Yingli Fu1, Dorota A. Kedziorek1, Ronald Ouwerkerk1, Steven M. Shea2, Nicole Azene1, Aravind Arepally1, Jeff WM Bulte1,3, Robert Krieg4, Frank Wacker1, Dara L. Kraitchman1
1Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; 2Imaging and Visualization, Siemens Research Corporate, Inc., Baltimore, MD, USA; 3Institute of Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; 4Siemens AG Healthcare Sector, Erlangen, Germany
Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation is a promising angiogenesis induction therapy for peripheral arterial disease. To immunoprotect MSC after transplantation and monitor MSC delivery and track engraftment noninvasively in vivo, we have developed novel multifunctional perfluoroctylbromide microcapsules (PFOB Caps). Our strategy couples microencapsulation techniques with multi-modality imaging, and converts direct cell labeling and tracking task into microcapsule labeling and tracking task. In vitro, MSC viability within PFOB Caps was enhanced as compared to that in unlabeled capsules. The visibility of PFOB Caps was demonstrated in vitro and in vivo using clinical X-ray, c-arm CT, ultrasound, and 19F MR imaging systems.
Keywords