title: Interactive image analysis programs for quantifying injury-induced axonal beading and microtubule disruption.
abstract: Focal axonal beading and focal disruption of microtubule structure are characteristic to traumatic axonal injury. We have recently reproduced these morphological and structural changes in our in vitro model system [D. Kilinc, G. Gallo, K.A. Barbee, Mechanically induced membrane poration causes axonal beading and localized cytoskeletal damage, Exp. Neurol. 212 (2008) 422-430]. In order to measure bead formation objectively, an observer-independent quantification of beading was necessary. In addition, a quantitative measure for the extent of co-localization of axonal beads and microtubule disruptions was required to establish a causal relationship between focal cytoskeletal damage and bead formation. In this paper we describe Matlab-based, interactive image analysis programs for axonal beading quantification and co-localization analysis. Injury-induced increases in the axonal beading could be successfully detected using the bead analysis program.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Devrim
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kilinc
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Kenneth A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Barbee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002645:Chickens; D003201:Computers; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D008870:Microtubules / Q000473:pathology*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D011381:Programming Languages; D012984:Software