• BMB Reports
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• v.54 no.10
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• pp.489-496
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• 2021

Chromatin has highly organized structures in the nucleus, and these higher-order structures are proposed to regulate gene activities and cellular processes. Sequencing-based techniques, such as Hi-C, and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) have revealed a spatial segregation of active and inactive compartments of chromatin, as well as the non-random positioning of chromosomes in the nucleus, respectively. However, regardless of their efficiency in capturing target genomic sites, these techniques are limited to fixed cells. Since chromatin has dynamic structures, live cell imaging techniques are highlighted for their ability to detect conformational changes in chromatin at a specific time point, or to track various arrangements of chromatin through long-term imaging. Given that the imaging approaches to study live cells are dramatically advanced, we recapitulate methods that are widely used to visualize the dynamics of higher-order chromatin structures.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.123-136
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• 2014

In this paper, we study to classify molecular imaging and applications to predict future. Molecular imaging in vivo at the cellular level and the molecular level changes taking place to be imaged, that is molecular cell biology and imaging technology combined with the development of the new field. Molecular imaging is used fluorescence, bioluminescence, SPECT, PET, MRI, Ultrasound and other imaging technologies. That is applied to monitoring of gene therapy, cell tracking and monitoring of cell therapy, antibody imaging, drug development, molecular interaction picture, the near-infrared fluorescence imaging of cancer using fluorescence, bacteria using tumor-targeting imaging, therapeutic early assessment, prediction and therapy. The future of molecular imaging would be developed through fused interdisciplinary research and mutual cooperation, which molecular cell biology, genetics, chemistry, physics, computer science, biomedical engineering, nuclear medicine, radiology, clinical medicine, etc. The advent of molecular imaging will be possible to early diagnosis and personalized treatment of disease in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.175-179
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• 2004

Molecular nuclear cardiac imaging has included Tc-99m Annexin imaging to visualize myocardial apoptosis, but is now usually associated with gene therapy and cell-based therapy. Cardiac gene therapy was not successful so far but cardiac reporter gene imaging was made possible using HSV-TK (herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase) and F-18 FHBG (fluoro-hydroxymethylbutyl guanine) or I-124 FIAU (fluoro-deoxyiodo-arabino-furanosyluracil). Gene delivery was performed by needic injection with or without catheter guidance. Tk expression did not last longer than 2 weeks in myocardium. Cell-based therapy of ischemic heart or failing heart looks promising, but biodistribution and differentiation of transplanted cells are not known. Reporter genes can be transfected to the stem/progenitor cells and cells containing these genes can be transplanted to the recipients using catheter-based purging or injection. Repeated imaging should be available and if promoter are varied to let express reporter transgenes, cellular (trans)differentiation can be studied. NIS (sodium iodide symporter) or D2R receptor genes are promising in this aspect.

• Transactions of the Society of Information Storage Systems
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.17-21
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• 2013

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) allows non-invasive, cross-sectional optical imaging of biological tissue with high spatial resolution and acquisition speed. In principle, it is analogous to ultrasound imaging, but uses near-infrared light instead of ultrasound, measuring the time-delay of back-scattered light from within biological tissue. Compared to ultrasound imaging, it exhibits superior spatial resolution (1~10 um) and high sensitivity. Therefore, OCT has been applied to a wide range of applications such as cellular imaging, ophthalmology and cardiology. Here, we describe a novel application of OCT technology in visualizing microneedles embedded in tissue that is developed to deliver drugs into the dermis without the injection mark in the human skin. Detailed three-dimensional structural images of microneedles and biological tissues were obtained. Examining structural modification of microneedles and tissues during insertion process would enable to evaluate performance of various types of microneedles in situ.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.503-510
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• 2011

Cellular uptake of nanoparticles for stem cell labeling and tracking is a critical technique for biomedical therapeutic applications. However, current techniques suffer from low intracellular labeling efficiency and cytotoxic effects, which has led to great interest in the development of a new labeling strategy. Using silica-coated nanoparticles conjugated with rhodamine B isothiocyanate (RITC) (SR), we tested the cellular uptake efficiency, biocompatibility, proliferation or differentiation ability with murine bone marrow derived hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. The bone marrow hematopoietic cells showed efficient uptake with SR with dose or time dependent manner and also provided a higher uptake on hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Biocompatibility tests revealed that the SR had no deleterious effects on cell cytotoxicity, proliferation, or multi-differentiation capacities in vitro and in vivo. SR nanoparticles are advantageous over traditional labeling techniques as they possess a high level of cellular internalization without limiting the biofunctionality of the cells. Therefore, SR provides a useful alternative for gene or drug delivery into hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells for basic research and clinical applications.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.285-291
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• 2004

