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Approaches for Imaging Islets: Recent Advances and Future Prospects

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Book cover The Islets of Langerhans

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 654))

Abstract

The establishment of improved technologies for imaging of the pancreas is a key element in addressing several aspects of diabetes pathogenesis. In this respect, the development of a protocol that allows for non-invasive scoring of human islets, or islet β-cells, is of particular importance. The development of such a technology would have profound impact on both clinical and experimental medicine, ranging from early diagnosis of diabetes to the evaluation of therapeutic regimes. Another important task is the development of modalities for high-resolution imaging of experimental animal models for diabetes. Rodent models for diabetes research have for decades been instrumental to the diabetes research community. The ability to image, and to accurately quantify, key players of diabetogenic processes with molecular specificity will be of great importance for elucidating mechanistic aspects of the disease. This chapter aims to overview current progress within these research areas.

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Abbreviations

BCM:

β-cell mass

BLI:

Bioluminescence imaging

BLT:

Bioluminescence tomography

CLSM:

Confocal laser scanning microscopy

CT:

Computed tomography

LSM:

Laser scanning microscopy

MBT:

Multispectral bioluminescence tomography

MPLSM:

Multiphoton laser scanning microscopy

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

NMRI:

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging

OCT:

Optical coherence tomography

OPT:

Optical projection tomography

PET:

Positron emission tomography

SPECT:

Single photon emission computed tomography

SPIM:

Selective plane illumination microscopy

SPIO:

Superparamagnetic iron oxide

T1D:

Type 1 diabetes

T2D:

Type 2 diabetes

TPLSM:

Two photon laser scanning microscopy

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Dr. J. Gilthorpe and Dr. J. Sharpe for valuable comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, S-901 87, Umeå, Sweden

    Ulf Ahlgren

  2. Department of Nuclear Medicine, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, Netherlands

    Martin Gotthardt

Authors
  1. Ulf Ahlgren
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  2. Martin Gotthardt
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ulf Ahlgren .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Clinical Research & Education, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 118 83, Sweden

    Md. Shahidul Islam

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Ahlgren, U., Gotthardt, M. (2010). Approaches for Imaging Islets: Recent Advances and Future Prospects. In: Islam, M. (eds) The Islets of Langerhans. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 654. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3271-3_3

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