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Targeted Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging for Regenerative Medicine

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Aims and scope

Abstract

Background:

Advances in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine over the last three decades have made great progress in the development of diagnostic and therapeutic methodologies for damaged tissues. However, regenerative medicine is still not the first line of treatment for patients due to limited understanding of the tissue regeneration process. Therefore, it is prerequisite to develop molecular imaging strategies combined with appropriate contrast agents to validate the therapeutic progress of damaged tissues.

Methods:

The goal of this review is to discuss the progress in the development of near-infrared (NIR) contrast agents and their biomedical applications for labeling cells and scaffolds, as well as monitoring the treatment progress of native tissue in living organisms. We also discuss the design consideration of NIR contrast agents for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine in terms of their physicochemical and optical properties.

Results:

The use of NIR imaging system and targeted contrast agents can provide high-resolution and high sensitivity imaging to track/monitor the in vivo fate of administered cells, the degradation rate of implanted scaffolds, and the tissue growth and integration of surrounding cells during the therapeutic period.

Conclusion:

NIR fluorescence imaging techniques combined with targeted contrast agents can play a significant role in regenerative medicine by monitoring the therapeutic efficacy of implanted cells and scaffolds which would enhance the development of cell therapies and promote their successful clinical translations.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by NIH Grants NIBIB #R01EB022230, NHLBI #R01HL143020, and NCI #R21CA223270. It was also supported by the Creative Materials Discovery Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (2019M3D1A1078938) and the Joint Research Project for Outstanding Research Institutions funded by the Gimhae Industry Promotion and Biomedical Foundation. The content expressed is solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.

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Author notes

  1. Chengeng Yang and G. Kate Park have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Chengeng Yang, G. Kate Park, Eric J. McDonald & Hak Soo Choi

  2. Gimhae-Harvard Bioimaging Center, Gimhae Industry Promotion and Biomedical Foundation, 80-16 Golden root-ro, Juchon-myeon, Gimhae, 50969, Republic of Korea

    G. Kate Park & Hak Soo Choi

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  1. Chengeng Yang
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Correspondence to Hak Soo Choi.

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Yang, C., Park, G.K., McDonald, E.J. et al. Targeted Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging for Regenerative Medicine. Tissue Eng Regen Med 16, 433–442 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13770-019-00219-6

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