Fig. 5: Noninvasive BL signal quantification in large animals (dogs) and a human post-mortem model using the PBL method.

a Experimental setup for the application of the PBL method in dogs. Three large dogs were anesthetized followed by s.c. injection of 0.5 mL of the luciferase plug in the abdominal area followed by i.p. injection of 5 mL of luciferin solution at three different concentrations (15 mg/kg, 1.5 mg/kg and 0.15 mg/kg). The portable light detector is then placed on the area of the luciferase plug, and measurements are obtained for 30 min following the luciferin injection. The experiment was performed as a proof of principle with n = 1 for each time point with one luciferin injection per dog. b Maximal signal output obtained from dogs injected with different concentrations of luciferin (15, 1.5 and 0.15 mg/kg in 5 mL of PBS). c Experimental setup for PBL measurements in a human post-mortem model. The luciferase plug matrix was premixed with three different doses of luciferin (2 µM, 200 nM and 20 nM) followed by direct s.c. injection of the 100 µL of the activated luciferase plug under the skin of a human cadaver. The portable light detector was assembled directly on top of the plug followed by signal acquisition for 15 min. Three independent injections were performed for each luciferin concentration. d Average maximal signal output obtained by the portable light detector in the experiment described in (c). Statistical significance (**** P < 0.0001) was calculated using a two-tailed unpaired t-test. Source data is available as a Source Data file for (b and d).