Raman-based imaging uncovers the effects of alginate hydrogel implants in spinal cord injury

Roberta Galli; Sandra Tamosaityte; Maria Koch; Kerim H. Sitoci-Ficici; Robert Later; Ortrud Uckermann; Rudolf Beiermeister; Michael Gelinsky; Gabriele Schackert; Matthias Kirsch; Edmund Koch; Gerald Steiner

doi:10.1117/12.2183165

14 July 2015 Raman-based imaging uncovers the effects of alginate hydrogel implants in spinal cord injury

Roberta Galli, Sandra Tamosaityte, Maria Koch, Kerim H. Sitoci-Ficici, Robert Later, Ortrud Uckermann, Rudolf Beiermeister, Michael Gelinsky, Gabriele Schackert, Matthias Kirsch, Edmund Koch, Gerald Steiner

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9536, Advanced Microscopy Techniques IV; and Neurophotonics II; 95360Y (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2183165
Event: European Conferences on Biomedical Optics, 2015, Munich, Germany

Abstract

The treatment of spinal cord injury by using implants that provide a permissive environment for axonal growth is in the focus of the research for regenerative therapies. Here, Raman-based label-free techniques were applied for the characterization of morphochemical properties of surgically induced spinal cord injury in the rat that received an implant of soft unfunctionalized alginate hydrogel. Raman microspectroscopy followed by chemometrics allowed mapping the different degenerative areas, while multimodal multiphoton microscopy (e.g. the combination of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS), endogenous two-photon fluorescence and second harmonic generation on the same platform) enabled to address the morphochemistry of the tissue at cellular level. The regions of injury, characterized by demyelination and scarring, were retrieved and the distribution of key tissue components was evaluated by Raman mapping. The alginate hydrogel was detected in the lesion up to six months after implantation and had positive effects on the nervous tissue. For instance, multimodal multiphoton microscopy complemented the results of Raman mapping, providing the micromorphology of lipid-rich tissue structures by CARS and enabling to discern lipid-rich regions that contained myelinated axons from degenerative regions characterized by myelin fragmentation and presence of foam cells. These findings demonstrate that Raman-based imaging methods provide useful information for the evaluation of alginate implant effects and have therefore the potential to contribute to new strategies for monitoring degenerative and regenerative processes induced in SCI, thereby improving the effectiveness of therapies.

Citation Download Citation

Roberta Galli, Sandra Tamosaityte, Maria Koch, Kerim H. Sitoci-Ficici, Robert Later, Ortrud Uckermann, Rudolf Beiermeister, Michael Gelinsky, Gabriele Schackert, Matthias Kirsch, Edmund Koch, and Gerald Steiner "Raman-based imaging uncovers the effects of alginate hydrogel implants in spinal cord injury", Proc. SPIE 9536, Advanced Microscopy Techniques IV; and Neurophotonics II, 95360Y (14 July 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2183165

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available