Figure 8. In vivo imaging of cell death in real-time.

(a) Representative bioluminescence images of immune-deficient and immune-competent mice, respectively, within the first week of cell implantation. (b) Quantification of radiance in immune-deficient and immune-competent mice, respectively, at the beginning and end of week one. The signals were normalized for each mouse and indicate significant cell death by the end of week one in immune-competent mice (n = 5; P < 0.0024). (c) Comparison of T₁ contrast enhancement in immune-deficient and immune-competent mice, respectively, within the first week of cell transplantation. A significant T₁ contrast enhancement (n = 5; P < 0.0059) was observed in the slice adjacent to that of the cell delivery site in immune-competent mice. () represents T₁ contrast enhancement in the slice adjacent to that of cell delivery. (d) Pixel intensity histograms of the ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres of cell implantation before graft rejection indicate similar T₁ values in both hemispheres. (e) Pixel intensity histograms of the ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres of cell implantation after graft rejection indicate lower T₁ values in the hemispheres ipsilateral to cell implantation. () represents T₁ contrast enhancement in the slice adjacent to that of cell delivery (f) Quantification of T₁ contrast enhancement in immune-deficient and immune-competent mice, respectively, at the beginning, middle, and end of week one. The signals were normalized for each mouse and indicate significant T₁ contrast enhancement within week one in immune-competent mice (n = 5; P < 0.0059).