Bioluminescence Imaging

Bioluminescence Imaging

Slide 1

Introduction

BIOLUMINESCENCE IMAGINGAn Introduction To the Non-invasive Technique Using Light Emission

Slide 2

Background of the Process

What is Bioluminescence?

It is the process of light production and emission by a living organism

The emitted light is the energy which is produced by chemical reactions and then released

Bioluminescence is very commonly observed in oceans and marine life

The process is not known in all the animals

Bioluminescence is a process which involves the production and emission of light particularly by marine animals. The light is produced by the animal in the form of energy and then released from the body as light. It is the energy of the chemical reactions taking place with the organism. Firefly is the most common organism which is bioluminescent. It is not an unusual event taking place in the oceans from the sea surface to the deep inside, as most of the marine animals like bacteria and sharks are bioluminescent. Normally the process is used by the animals to warn the predators, detect prey, to lure and also as a means of communication between the same species.

Slide 3

What is Bioluminescence Imaging?

Non-Invasive Method

Molecular Imaging to study the ongoing biological processes in vivo

Analyze the disease state at molecular level

Non-invasively assess anti-cancer activity which occurs deep in the tumor models

Cell tracking can also be accomplished

Multi-modality imaging also uses the same technique to study the drug target interactions

Bioluminescence is the process of light emission which takes places in living organisms. Bioluminescence Imaging is the name of the technology used in small laboratory animals for studying the ongoing biological processes through a non-invasive method. Bioluminescence is a tool which is used for molecular imaging to study the ongoing biological processes in vivo. The optical images are obtained through non-invasive methods and enable to analyze the disease state at molecular level. Cell tracking can be obtained using the luciferase reports expression

Slide 4

How It Works?

Sensitive detection of visible light

Enzymes luciferase

Expression as a molecule reporter

Wavelength of 560 nm

Penetration up to several centimeters within the tissues

Bioluminescence Imaging (BI) process is based on the sensitive detection of visible light which is produced by the enzymes luciferase. The enzyme intercede oxidation of a molecule substrate when it is expressed as a molecule reporter. For the organ level resolution required by BI the enzyme can be imaged at wavelength of 560 nm and can penetrate up to several centimeters within the tissues.

Slide 5

Bioluminescent Systems

luciferase from North American firefly (Photinus pyralis; FLuc)

Luciferases has also been cloned from the following sources:

Jellyfish (Aequorea)

Sea pansy (Renilla; RLuc)

Corals (Tenilla)

Click beetle (Pyrophorus plagiophthalamus)

Several bacterial species (Vibrio fischeri, V. harveyi)

The chemical system in bioluminescent requires two unique chemicals; luciferin and luciferase or photoprotein. Luciferin is the main compound that produces light. Luciferase is an enzyme. The reaction of luciferase with the oxidized product luciferin produces a byproduct which is called as oxyluciferin. Luciferase for the purpose of biomedical research can be cloned from many natural habitats and then they are used in laboratory animals. The most abundantly naturally occurring luciferase is found in Firefly ...