Fig. 1: Development and characterization of the MMUS imaging system and MGVs.
From: Magneto-acoustic protein nanostructures for non-invasive imaging of tissue mechanics in vivo
a, Schematic illustration showing the set-up and working principle of the MGV-based MMUS imaging system. b, Schematic illustration of conjugating MNPs to GVs using click chemistry to form MGVs. c, TEM image of fabricated MGVs. d, Images of MGVs and GVs after buoyancy purification. e, The hydrodynamic size of MGVs, MNPs and GVs with functionalized DBCO by dynamic light scattering. f, The magnetic moment of MGVs and MNPs measured by a vibrating-sample magnetometer. g, Comparison of MMUS imaging between MGVs, GVs and MNPs in 0.1% (w/v) agarose phantom using 0.4 nM MGVs, where 0.4 nM MGVs represent 456 pM of GVs and 76 nM of MNPs. n = 4 independent experiments. h, Magnetic-strength-dependent MMUS images obtained from 7 mT to 30 mT using 0.4 nM MGVs. n = 3 independent experiments. i, Concentration-dependent MMUS images of different groups. n = 3 independent experiments. j–l, SBR quantification of MMUS images from different cohorts (P (left–right) = 0.000006564, 0.000040719, 0.000045239) (j), with varying magnetic strength (P (blue, left–right) = 0.005394, 0.002267, 0.002239, 0.022173; P (yellow, left–right) = 0.590133, 0.012733, 0.003060, 0.004556) (k) and concentration (P (blue, left–right) = 0.004505, 0.020735, 0.021156, 0.008343; P (yellow, left–right) = 0.029392, 0.044301, 0.018321, 0.001178) (l) for the same conditions as in g–i. Scale bars in g–i, 1 mm. Min and max on the parula (MMUS) and grey (B-mode) colour bars represent 0 and 10,000 arbitrary units, respectively. In j–l lines and error bars represent mean ± s.e.m., and significance was determined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Tukey’s multiple-comparisons test (j) and a multiple unpaired two-sided t-test (k,l): *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001.
