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Quantitative analysis of patch patterns in mosaic tissues with C lonal T ools software
Author(s) -
Mort Richard L.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.932
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1469-7580
pISSN - 0021-8782
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2009.01150.x
Subject(s) - mosaic , computer science , set (abstract data type) , software , quantitative analysis (chemistry) , computational biology , artificial intelligence , biology , image (mathematics) , open source , biological system , pattern recognition (psychology) , chemistry , operating system , archaeology , chromatography , history , programming language
Quantitative analysis of mosaic tissues is a powerful method for following developmental lineages; however, analytical techniques are often subjective and repetitious. Here a flexible, semi‐automated image analysis method for mosaic patterns is described. C lonal T ools is a free customizable tool‐set designed for the open‐source image analysis package I mage J. Circular, polygonal or linear one‐dimensional mosaic arrays can be interrogated to provide measurements of the total number and width of positive and negative patches in a region of interest. These results are adjusted for the effects of random clumping using a previously described method to correct for differences in the contribution of the positive and negative cell type. The applicability of C lonal T ools to different systems is discussed with reference to the analysis of mosaic patterns in the mouse corneal epithelium and adrenal cortex and in the outgrowth of neurites from explant cultures of mouse retina as example systems. To validate C lonal T ools quantitatively, a recently published manual clonal analysis of the corneal epithelium of X‐inactivation β‐Gal‐mosaic mice was re‐analysed. The semi‐automated results did not differ significantly from the published data. Rapid quantification of such patterns to produce biologically relevant results represents a welcome improvement in terms of ease and speed of use over previous methods.