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Technical Developments and Recent Applications of Cellular Molecular Imaging

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2025 | Viewed by 3094

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
Interests: biochemistry; genetics; live cell imaging

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Advanced cellular molecular imaging is a groundbreaking field that merges biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering to visualize cellular and molecular processes with exceptional clarity. Utilizing advanced fluorescence imaging and multimodal techniques, this discipline enables real-time exploration of the intricate dynamics of cells and their molecular components. By combining various imaging modalities, researchers gain a comprehensive view of cellular processes, capturing both structural and functional aspects. These innovations are transforming biomedical research by revealing molecular mechanisms and offering tools for controlling molecular actions, such as in the field of optogenetics. As this technology evolves, advanced cellular molecular imaging is poised to become indispensable in diagnostics, therapeutic development, and the study of complex biological systems, driving significant progress across diverse scientific fields.

Dr. Hanae Sato
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • fluorescence imaging
  • optogenetics
  • single-molecule imaging
  • cellular dynamics
  • real-time imaging
  • structural and functional imaging
  • multimodal imaging

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 4853 KiB  
Article
Seizures Triggered by Systemic Administration of 4-Aminopyridine in Rats Lead to Acute Brain Glucose Hypometabolism, as Assessed by [18F]FDG PET Neuroimaging
by Francisca Gómez-Oliver, Rubén Fernández de la Rosa, Mirjam Brackhan, Pablo Bascuñana, Miguel Ángel Pozo and Luis García-García
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(23), 12774; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252312774 - 28 Nov 2024
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Abstract
4-aminopyridine (4-AP) is a non-selective blocker of voltage-dependent K+ channels used to improve walking in multiple sclerosis patients, and it may be useful in the treatment of cerebellar diseases. In animal models, 4-AP is used as a convulsant agent. When administered intrahippocampally, [...] Read more.
4-aminopyridine (4-AP) is a non-selective blocker of voltage-dependent K+ channels used to improve walking in multiple sclerosis patients, and it may be useful in the treatment of cerebellar diseases. In animal models, 4-AP is used as a convulsant agent. When administered intrahippocampally, 4-AP induces acute local glucose hypermetabolism and significant brain damage, while i.p. administration causes less neuronal damage. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a single i.p. administration of 4-AP on acute brain glucose metabolism as well as on neuronal viability and signs of neuroinflammation 3 days after the insult. Brain glucose metabolism was evaluated by [18F]FDG PET neuroimaging. [18F]FDG uptake was analyzed based on volumes of interest (VOIs) as well as by voxel-based (SPM) analyses. The results showed that independently of the type of data analysis used (VOIs or SPM), 4-AP induced acute generalized brain glucose hypometabolism, except in the cerebellum. Furthermore, the SPM analysis normalized by the whole brain uptake revealed a significant cerebellar hypermetabolism. The neurohistochemical assays showed that 4-AP induced hippocampal astrocyte reactivity 3 days after the insult, without inducing changes in neuronal integrity or microglia-mediated neuroinflammation. Thus, acute brain glucose metabolic and neuroinflammatory profiles in response to i.p. 4-AP clearly differed from that reported for intrahippocampal administration. Finally, the results suggest that the cerebellum might be more resilient to the 4-AP-induced hypometabolism. Full article
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15 pages, 3384 KiB  
Article
Utilising Hyperspectral Autofluorescence Imaging in the Objective Assessment of Disease State and Pain in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
by Florence Lees, Saabah B. Mahbub, Martin E. Gosnell, Jared M. Campbell, Helen Weedon, Abbas Habibalahi, Ewa M. Goldys, Mihir D. Wechalekar, Mark R. Hutchinson and Tania N. Crotti
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(22), 11996; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252211996 - 8 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1082
Abstract
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease resulting in joint swelling and pain. Treatment options can be reliant on disease activity scores (DAS) incorporating patient global assessments, which are quantified via visual analogue scales (VAS). VAS can be subjective and not necessarily [...] Read more.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease resulting in joint swelling and pain. Treatment options can be reliant on disease activity scores (DAS) incorporating patient global assessments, which are quantified via visual analogue scales (VAS). VAS can be subjective and not necessarily align with clinical symptoms, such as inflammation, resulting in a disconnect between the patient’s and practitioners’ experience. The development of more objective assessments of pain would enable a more targeted and personalised management of pain within individuals with RA and have the potential to improve the reliability of assessments in research. Using emerging light-based hyperspectral autofluorescence imaging (HAI) technology, we aimed to objectively differentiate disease and pain states based on the analysis of synovial tissue (ST) samples from RA patients. In total, 22 individuals with RA were dichotomised using the DAS in 28-joint counts (DAS-28) into an inactive (IA) or active disease (active-RA) group and then three sub-levels of pain (low, mid, high) based on VAS. HAI was performed on ST sections to identify and quantify the most prominent fluorophores. HAI fluorophore analysis revealed a distinct separation between the IA-RA and active-RA mid-VAS cohort, successfully determining disease state. Additionally, the separation between active-RA Mid-VAS and active RA High-VAS cohort suggests that HAI could be used to objectively separate individuals based on pain severity. Full article
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