biostudies-literatureTran LAthe Nanoscale Science and Engineering Initiative of the National Science Foundation at Rice UniversityNIBIB NIH HHSa National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowshipa National Institutes of Healththe Robert A. Welch Foundation9482-91https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC2976808biostudies-literatureUnknown31(36)Stem cell-based therapies have emerged as a promising approach in regenerative medicine. In the development of such therapies, the demand for imaging technologies that permit the noninvasive monitoring of transplanted stem cells in vivo is growing. Here, we report the performance of gadolinium-containing carbon nanocapsules, or gadonanotubes (GNTs), as a new T₁-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) intracellular labeling agent for pig bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Without the use of a transfection agent, micromolar concentrations of GNTs can deliver up to 10⁹ Gd(3+) ions per cell without compromising cell viability, differentiation potential, proliferation pattern, and phenotype. Imaging 10 × 10⁶ GNT-labeled MSCs demonstrates a nearly two-fold reduction in T₁ relaxBiomaterialsGadonanotubes as magnetic nanolabels for stem cell detection.PMC2976808C-0627RC1 EB0107911RC1EB010791-01EEC-0647452DGE-0940902RC1 EB010791-01Krishnamurthy RTran LAWillerson JTMuthupillai RPerin ECCabreira-Hansen Mda GWilson LJfalseGadonanotubes as magnetic nanolabels for stem cell detection.Stem cell-based therapies have emerged as a promising approach in regenerative medicine. In the development of such therapies, the demand for imaging technologies that permit the noninvasive monitoring of transplanted stem cells in vivo is growing. Here, we report the performance of gadolinium-containing carbon nanocapsules, or gadonanotubes (GNTs), as a new T₁-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) intracellular labeling agent for pig bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Without the use of a transfection agent, micromolar concentrations of GNTs can deliver up to 10⁹ Gd(3+) ions per cell without compromising cell viability, differentiation potential, proliferation pattern, and phenotype. Imaging 10 × 10⁶ GNT-labeled MSCs demonstrates a nearly two-fold reduction in T₁ relax2010-01-01T00:00:00Z2010 Dec2025-04-18T14:39:26.027Z2019-03-27T00:36:29ZS-EPMC29768082096556210.1016/j.biomaterials.2010.08.034