To determine the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings and natural history of cerebral fat embolism in a cat model, and to correlate the MR imaging and histologic fmdings. Intemel carotid artery of 11 cats was injected with 0.1 ml of triolein. T2-weighted, T1-weighted and Gd-enhanced T1-weighted images were obtained serially for 2 hours, 1 days, 4 days, 1 week, 2 weeks and 3 weeks after embolization. Any abnormal signal intensity was evaluated. After MR imaging at 3 weeks, brain tissue was obtained for light microscopic (LM) examination using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Luxol fast blue staining, and for electron microscopic examination. The LM examination with HE staining revealed normal histological findings in the greater part of an embolized lesion. Cystic change was observed in the gray matter of 8 cats, while in the gray and white matter of 3 cats. At LM examination, Luxol fast blue, staining demonstrated demyelination around the cystic change occurring in the white matter, and EM examination of the embolized cortex revealed sporadic intracapillary fat vacuoles (n=11) and disruption of the blood-brain barrier (n=4). Most lesions were normal, however, and perivascular interstitial edema and cellular swelling were mild compared with the control side. The greater part of an embolized lesion showed reversible findings at MR and histological examination. Irreversible focal necrosis was, however, observed in gray and white matter at weeks 3.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.530-535
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• 2008

Optical signals based on Raman scattering, coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS), and harmonic generation can be used to image biological molecules in living cells without labeling. Both Raman scattering and CARS signals can be used to detect frequencies of molecular vibrations and to obtain the molecular distributions in samples. Second-harmonic optical signals can also be generated in structured arrays of noncentrosymmetric molecules and can be used to detect structured aggregates of proteins, such as, collagen, myosin and tubulin. Since labeling techniques using chemical and biological reactions may cause undesirable changes in the sample, label-free molecular imaging techniques are essential for observation of living samples.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.59-62
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• 2013

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) constitutes a group of malignancies those arises from cellular components of lymphoid or extranodal tissues. The head and neck is the most common area for the presentation of these lymphoproliferative disorders. Primary involvement of salivary glands is uncommon. This report described a case of a 73-year-old female patient who presented with involvement of both nodal and extranodal sites, with predominant involvement of salivary glands. The tumor staging worked up along with imaging, histopathological, and immunohistochemical findings were discussed. Computed tomographic images showed the involvement of Waldeyer's ring, larynx, orbit, and spleen. This report described imaging and prognostic tumor markers in diagnosing, treatment planning, and prognosis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.111-112
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• 2022

We visualized the distribution of heterochromatin in a single nucleus using plasmonic nanoparticle-conjugated H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 antibodies. Due to distance-dependent plasmonic coupling effects between nanoprobes, their scattering spectra shift to longer wavelengths as the distance between heterochromatin histone markers reduced during oncogene-induced senescence (OIS). These observations were supported by simulating scattering profiles based on considerations of particle numbers, interparticle distances, and the spatial arrangements of plasmonic nanoprobes. Using this plasmon-based colourimetric imaging, we estimated changes in distances between H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 during the formation of senescence-associated heterochromatin foci in OIS cells. We anticipate that the devised analytical technique combined with high-spatial imaging and spectral simulation will eventually lead to a new means of diagnosing and monitoring disease progression and cellular senescence.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.7
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• pp.357-366
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• 2020

Currently, most biological research relies on conventional experimental techniques that allow only static analyses at certain time points in vitro or ex vivo. However, if one could visualize cellular dynamics in living organisms, that would provide a unique opportunity to study key biological phenomena in vivo. Intravital microscopy (IVM) encompasses diverse optical systems for direct viewing of objects, including biological structures and individual cells in live animals. With the current development of devices and techniques, IVM addresses important questions in various fields of biological and biomedical sciences. In this mini-review, we provide a general introduction to IVM and examples of recent applications in the field of immunology, oncology, and vascular biology. We also introduce an advanced type of IVM, dubbed real-time IVM, equipped with video-rate resonant scanning. Since the realt-ime IVM can render cellular dynamics with high temporal resolution in vivo, it allows visualization and analysis of rapid biological processes.