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Updated: Jul 10, 2025

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Live Imaging Followed by Single Cell Tracking to Monitor Cell Biology and the Lineage Progression of Multiple Neural Populations
Published on: December 16, 2017
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Single-Cell PET Imaging and Tracking.
Kyung Oh Jung1,2, Guillem Pratx3
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|November 25, 2023
Summary
Positron emission tomography (PET) enables sensitive molecular imaging. This protocol details radiolabeling cells with mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) for real-time tracking of single cells in vivo using PET imaging.
Area of Science:
- Molecular imaging
- Cellular biology
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Positron emission tomography (PET) is a highly sensitive molecular imaging technique.
- PET can detect picomolar concentrations of radiotracers.
- Previous studies showed PET's potential for tracking single radiolabeled cells in vivo.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a detailed protocol for radiolabeling cells using mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs).
- To describe real-time in vivo tracking of these radiolabeled cells using PET.
- To provide instructions for both static and dynamic cell tracking from list-mode PET data.
Main Methods:
- Cellular radiolabeling using mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs).
- In vivo positron emission tomography (PET) imaging.
- Analysis of static and dynamic PET imaging data, including list-mode data.
Main Results:
- Successful radiolabeling of cells using MSNs.
- Demonstration of real-time in vivo PET imaging for tracking single cells.
- Capability for static imaging and dynamic tracking of moving cells.
Conclusions:
- This protocol provides a comprehensive method for cell tracking using PET and MSNs.
- The technique allows for sensitive, real-time monitoring of cell behavior in vivo.
- This method has significant implications for preclinical research and cellular therapies.

