Non-invasive Imaging of the In Situ Restoration of Brain Tissue

描述(申请人提供)：脑组织原位修复的非侵入性成像摘要再生医学正在逐渐将干细胞和生物材料的使用融合到组织工程中，以修复受损的组织。大脑组织工程学的发展一直很缓慢，主要是因为大脑的可及性，以及能够非侵入性地监控正在进行的过程。然而，非侵入性成像，如磁共振成像，提供了关于大脑损伤位置和程度的信息，为组织工程提供了图像引导下的材料注射。然而，在监测植入细胞以及非侵入性生物材料方面进展甚微。一个主要的挑战是以非侵入性的方式可视化这些不同的组件，而不会检测到一个影响另一个的检测，或者潜在地可视化脑损伤。一个重大的发展 因此，需要非侵入性成像技术来促进我们监测脑内原位组织工程的发展。具体地说，我们的目标是：1)开发基于磁共振成像的顺磁化学交换饱和转移(Para-CEST)来区分人神经干细胞(NSCs)和人内皮细胞(ECs)；2)建立基于CEST的脱细胞细胞外基质(ECM)生物支架的成像，而不干扰我们检测中风引起的病变空洞的能力。这些研究将为监测中风的原位组织工程提供框架。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Non-invasive Imaging of the In Situ Restoration of Brain Tissue Abstract Regenerative medicine is gradually merging the use of stem cells and biomaterials into tissue engineering to repair damaged tissues. Developments in tissue engineering of the brain have been slow, mostly due to accessibility of the brain and being able to monitor the ongoing process non-invasively. However, non-invasive imaging, such as MRI, provides information as to the site and extent of damage in the brain, affording image- guided injection of material for tissue engineering. However, little progress has been achieved in monitoring implanted cells, as well as biomaterial non-invasively. One major challenge is to visualize these different components non-invasively without the detection of one affecting the detection of the other, or potentially the visualization of brain damage. A significant development of non-invasive imaging is therefore needed to facilitate our ability to monitor the evolution of i situ tissue engineering inside the brain. Specifically, we here aim to: 1) develop magnetic resonance imaging-based paramagnetic chemical exchange saturation transfer (PARA-CEST) to distinguish human neural stem cells (NSCs) and human endothelial cells (ECs) and 2) establish a CEST based imaging of a de-cellularized extracellular matrix (ECM) bioscaffold without interfering with our ability to detect a stroke-induced lesion cavity. These studies will provide the framework to monitor in situ tissue engineering for stroke.