Researchers demonstrate technique to give us better understanding of human
tissues June 7,
2012 By Matt Shipman in Medical research
High resolution atomic force microscopy image of inner limiting membrane
extracted from a human eye. (Medical Xpress) -- Research from North Carolina State
University demonstrates
that a relatively new microscopy technique can be used to improve our
understanding of human tissues and other biomedical materials. The study
focused specifically on eye tissues, which are damaged by scarring in diabetic
patients. “Our findings are a proof of
concept, showing that this technique is extremely effective at giving us the
data we need on these tissues,” says Dr. Albena Ivanisevic, co-author of a
paper describing the research. “Specifically, it gives a great deal of information
on the composition of these tissues, as well as the tissue’s topography, or
surface characteristics.” Ivanisevic is an associate professor of materials
science and engineering at NC State and associate professor of the joint
biomedical engineering program at NC State and the University
of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill . The study is one of the first to explore how this
technology, called bimodal dual AC mode microscopy, can improve our
understanding of human tissues and biomaterials. The research team, which
included researchers from Purdue
University and the
University of Louisville School of Medicine, examined two types of eye tissue
from diabetic patients. Specifically, they looked at the inner limiting
membrane (ILM), which is the surface layer of the retina, and so-called
epiretinal membranes. Epiretinal membranes are scar tissues that form on the
ILM in diabetics. Scar tissue can cause significant damage to the retina and,
if untreated, may lead to blindness. There are multiple treatments for this scarring.
In the United States ,
a common technique is for a surgeon to peel off the ILM, removing the scar
tissue with it. In many other parts of the world, surgeons inject dye into the
eye to better distinguish the parts of the eye they will operate on. This
process is not currently allowed in the United States , due to concerns
about the dye’s toxicity. The researchers launched this project, in part, to
determine if bimodal dual AC mode microscopy could be used to provide a better
understanding of the topographical properties of the ILM. Further, the
researchers wanted to use the technology to see if it offered insight into how
– or whether – various dyes affect the topographical characteristics of the
ILM. “All of this information could be used to improve surgical outcomes and to
foster research into additional treatments for the condition,” Ivanisevic says.
The researchers found that bimodal dual AC mode microscopy, an atomic force
imaging technique, captured the properties of the tissue in exceptional detail.
Atomic force imaging effectively runs a probe over the surface of a material to
collect data on its topography, similar to the way in which a record player’s
needle runs over the surface of an album. “The next step would be to use
this technology to assess the utility – and potential risk – of various dyes,”
Ivanisevic says. “If we can find a dye that is extremely effective and poses
little risk, it may be approved for use in future surgeries.” The paper,
“Deposition of Triamcinolone Acetonide and Its Effect on Soft Tissue
Topography,” was published online June 5
in Advanced Healthcare Materials. Lead author of the paper is
Celimar Valentin-Rodriguez, a Ph.D. student at Purdue. Co-authors are
Ivanisevic and Dr. Tongalp Tezel, of Louisville .
The research was supported by a George Washington Carver Fellowship and
Research To Prevent Blindness Inc. More information: The paper, “Deposition of
Triamcinolone Acetonide and Its Effect on Soft Tissue Topography,” was
published online June 5 in
Advanced Healthcare Materials. Lead author of the paper is Celimar
Valentin-Rodriguez, et al, of Louisville .
The research was supported by a George Washington Carver Fellowship and
Research To Prevent Blindness Inc. Abstract Bimodal imaging is utilized to characterize
the topography of human tissue samples. The deposition of Triamcinolone
Acetonide (TA) on various surfaces including –surgical human inner limiting
membrane (ILM) samples and collagen fibrillar sheets- was studied. Changes in
composition were well defined with bimodal imaging when TA deposition was
examined on mica. TA sedimentation resulted in observable changes in ILM
topography when compared to collagen fibrillar sheets. The heterogeneous
chemical and topographical features of the ILM tissues promoted the TA crystallization
compared to the flatter and homogeneous collagen surfaces. Higher spatial
resolution was achieved by imaging ILM samples in the new bimodal imaging mode.
The most apparent difference was observed in the imaging of ILM samples which
had been exposed to the steroid TA. The study demonstrated the usefulness of
bimodal imaging to evaluate tissue samples. Provided by North Carolina State
University
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