Clinically applicable labeling of mammalian and stem cells by combining superparamagnetic iron oxides and transfection agents.

Purpose: To label mammalian and stem cells by combining commercially available transfection agents (TAs) with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging contrast agents.

Materials And Methods: Three TAs were incubated with ferumoxides and MION-46L in cell culture medium at various concentrations. Human mesenchymal stem cells, mouse lymphocytes, rat oligodendrocyte progenitor CG-4 cells, and human cervical carcinoma cells were incubated 2-48 hours with 25 microg of iron per milliliter of combined TAs and SPIO.