Dual Modality Imaging of Promoter Activity as a Surrogate for Gene Expression and Function

Methods Mol Biol. 2018:1790:1-12. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7860-1_1.

Abstract

Molecular functional imaging with optical reporter genes (both bioluminescence and fluorescence) is a rapidly evolving method that allows noninvasive, sensitive, real-time monitoring of many cellular events in live cells and whole organisms. These reporter genes with optical signatures when expressed from gene-specific promoters or Cis/Trans elements mimic the endogenous expression pattern without perturbing cellular physiology. With advanced recombinant molecular biology techniques, several strategies for optimal expression from constitutive or inducible, tissue-specific and weak promoters have been developed and used for dynamic and functional imaging. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the applications of this powerful technology for imaging gene expression in living cells and rodent models.

Keywords: Dual modality; Fluorescence; Gene expression; Luciferase; Noninvasive imaging.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Fluorescence
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Humans
  • Luminescent Measurements / methods*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Molecular Imaging / methods*
  • Neoplasms / genetics
  • Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic*