Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Amyloid Plaques in Transgenic Mice
| Abstract |
|
|
Transgenic mice are used increasingly to model brain amyloidosis, mimicking the pathogenic processes involved in Alzheimer's
disease (AD). In this chapter, a strategy is described that has been successfully used to map amyloid deposits in transgenic
mouse models of AD with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), utilizing molecular targeting vectors labeled with MRI contrast
agents to enhance selectively the signal from amyloid plaques. To obtain sufficient spatial resolution for effective and sensitive
mouse brain imaging, magnetic fields of 7-Tesla (T) or more are required. These are higher than the 1.5-T field strength routinely
used for human brain imaging. The higher magnetic fields affect contrast agent efficiency, and determine the choice of pulse
sequence parameters for in vivo MRI, all addressed in this chapter. Ex vivo imaging is also described as an important step
to test and optimize protocols prior to in vivo studies. The experimental setup required for mouse brain imaging is explained
in detail, including anesthesia, immobilization of the mouse head to reduce motion artifacts, and anatomical landmarks to
use for the slice alignment procedure to improve image co-registration during longitudinal studies, and for subsequent matching
of MRI with histology.
Affiliation(s): (2) Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine and Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
(3) Departments of Psychiatry and Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
(4) Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
(3) Departments of Psychiatry and Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
(4) Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
Book Title: Amyloid Proteins: Methods and Protocols
Series: Methods in Molecular Biology | Volume: 299 | Pub. Date: Dec-28-2004 | Page Range: 365-379 | DOI: 10.1385/1-59259-874-9:365
Subject: Protein Science
Key Words: MRI - amyloid deposits - susceptibility - amyloid burden] - amyloidosis - molecular - imaging - magnetic markers - contrast agent - mouse - transgenic
Comments (Loading...) |
||
Loading... |





















