Multimodality molecular imaging of stem cells therapy for stroke.
Stem cells have been proposed as a promising therapy for treating stroke. While several studies have demonstrated the therapeutic benefits of stem cells, the exact mechanism remains elusive. Molecular imaging provides the possibility of the visual representation of biological processes at the cellular and molecular level. In order to facilitate research efforts to understand the stem cells therapeutic mechanisms, we need to further develop means of monitoring these cells noninvasively, longitudinally and repeatedly. Because of tissue depth and the blood-brain barrier (BBB), in vivo imaging of stem cells therapy for stroke has unique challenges. In this review, we describe existing methods of tracking transplanted stem cells in vivo, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine imaging, and optical imaging (OI). Each of the imaging techniques has advantages and drawbacks. Finally, we describe multimodality imaging strategies as a more comprehensive and potential method to monitor transplanted stem cells for stroke.
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009 Zhejiang, China ; Zhejiang University Medical PET Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China ; Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China ; Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.
Fangfang
F
Chao
Yehua
Y
Shen
Hong
H
Zhang
Mei
M
Tian
D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000473:pathology; D058948:Cell Tracking; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D020521:Stroke / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*