Imaging cell trafficking

Mandl S, Schimmelpfennig C, Edinger M, Negrin RS, Contag CH. Understanding immune cell trafficking patterns via in vivo bioluminescence imaging. J Cell Biochem Suppl 2002 39 239 248. 

Although the utility of PET imaging to study cell trafficking in this chapter has focused on tumor metastasis as an illustration of the relevant principles involved, similar approaches might be useable with other cell types, especially those with elevated glucose metabolism. Hematopoietic cells or some precursor (stem) cells are also possible candidates. 

PET and SPECT systems enable molecular and cell/tissue 3D visualization to be widely applied in clinical diagnosis and research studies. Studies supported by these techniques should allow the development of new therapies, such as inununo- and gene therapies, cell trafficking, infectious diseases, and cancer. PET and SPECT are very sensitive techniques that allow sections of a body to be imaged independently of physical properties and, therefore, there seans to be no limit to the range of applications. The reasons for this versatility are related to the availability of many different probes and of reporter molecules to target each kind of molecule. Both... 

Watson, P., Jones, A.T., Stephens, D.J., Intracellular trafficking pathways and drug delivery Fluorescence imaging of living and fixed cells. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 57, 43-61 (2005). 

Ilegems E, Pick HM, Deluz C, Kellenberger S, Vogel H. Noninvasive imaging of 5-HT3 receptor trafficking in live cells from biosynthesis to endocytosis. J Biol Chem 2004 279 53,346-53,352. 

Determine cellular fate/ biodistribution and persistence (cell migration/trafficking, engraftment, differentiation, cell phenotype, fusion, tissue integration, proliferation, survival). Use of noninvasive (nonterminal) imaging modalities and special histological stains (terminal). Determine presence of ectopic foci. Justify multiple time points (e.g., 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months or 12 months). 

Cell membranes are two-dimensional fluids that exhibit a wide range of dynamic behaviors. Recent technical advances have enabled unprecedented views of membrane dynamics in living cells. In this technical review, we provide a brief overview of three well-studied examples of membrane dynamics lateral diffusion of proteins and lipids in the plane of the membrane, vesicular trafficking between intracellular compartments, and exchange of proteins on and off membranes. We then discuss experimental approaches to monitor membrane protein and lipid dynamics, and we place a special emphasis on the use of genetically encoded fluorescent probes and live cell-imaging techniques. 

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