Quantitative fluorescence microscopy of macromolecules in gel and biological tissue

Quantitative fluorescence microscopy provides valuable insight into drug delivery and pharmacokinetics. The technique is based on analysis of statistical fluctuations in fluorescence that arises as fluorophores pass through a small volume illuminated by a focused laser beam, and has been applied to measure particle motion and binding interactions in solutions, on surfaces and inside the cells. We examined the use of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy combined with a microscope (FCSM) to assess the transport of fluorescent beads and macromolecules in aqueous solutions, gels and living biological tissue. Obstructed diffusion of fluorescent beads in gels of various densities was tested to get a sensible estimate of diffusion in the interstitial tissue matrix consistent with previous reports. Fluorescently labelled liposomes as an artificial drug or gene carrying vehicles were used for pharmacokinetic tests of drug delivery in living tissue. The results indicate that FCS is an accurate and valuable tool for measuring the physical properties of gene vectors in vitro and for characterizing interactions with tissue in vivo. © 2005 IOP Publishing Ltd.