title: An open source image processing method to quantitatively assess tissue growth after non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging in human bone marrow stromal cell seeded 3D polymeric scaffolds.
abstract: Monitoring extracellular matrix (ECM) components is one of the key methods used to determine tissue quality in three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds for regenerative medicine and clinical purposes. This is even more important when multipotent human bone marrow stromal cells (hMSCs) are used, as it could offer a method to understand in real time the dynamics of stromal cell differentiation and eventually steer it into the desired lineage. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a promising tool to overcome the challenge of a limited transparency in opaque 3D scaffolds. Technical limitations of MRI involve non-uniform background intensity leading to fluctuating background signals and therewith complicating quantifications on the retrieved images. We present a post-imaging processing sequence that is able to correct for this non-uniform background intensity. To test the processing sequence we investigated the use of MRI for in vitro monitoring of tissue growth in three-dimensional poly(ethylene oxide terephthalate)-poly(butylene terephthalate) (PEOT/PBT) scaffolds. Results showed that MRI, without the need to use contrast agents, is a promising non-invasive tool to quantitatively monitor ECM production and cell distribution during in vitro culture in 3D porous tissue engineered constructs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tissue Regeneration, MIRA - Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Leferink
authors.affiliation: NeuroImaging Group, MIRA - Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Raluca M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Fratila
authors.affiliation: Department of Tissue Regeneration, MIRA - Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maaike A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Koenrades
authors.affiliation: Department of Tissue Regeneration, MIRA - Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands; Department of Complex Tissue Regeneration, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Clemens A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: van Blitterswijk
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of SupraMolecular Chemistry and Technology of MESA - Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands; Department of BioNanotechnology, Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Aldrik
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Velders
authors.affiliation: Department of Tissue Regeneration, MIRA - Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands; Department of Complex Tissue Regeneration, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moroni
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006652:Histological Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008751:Methylene Blue; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D044968:Regenerative Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
chemical_list: C455199:poly(ethylene oxide terephtalate)-poly(butylene terephtalate); D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D008751:Methylene Blue