Application of Second Near Infrared Fluorescence Imaging to Trace CelTrac1000-Labeled Hair Follicle Epidermal Neural Crest Stem Cells in Repairing Rat Facial Nerve Defects
November 2023
in “
Research Square (Research Square)
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TLDR NIR-II imaging effectively tracked stem cells that helped repair facial nerve defects in rats.
The study investigated the use of second near-infrared (NIR-II) fluorescence imaging to track CelTrac1000-labeled hair follicle epidermal neural crest stem cells (EPI-NCSCs) in repairing rat facial nerve defects. Thirty adult male rats were divided into three groups: ANA + cells, ANA, and autograft. Over 14 weeks, EPI-NCSCs were successfully visualized and shown to survive in the acellular nerve allografts (ANAs). The ANA + cells group exhibited lower recovery metrics compared to the autograft group, which had the best outcomes. The study concluded that NIR-II imaging effectively monitored EPI-NCSCs, which aided in repairing facial nerve defects in rats.
