Imaging of Transplanted and Native Stem Cells

This chapter discusses using various modalities for stem cell imaging and their application in kidney diseases. Utilization of stem cells for therapeutic approaches is becoming an attractive alternative to conventional treatments, especially for diseases refractory to other treatments. The main objective of cell-based therapies is to repopulate the damaged tissue with functional cells or to use the cells to administer therapeutic agents to the target tissue. Use of stem cells in animal models has shown to regenerate renal tubular, mesangial, and endothelial cells in kidney diseases such as acute kidney ischemia or glomerulopathy. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are used in the stenotic kidney of a swine model of chronic renal artery stenosis and it is demonstrated that EPCs integrated into renal vascular and tubular structures and improved renal function. A significant body of knowledge is acquired with regard to the biology of stem cells and the potential benefit of their use in tissue and organ regeneration by ex vivo imaging.