title: Quantification of adipose transfer viability using a novel, bioluminescent murine model.
abstract: Fat grafting has highly variable long-term results. Research efforts to improve the reliability of fat grafting are limited by inefficient methods for evaluation of fat engraftment. In this work, we describe a novel animal model for the quantitative evaluation of fat grafting using in vivo bioluminescence of adipocytes from luciferase-expressing mice. Subcutaneous adipose tissue from GFP and luciferase-expressing FVB mice were obtained. The samples were homogenized, decanted, and injected into the dorsal skin folds of wild-type FVB mice. Viability of the transferred tissue was examined over a 28-day time period with quantitative bioluminescence after luciferin injection. All animals demonstrated viable adipose transfer with bioluminescence detectable on days 0, 1, 7, 14, and 28. This animal model may be used for noninvasive, longitudinal studies for quantification of the fat engraftment process.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, CA, USA. Electronic address: kkao@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Andrew A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Gassman
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kenneth K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Temple University Hospital and School of Medicine, PA, USA.
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Justine C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000637:transplantation; D000818:Animals; D008156:Luciferases / Q000378:metabolism; D049449:Luminescence; D008163:Luminescent Measurements / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000637:transplantation; D014022:Tissue Survival; D016378:Tissue Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D008156:Luciferases
keywords: Adipose grafting; Bioluminescence; Fat grafting; Fat transfer; Luciferase; Murine