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D015675:Osteocalcin