Scott Charles Beeman1,
1School of
Biological & Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe,
AZ, USA; 2Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Arizona,
Scottsdale, AZ, USA; 3School of Life Sciences, Arizona State
University, Tempe, AZ, USA; 4Department of Gastroenterology &
Hepatology, Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ, USA; 5Keller Center
for Imaging Innovation, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
A technique is demonstrated to detect changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding the hepatic sinusoid (HS). ECM changes are detected via specific binding of the cationic form of the superparamagnetic endogenous protein ferritin (CF) to the ECM. Confocal microscopy shows colocalization of CF with ECM surrounding the HS. Electron microscopy confirms the presence of CF in the ECM. The specific binding of CF to the ECM surrounding the HS is observable in vivo using MRI, raising the possibility of detecting ECM changes associated with the development of liver disease.