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.
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