Nanoparticle-based monitoring of cell therapy

Exogenous cell therapy aims to replace/repair diseased or dysfunctional cells and promises to revolutionize medicine by restoring tissue and organ function. To develop effective cell therapy, the location, distribution and long-term persistence of transplanted cells must be evaluated. Nanoparticle (NP) based imaging technologies have the potential to track transplanted cells non-invasively. Here we summarize the most recent advances in NP-based cell tracking with emphasis on (1)the design criteria for cell tracking NPs, (2)protocols for cell labeling, (3)a comparison of available imaging modalities and their corresponding contrast agents, (4)a summary of preclinical studies on NP-based cell tracking and finally (5)perspectives and future directions. © IOP Publishing Ltd.