title: Automated quantification of synapses by fluorescence microscopy.
abstract: The quantification of synapses in neuronal cultures is essential in studies of the molecular mechanisms underlying synaptogenesis and synaptic plasticity. Conventional counting of synapses based on morphological or immunocytochemical criteria is extremely work-intensive. We developed a fully automated method which quantifies synaptic elements and complete synapses based on immunocytochemistry. Pre- and postsynaptic elements are detected by their corresponding fluorescence signals and their proximity to dendrites. Synapses are defined as the combination of a pre- and postsynaptic element within a given distance. The analysis is performed in three dimensions and all parameters required for quantification can be easily adjusted by a graphical user interface. The integrated batch processing enables the analysis of large datasets without any further user interaction and is therefore efficient and timesaving. The potential of this method was demonstrated by an extensive quantification of synapses in neuronal cultures from DIV 7 to DIV 21. The method can be applied to all datasets containing a pre- and postsynaptic labeling plus a dendritic or cell surface marker.
authors: Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: p.schaetzle@bioc.uzh.ch.
authors: Philipp
authors: P
authors: Schätzle
authors: Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: wuttke@bioc.uzh.ch.
authors: René
authors: R
authors: Wuttke
authors: Center for Microscopy and Image Analysis, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: ziegler@zmb.uzh.ch.
authors: Urs
authors: U
authors: Ziegler
authors: Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: peter.sonderegger@bioc.uzh.ch.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Sonderegger
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology*; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013569:Synapses / Q000648:ultrastructure*