Figure 3
From: MRI tracking of autologous pancreatic progenitor-derived insulin-producing cells in monkeys
(A and B) Bar graphs showing the signal intensity values measured in gelatin phantoms containing SPION-labeled cells after overnight incubation with 100 μg Fe/ml SPIONs at 37 °C. The graphs (top) and corresponding MR images (bottom) were obtained by T1-weighted imaging (A) and T2-weighted imaging (B). Quantitative analysis revealed a significant decrease in signal intensity of more than 106 cells/ml on T1-WI or more than 105 cells/ml on T2-WI. The results are shown as the mean ± SD, n = 3 (independent experiments); ***P < 0.001, # P < 0.05, ## P < 0.01. (C) Longitudinal MR imaging of labeled autologous ICCs transplanted via the intraportal route in diabetic monkeys. The arrows indicate hypointense spots, which are representative of labeled ICCs. (D) Semiquantitative assessment of graft survival time revealed a significant drop in graft areas from week 1 to month 1 and from month 3 to month 4 after transplantation. (E) Fasting C-peptide levels were measured in the sham-operated group or the transplant group throughout the follow-up period. The monkeys engrafted with autologous PPC-derived IPCs showed a significant increase in fasting C-peptide levels after transplantation, whereas the sham-operated animals did not.
