Biological Applications of Manganese-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging
The manganese ion (Mn2+ ) has long been used in biomedical research as an indicator of calcium (Ca2+ ) influx in conjunction with fluorescent microscopy because it is well established that Mn2+ enters cells through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. Mn2+ is also paramagnetic, resulting in a shortening of the spin-lattice relaxation time constant, T1 , which yields positive contrast enhancement in T1 -weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), specific to tissues in which the ion has accumulated. Manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) uses a combination of these properties of Mn2+ to elucidate anatomical information and to identify regions of cellular activity. The focus of this chapter will detail some of the current MEMRI methodologies and biological applications.
- Wide-Field Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging with Multi-anode Detectors
- Detection of Ki-ras and p53 Mutations by Laser Capture Microdissection/PCR/SSCP
- Two-Photon Permeabilization and Calcium Measurements in Cellular Organelles
- Live-Cell Imaging Combined with Immunofluorescence, RNA, or DNA FISH to Study the Nuclear Dynamics and Expression of the X-Inact
- High-Resolution In Vivo Imaging of Fluorescent Proteins Using Window Chamber Models
- Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy Using Immunolabeled Sections
- Optical Spectroscopy: Principles and Instrumentation
- Electro-optical Analysis of Macromolecular Structure and Dynamics
- In Vivo Imaging of Oligonucleotide Delivery
- Plastic Embedding and Polishing of Bone for Reflected Light and Electron Microscopy