This MRI of a mouse brain clearly shows a dark circle (arrow) of magnetic cells. The cells, genetically engineered to produce magnetic particles and then injected into the brain, could provide a new approach to imaging.
Credit: Wiley-Liss, a subsidiary of John Wiley and Sons
New publications, experiments and breakthroughs in biotechnology--and what they mean.
Magnetic Genes
Genetically engineered cells make their own nano magnets, providing clear MRI images
Source: "MagA is sufficient for producing magnetic nanoparticles in mammalian cells, making it an MRI reporter"
Xiaoping P. Hu and Anthony W. S. Chan
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 59: 1225-1231
Results: Scientists genetically engineered mammalian cells to produce magnetic particles three to five nanometers in diameter. The particles can be detected with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which could give scientists a novel way to track cells in the body.
To read the entire article you must log in:
Most of our content — all daily news, blogs, and videos — is free. Magazine stories are paid. To read this story, you must have a subscription or you must use a reading credit. Registration to Technology Review is free and entitles registrants to three free reading credits.
Manufacturing in the United States is in trouble. That's bad news not just for the country's economy but for the future of innovation.
Our list of the 50 most innovative companies, including the following:
On Twitter
Become a Fan on Facebook
Subscribe to the Feed