Cell tracking

Quote: *A GUI-based program which manually detects spots and places them into previously detected meshes. Currently the program runs from MATLAB only. *

This Matlab code demonstrates an edge-based active contour model as an application of the Distance Regularized Level Set Evolution (DRLSE) formulation.

The workflow measures the growth of cells in 3D, combining an ImageJ macro for preprocessing and successive tracking using Imaris.  

The sample dataset (available in the github repository) contains 2-Photon images of neurons. The neurons were imaged in 3D at two time frames.To allow measuring significant differences in cell volume, the time gap between the frames is large (ca. 30 min) and the animal was removed in the waiting phase. For this reason, there is a considerable shift in sample position between the frames that has to be corrected before cell detection and tracking.

The workflow consists of following steps:

1. Import of single tiff slices [imageJ macro]

2. Organizing the data in a 4D time series with 2 time frames [imageJ macro]

3. Correction of shift between the time frames by rigid registration [imagJ macro]

4. Bleaching correction [imageJ macro]

5. Export of preprocessed image data in ics/ids format [imageJ macro]

6. Import of ics/ids data to Imaris [Imaris]

7. Cell object detection as "Imaris Surface Object" [Imaris]

8. Tracking cell objects over time [Imaris]

9. Split Tracks (use Imaris XT extension "Split Tracks") to generate single cell objects [Imaris]

10. Export the statistics: Select the complete folder, go to the statistics tab and use ‚Full Export’ [Imaris]

The preprocessing macro can be referenced here.

The sample images were acquired by Cordula Ulbrich (Petzold Group at German Center of Neurodegenerative Disesases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany).

Input data type: tiff

Output data type: data table

CellX is an open-source software package of workflow template for cell segmentation, intensity quantification, and cell tracking on a variety of microscopy images with distinguishable cell boundary.

Installation and step-by-step usage details are described in Mayer et al (2013). 

After users provide a few annotations of cell sizes and cell boundary profiles, it tries to match boundary profile pattern on cells thus provide segmentation and further tracking. It works the best on cells without extreme shapes and with a rather homogeneous boundary pattern. It may not work well on images with cells of sizes only a few pixels. Its output comprises control images for visual validation, text files for post-processing statistics, and MATLAB objects for advanced subsequent analysis.

The QuimP software from Bretschneider group is deployed as ImageJ plugin and includes model-based cell segmentation, cell outline tracking and quantification of the spatially resolved speed of protrusions and retractions. The algorithm to calculate morphological dynamics is faster compared to other approaches (e.g. Machacek and Danuser, 2006). The reference paper describes the workflow for these analyses.