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Born Normalization for Fluorescence Optical Projection Tomography for Whole Heart Imaging
Published on: June 2, 2009
Mapping molecular agents distributions in whole mice hearts using born-normalized optical projection tomography
Claudio Vinegoni1, Paolo Fumene Feruglio, Daniel Razansky
1Center for System Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Richard B. Simches Research Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Plos One
|April 18, 2012
Summary
Researchers developed a high-resolution optical imaging system to map cell distribution in mouse hearts after myocardial infarction. This novel tool reveals extensive monocyte recruitment in both injured and non-injured heart tissue, advancing cardiovascular research.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cardiovascular Research
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Limited tools exist for mapping spatio-temporal cell dynamics in experimental heart models.
- Conventional histology and current imaging techniques lack sufficient resolution for detailed cell distribution mapping.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and validate a high-resolution optical projection tomography system for whole murine heart analysis.
- To quantitatively and spatially resolve molecular agent distribution, specifically inflammatory cells, within the heart.
Main Methods:
- Development of a dual-channel, near-infrared fluorescence optical projection tomography (OPT) system.
- Real-time data processing and reconstruction for tomographic analysis.
- Application in a mouse model of myocardial infarction to track monocyte/macrophage recruitment.
Main Results:
- The system successfully mapped the distribution of molecular agents in whole murine hearts with high resolution.
- Observed extensive monocyte recruitment within and around infarcted areas.
- Discovered significant monocyte recruitment into non-ischemic myocardium, including the septum, beyond the injured tissue.
Conclusions:
- The developed OPT system provides a powerful tool for studying cell dynamics in cardiac models.
- Findings reveal a broader inflammatory response in myocardial infarction than previously understood.
- This technology enables quantitative, high-resolution analysis of cellular processes in whole organs.
