Studies presented this week at the World Molecular Imaging Congress in Nice, France, suggest that utilization of Mauna Kea Technologies’ Cellvizio in vivo cellular imaging technology is helping researchers better understand the cellular dynamics of stem cell development and the relationship between blood clots and cancer.

Daniel Lewandowski and colleagues from the French Atomic Energy Commission in Fontenay aux roses, France, demonstrated that with the technology they were able to view the cellular dynamics of somatic stem cell development without interfering in the process. This is a promising technique for in vivo tracking of somatic stem cells and could lead to valuable insights for improving the success of bone marrow transplants, the researchers said.

Grace Thomas and colleagues from the Center of Research in Biological Oncology and Oncopharmacology in Marseille, France, demonstrated that the development of a cancerous tumor directly influences kinetics of blood clot formation.

Through in vivo cellular imaging of platelets and leukocytes, the researchers observed that times to blockage of veins and arteries were all significantly reduced in mice developing a tumor in comparison with those observed in control mice, which the authors said may provide insights on how to prevent the risk of blood clot complications associated with cancer.