In vivo tracing of superparamagnetic iron oxide-labeled

Abstract

In recent years, a great progress has beenmade in the management of central nervous system disease such asbrain trauma by transplantationof bonemarrow stromal cells.1 Fluorescence microscopy of host brain sections can trace and show the proliferation, migration and differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) labeled with green fluorescent protein. However, in clinic we need a noninvasive approach. In vivo monitoring of magnetically labeled stem cells by routine MRI has been widely applied abroad,2,3 but according to our knowledge, there are no reports that have ever described the in vivo tracing of BMSCs labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) and transplanted for brain injuries by susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) at home or abroad.