The IRDye 800CW PEG (polyethylene glycol) contrast agent from LI-COR Biosciences is suited for NIR fluorescent molecular imaging. Tumor vasculature often displays enhanced permeability and retention, which allow contrast agents to “leak” into surrounding tissue and accumulate there; the agent exploits this property for cancer imaging. Intravenous injection of the agent highlights surface vasculature in appropriate mouse models, and retention in tumors is seen at later time points. The agent can be imaged with the sensitive, high-performance Pearl imager or with Pearl imager impulse, a real-time imaging system. Both systems are optimized for NIR wavelength, where light absorbance and autofluorescence of animal tissue are at their lowest.
Michelle LongoAsst. Managing Editor
Striving Toward Secondary GoalsLate last month, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich stunned most everyone when he declared his promise that "by the end of my second term, we will have the first permanent base on the moon." While I don’t fault Gingrich for dreaming and trying to set high standards and goals, I can’t help but think of the enormous amount of known and unknown variables that significantly deter this accomplishment...continue
