Photoacoustic Imaging of Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes in Living Hearts with Ultrasensitive Semiconducting Polymer Nanoparticles.

ABSTRACT: The last decade has seen impressive progress in human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) that makes them ideal tools to repair injured hearts. To achieve an optimal outcome, advanced molecular imaging methods are essential to accurately track these transplanted cells in the heart. Herein, we demonstrate for the first time that a class of photoacoustic nanoparticles (PANPs) incorporating semiconducting polymers (SPs) as contrast agents can be used in the photoacoustic imaging (PAI) of transplanted hESC-CMs in living mouse hearts. This is achieved by virtue of two benefits of PANPs. First, strong PA signals and specific spectral features of SPs allow PAI to sensitively detect and distinguish a small number of PANP-labeled cells (2,000) from background tissues in vivo. Seco

SUBMITTER: Qin X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6247950 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature