Investigation of optimizing indocyanine green solution for in vivo lymphatic research using near-infrared fluorescence indocyanine green lymphangiography.

Despite the tireless efforts of many researchers in lymphatic research, indocyanine green (ICG) solution conditions suitable for lymphatic circulation tests have not been perfectly established yet. We aimed to investigate the optimal in vivo conditions of ICG solution to avoid photobleaching and quenching effects, which may affect the accuracy of lymphatic circulation evaluation. After ICG fluorescence intensity (or ICG intensity) was assessed under different in vitro conditions, the image quality of brachial lymph nodes (LNs) and collecting lymphatic vessels (LVs) in eight rats was investigated.

In Vivo Dynamic and Static Analysis of Lymphatic Dysfunction in Lymphedema Using Near-Infrared Fluorescence Indocyanine Green Lymphangiography.

Background: Near-infrared fluorescence indocyanine green lymphangiography, a primary modality for detecting lymphedema, which is a disease due to lymphatic obstruction, enables real-time observations of lymphatics and reveals not only the spatial distribution of drainage (static analysis) but also information on the lymphatic contraction (dynamic analysis).

Methods: We have produced total lymphatic obstruction in the upper limbs of 18 Sprague-Dawley rats through the dissection of proximal (brachial and axillary) lymph nodes and 20-Gy radiation (dissection limbs). After the model formation for 1 week, 9 animal models were observed for 6 weeks using near-infrared fluorescence indocyanine green lymphangiography by injecting 6-μL ICG-BSA (indocyanine green-bovine serum albumin) solution of 20-μg/mL concentration.

Synthesis and in vitro characterizations of porous carboxymethyl cellulose-poly(ethylene oxide) hydrogel film.

Background: Cellulose and its derivatives such as carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) have been employed as a biomaterial for their diverse applications such as tissue engineering, drug delivery and other medical materials. Porosity of the scaffolds has advantages in their applications to tissue engineering such as more cell adhesion and migration leading to better tissue regeneration. After synthesis of CMC-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) hydrogel by mixing the solutions of both CMC-acrylate and PEO-hexa-thiols, fabrication and evaluation of a CMC-PEO gel and its film in porous form have been made for its possible applications to tissue regeneration.

Biocompatibility and resorption pattern of newly developed hyaluronic acid hydrogel reinforced three-layer poly (lactide-co-glycolide) membrane: histologic observation in rabbit calvarial defect model.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the biocompatibility and resorption pattern in three-layer poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) membrane according to the concentrations of hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel in rabbit calvarial defect model. Four standardized circular defects with 8 mm diameter were created on the four rabbit calvarium. Three-layer PLGA membranes (5% and 10% HA gel) were used as the test groups, both collagen membrane and monolayer PLGA membrane as the control groups.