Noninvasive Visualization and Analysis of Organ Systems using OCT and Digital Fun

描述（由申请人提供）：我们提议收购Bioptigen， Inc. 840 nm SDOCT光学相干断层扫描（OCT）与Phoenix Research Laboratories， Inc.捆绑。Micron II视网膜成像显微镜包（总成本274,940美元）用于人类和其他动物。这些仪器目前在UAB没有提供，将成为我们现有的nih资助（P30 EY03039）分子生物学/细胞分析核心资助模块的重要补充。这些仪器的可用性将补充现有的ERG能力，并提供一套强大的非侵入性分析仪器来分析和关联活体动物眼睛的结构和功能。拟议的OCT/眼底成像设备包计划安置在新装修的空间中，该空间旨在将眼科和验光学的研究人员聚集在一起，并建立一个强大的视网膜研究人员团队。这些仪器是目前nih资助的5个项目（RO1 EY018143，视网膜中视杆光感受器GARP和cgmp门控阳离子通道的分析，RO1 EY019311，视紫红质转运和视网膜变性，RO1 EY006109，视网膜老化的定量分析，RO1 EY05922，眼部发育机制，RO1 EY006400，白内障中的蛋白酶抑制剂和晶体蛋白片段）中至关重要的新工具。OCT仪器也将被一组研究视网膜、视神经、心脏和大脑的小用户使用。相关性：OCT是一种新兴的诊断成像方法，可以对活体生物系统的内部微结构进行体内横断断层扫描。虽然该仪器最早是在20世纪90年代初发明的，但直到最近，该技术才发展到允许超高分辨率成像，其质量和信息内容接近传统的侵入性组织学分析。没有比眼睛更适合OCT的器官了。OCT现在是眼科医生的常规使用，并越来越多地用于视觉科学的研究。OCT也越来越多地用于心脏病学、胃肠病学和其他领域的医学诊断。然而，常规组织学分析是一个终点实验，OCT将允许研究者跟踪同一动物随时间的变化。拟议的OCT和视网膜数字成像设备将加强已经强大的视觉科学研究中心核心拨款，并增加一个新的分析能力维度，以推进视觉科学和其他器官系统研究的许多方面的研究。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose the acquisition of Bioptigen, Inc. 840 nm SDOCT Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) bundled with Phoenix Research Laboratories, Inc. Micron II Retinal Imaging Microscope package (total cost $274,940) for use with both humans and other animals. These instruments, which are currently not available at UAB will make an essential addition to our existing NIH-funded (P30 EY03039) Molecular Biology/Cellular Analysis Core grant module. The availability of the instruments will complement existing ERG capability and provide a powerful non-invasive analytical suite of instruments to analyze and correlate structure and function of the eye in vivo in the living animal. The proposed OCT/fundus imaging equipment bundle is planned to be housed in newly renovated space created to bring together researchers in Ophthalmology and Optometry and establish a strong cohesive group of retina researchers. The instruments are critical and essential new tools in five current NIH-funded projects (RO1 EY018143, Analysis of rod photoreceptor GARP and cGMP-gated cation channel in retina; RO1 EY019311, Rhodopsin Trafficking and Retinal Degenerations; RO1 EY006109, Quantitative Analysis of Aging Retina ; RO1 EY05922, Mechanisms of Ocular Development; and RO1 EY006400, Proteinase Inhibitors and Crystallin Fragments in Cataract). The OCT instrument will also be utilized by a group of minor users that are studying retina, optic nerve, heart and brain. Relevance: OCT is an emerging diagnostic imaging method enabling in vivo cross-sectional tomography of internal microstructures in living biological systems. While the instrumentation was first invented in the early 1990's, only recently has the technology evolved to allow ultra high resolution imaging that is approaching the quality and informational content of conventional invasive histologic analyses. No organ system is more amenable to OCT than the eye. OCT is now in routine use by Ophthalmologists and is becoming increasingly used in research in vision science. OCT is also being increasingly used in medical diagnostics in cardiology, gastroenterology, and other fields. While, routine histologic analysis is an end point experiment, OCT will allow the investigator to follow changes over time in the same animals. The proposed OCT and Retina Digital Imaging Equipment will enhance the already strong Vision Science Research Center Core Grant and adds a new dimension of analytical prowess to advance studies in many aspects of vision science and the study of other organ systems. Public Health Relevance: The instrumentation requested in this application will allow tissues to be visualized in living animals noninvasively. This is a monumental breakthrough in diagnostic capability that has been in use in the clinics for several years and is now available for large and small animals. The use of this new technology will dramatically advance our ability to correlate structure and function in living animals and in isolated tissues and will ultimately lead to new ways to treat diseases in humans.