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Related Experiment Videos

Sizing it up: cellular MRI using micron-sized iron oxide particles.

Erik M Shapiro1, Stanko Skrtic, Alan P Koretsky

  • 1Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. ShapiroE@ninds.nih.gov

Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
|January 29, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Micron-sized iron oxide particles (MPIOs) offer improved MRI contrast for cell tracking compared to nanometer-sized particles. MPIOs enable higher iron uptake by cells, facilitating better detection and long-term tracking in vivo.

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Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Imaging
  • Nanotechnology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is increasingly used for in vivo cell tracking.
  • Current cell labeling methods using nanometer-sized iron oxide particles have limitations, including low contrast, dilution with cell division, and biodegradability.
  • These limitations hinder tracking of non-macrophage cells and long-term studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the MRI properties of micron-sized iron oxide particles (MPIOs).
  • To assess the capacity of various cell types to endocytose MPIOs.
  • To evaluate the MRI detectability of MPIO-labeled cells at different magnetic field strengths and imaging parameters.

Main Methods:

  • Examined MRI properties of single MPIOs across a range of sizes (0.96–5.80 microm).

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  • Investigated cellular uptake of MPIOs via endocytosis.
  • Measured MRI properties of MPIO-labeled cells at 7.0 and 11.7 Tesla, varying image resolution and echo time (TE).

    • Main Results:

    • MPIO-labeled cells achieved approximately threefold higher iron content (~100 pg) compared to nanoparticle labeling.
    • Some cells exhibited iron levels as high as ~400 pg.
    • Spin echo (SE)-based imaging successfully detected MPIOs and labeled cells.

    Conclusions:

    • MPIOs provide significantly enhanced MRI contrast for cell labeling.
    • MPIOs overcome limitations of nanoparticle-based cell tracking, enabling higher iron loading.
    • MPIOs show promise for improving in vivo cell tracking accuracy and duration.