label-free molecular imaging of brown adipocytes in fat-burning processes

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K12866
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: KANO Hideaki 筑波大学, 数理物質系, 准教授 (70334240)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 福田 綾 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 准教授 (50436276)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 褐色脂肪細胞 / ラマン / CARS / 分子イメージング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has a unique feature of non-shivering heat production. It is important in particular for newborns to avoid hypothermia. It was believed so far that most of BAT disappear as infants grow up. However, recent study has shown that BAT still exist even in adults. However, detailed metabolic processes are not fully understood. Here, we studied brown adipocytes in vitro using ultrabroadband multiplex coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microspectroscopy. We observed characteristic vibrational bands with different vibrational contrast. The images of the vibrational bands at 2845, 1440, and 1298 cm-1 mainly show lipid localization. In particular, the images of the vibrational bands at 3010, 1650, and 1261 cm-1 show unsaturated lipid localization. The CARS imaging of unsaturated lipids are also investigated with suppression and overexpression of SCD1(Stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1).

Free Research Field

分子分光学・分子分光イメージング