Histologic Monitoring of the Transplanted Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Labelled Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Rat Bladder

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Molecular magnetic resonance(MR) imaging technique using the superparamagnetic iron oxide nanocrystals(SPIO) are developed for the monitoring the stem cells noninvasively. This study was performed to monitor the transplanted SPIO labelled human mesenchymal stem cells(hMSCs) with the molecular MR imaging and histologically in the rat bladder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SPIO(Feridex; AMI, Cambridge, MA, USA) were labelled to hMSCs using GenePORTER. The labeling viability, efficiency of the SPIO labelled hMSCs were examined with tripan blue, prussian blue staining. SPIO labelled hMSCs are transplanted to the bladder in rats and MR images of them were examined using 1.5 T MR. Histologic examination of the SPIO labelled hMSCs transplanted bladder was performed with H&E and prussian blue staining. RESULTS: The viability, efficiency of the SPIO labelled hMSCs were good. MR signal intensity at the areas of the SPIO labelled hMSCs in the bladder decreased after transplantation of 1x10(6) SPIO labelled hMSCs and were confined locally. Intracellular SPIO were confirmed in the hMSCs transplanted bladder up to 5 weeks. CONCLUSION: The SPIO labelled hMSCs in the bladder can be monitored using the molecular MR imaging and SPIO labelled hMSCs were found in the transplanted bladder.