Imaging Regulation of Endogenous Gene Expression in Living Subjects

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511730405.011

10 - Imaging Regulation of Endogenous Gene Expression in Living Subjects

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 September 2010

Sanjiv Sam Gambhir and

Shahriar S. Yaghoubi

Vladimir Ponomarev

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Sanjiv Sam Gambhir: Affiliation:
Stanford University School of Medicine, California
Shahriar S. Yaghoubi: Affiliation:
Stanford University School of Medicine, California

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Summary

The past decade has witnessed a remarkable increase in our knowledge and understanding of the genetics and molecular biology of human diseases. Significant progress in the understanding of the molecular–genetic mechanisms of many diseases has been achieved with the advent of the modern molecular–biological assays. Analytical methods used in molecular biology have been introduced into mainstream research and clinical practice. In parallel, imaging methods are transforming into widely available diagnostic procedures for molecular imaging showing excellent spatial and temporal characteristics. However, there remains a tremendous gap between the advances made in molecular biology and their application to preclinical and clinical studies. Molecular reporter gene imaging can bridge contemporary molecular biology and imaging by noninvasive monitoring biochemical processes at cellular and subcellular levels in vivo.

The development of transgenic animal models of human diseases, which allows the molecular basis of the disease to be studied in a living organism, has provided new insight into disease development, progression, and treatment. Established methods for noninvasive imaging of reporter gene expression can be introduced into the existing reporter gene-based molecular–biological assay systems. In such assay systems, reporter gene expression is linked to an endogenous molecular genetic process of interest. These molecular genetic processes of interest include regulation of endogenous gene expression at the transcriptional (cis-reporter systems) and posttranscriptional (RNA-dependent reporter systems) levels, activation of specific signal transduction pathways, and specific transcription factors.

Type: Chapter
Information: Molecular Imaging with Reporter Genes , pp. 239 - 257

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511730405.011 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2010

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