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Labeling Stem Cells with a New Hybrid Bismuth/Carbon Nanotube Contrast Agent for X-Ray Imaging.

Mayra Hernández-RiveraStephen Y ChoSakineh E MoghaddamBenjamin Y CheongMaria da Graça Cabreira-HansenJames T WillersonEmerson C PerinLon J Wilson
Published in: Contrast media & molecular imaging (2019)
The poor retention and survival of cells after transplantation to solid tissue represent a major obstacle for the effectiveness of stem cell-based therapies. The ability to track stem cells in vivo can lead to a better understanding of the biodistribution of transplanted cells, in addition to improving the analysis of stem cell therapies' outcomes. Here, we described the use of a carbon nanotube-based contrast agent (CA) for X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging as an intracellular CA to label bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Porcine MSCs were labeled without observed cytotoxicity. The CA consists of a hybrid material containing ultra-short single-walled carbon nanotubes (20-80 nm in length, US-tubes) and Bi(III) oxo-salicylate clusters which contain four Bi3+ ions per cluster (Bi4C). The CA is thus abbreviated as Bi4C@US-tubes.
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