Abstract

Molecular imaging (MI) of living subjects is an emerging field that aims to study molecular and cellular events in the intact living animal and human. These events can be as simple as location(s) of a specific population of cells, or levels of a given protein receptor on the surface of cells. In addition, it is possible to study more complex events such as the interaction of two intracellular proteins, cellular metabolic flux, or transcription of a set of genes when one cell type comes into contact with another cell type. In contrast to molecular processes studied in intact cells outside the living subject (e.g., with light microscopy techniques), it is much more difficult to longitudinally study the same processes in intact living subjects where most cells are located within deep tissues. It is the hope of many MI researchers that most of biology will eventually be able to be studied in the intact living subject instead of having to remove tissues/cells for further analysis, as is now commonly done. This will allow the study of simple and complex processes whilst cells reside in their native environment with all molecular feedback loops fully intact.

© 2010 Optical Society of America