title: qCMA: a desktop application for quantitative collective cell migration analysis.
abstract: Collective migration is an important cellular trait, which is intensely studied by both basic and translational researchers. Investigation of the underlying mechanisms necessitates high-throughput assays and computational algorithms capable of generating reproducible quantitative measurements of cell migration. We present a desktop tool that can be used easily by any researcher, to quantify both fluorescent and phase-contrast images produced in the course of commonly used gap closure ("scratch," "wound healing") collective migration assays. The software has a simple graphical interface that allows the user to tune the relevant parameters and process large numbers of images (or movies). The output contains segmented images and the numerical values inferred from them, allowing easy quantitative analysis of the results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics of Complex Systems, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zeisel
authors.forename: Assif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yitzhaky
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koerner
authors.forename: Mattia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lauriola
authors.forename: Hadas
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cohen-Dvashi
authors.forename: Wolfgang J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Köstler
authors.forename: Yosef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yarden
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wiemann
authors.forename: Eytan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Domany
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D054443:Cell Migration Assays / Q000379:methods*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D005453:Fluorescence; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays / Q000379:methods; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012984:Software