Zinn Kurt R, Chaudhuri Tandra R, Szafran April Adams, O'Quinn Darrell, Weaver Casey, Dugger Kari, Lamar Dale, Kesterson Robert A, Wang Xiangdong, Frank Stuart J
Laboratory of Multimodal Imaging, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294-0012, USA.
ILAR J. 2008;49(1):103-15. doi: 10.1093/ilar.49.1.103.
There has been a rapid growth of bioluminescence imaging applications in small animal models in recent years, propelled by the availability of instruments, analysis software, reagents, and creative approaches to apply the technology in molecular imaging. Advantages include the sensitivity of the technique as well as its efficiency, relatively low cost, and versatility. Bioluminescence imaging is accomplished by sensitive detection of light emitted following chemical reaction of the luciferase enzyme with its substrate. Most imaging systems provide 2-dimensional (2D) information in rodents, showing the locations and intensity of light emitted from the animal in pseudo-color scaling. A 3-dimensional (3D) capability for bioluminescence imaging is now available, but is more expensive and less efficient; other disadvantages include the requirement for genetically encoded luciferase, the injection of the substrate to enable light emission, and the dependence of light signal on tissue depth. All of these problems make it unlikely that the method will be extended to human studies. However, in small animal models, bioluminescence imaging is now routinely applied to serially detect the location and burden of xenografted tumors, or identify and measure the number of immune or stem cells after an adoptive transfer. Bioluminescence imaging also makes it possible to track the relative amounts and locations of bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens over time. Specialized applications of bioluminescence also follow tissue-specific luciferase expression in transgenic mice, and monitor biological processes such as signaling or protein interactions in real time. In summary, bioluminescence imaging has become an important component of biomedical research that will continue in the future.
近年来，在仪器、分析软件、试剂以及将该技术应用于分子成像的创新方法的推动下，生物发光成像在小动物模型中的应用迅速增长。其优势包括技术的敏感性、效率、相对较低的成本以及多功能性。生物发光成像是通过灵敏检测荧光素酶与其底物发生化学反应后发出的光来实现的。大多数成像系统在啮齿动物中提供二维（2D）信息，以伪彩色标度显示动物发出光的位置和强度。现在已有生物发光成像的三维（3D）功能，但成本更高且效率更低；其他缺点包括需要基因编码的荧光素酶、注射底物以实现发光以及光信号对组织深度的依赖性。所有这些问题使得该方法不太可能扩展到人体研究。然而，在小动物模型中，生物发光成像现在常用于连续检测异种移植肿瘤的位置和负荷，或在过继转移后识别和测量免疫细胞或干细胞的数量。生物发光成像还能够随着时间推移追踪细菌、病毒和其他病原体的相对数量和位置。生物发光的专门应用还可追踪转基因小鼠中组织特异性荧光素酶的表达，并实时监测信号传导或蛋白质相互作用等生物学过程。总之，生物发光成像已成为生物医学研究的一个重要组成部分，并将在未来继续发挥作用。
