Chrysalis: A New Method for High-Throughput Histo-Cytometry Analysis of Images and Movies

J Immunol. 2019 Jan 1;202(1):300-308. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1801202. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Abstract

Advances in imaging have led to the development of powerful multispectral, quantitative imaging techniques, like histo-cytometry. The utility of this approach is limited, however, by the need for time consuming manual image analysis. We therefore developed the software Chrysalis and a group of Imaris Xtensions to automate this process. The resulting automation allowed for high-throughput histo-cytometry analysis of three-dimensional confocal microscopy and two-photon time-lapse images of T cell-dendritic cell interactions in mouse spleens. It was also applied to epi-fluorescence images to quantify T cell localization within splenic tissue by using a "signal absorption" strategy that avoids computationally intensive distance measurements. In summary, this image processing and analysis software makes histo-cytometry more useful for immunology applications by automating image analysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Automation, Laboratory
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dendritic Cells / pathology*
  • Female
  • High-Throughput Screening Assays
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Immunological Synapses / pathology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Software*
  • Spleen / pathology
  • T-Lymphocytes / pathology*
  • Time-Lapse Imaging