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Functional Calcium Imaging in Developing Cortical Networks
Published on: October 22, 2011
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Texaphyrin-Based Calcium Sensor for Multimodal Imaging.
Grégory D Thiabaud1, Miriam Schwalm1, Sajal Sen1
1Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Ave. Rm. 16-561, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
ACS Sensors
|October 9, 2023
Summary
Researchers developed novel molecular probes to measure intracellular calcium levels using fluorescence, photoacoustic, and magnetic resonance imaging. This multimodal imaging approach bridges cellular measurements with broader signaling patterns in tissues.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Biomedical Imaging
Background:
- Intracellular calcium concentration is crucial for cellular signaling.
- Optical techniques are limited in monitoring signaling across larger biological fields of view.
- Bridging cellular-level measurements with tissue-level signaling patterns remains a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop molecular probes for multimodal imaging of intracellular calcium.
- To enable the assessment of calcium signaling across diverse spatial and temporal scales.
- To overcome limitations of optical techniques in monitoring biological signaling.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of molecular probes coupling calcium-binding moieties with lanthanide texaphyrins.
- Utilizing fluorescence, photoacoustic, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modalities.
- Testing probe detectability in brain tissue using multimodal imaging.
Main Results:
- Developed novel probes with combined magnetic and photophysical properties.
- Demonstrated intracellular calcium level assessment via fluorescence, photoacoustic, and MRI.
- Confirmed probe detectability in brain tissue using multimodal imaging.
Conclusions:
- Established a novel route for monitoring intracellular calcium signaling.
- Enabled multimodal imaging of calcium dynamics across spatial and temporal scales.
- Provided a method to link cellular calcium measurements to broader tissue-level signaling patterns.
