title: F-dynamics: automated quantification of dendrite filopodia dynamics in living neurons.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dendritic filopodia are highly motile and flexible protrusions that explore the surroundings in search for an appropriate presynaptic partner. Dendritic filopodia morphologically and functionally transform into postsynaptic dendritic spines, once the appropriate partner has been chosen. Therefore, proper formation of synapses depends on the dynamics of dendritic filopodia and spines. Thus, a rigorous assessment of dendrite filopodia behavior could be informative in providing a link between filopodia dynamics and synaptic development.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this paper, a tool for automated tracking of filopodia dynamics, the Filopodia-dynamics program (F-dynamics), will be described, tested and applied. The aim of this study is to validate the accuracy and reliability of F-dynamics and to test the program in live neurons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We demonstrate that filopodia dynamics can be reliably and accurately quantified using the F-dynamics program. In the present study, this program was used to successfully show that lithium treatment increases filopodia motility.
  F-dynamics is the first analysis program that is able to determine dendritic filopodia dynamics automatically across both the longitudinal and lateral dimensions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggests that this analysis method can be used to differentiate between different experimental conditions and illustrates the potential of the program to measure pharmaceutical or genetic effects on filopodia dynamics.
authors.affiliation: MRC Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom. Electronic address: ritabjorg@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hendricusdottir
authors.affiliation: Centre of Human & Aerospace Physiological Sciences (CHAPS), King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom; Synthetic Intelligence Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, United States; Brain Sciences Foundation, Providence, RI, United States.
authors.forename: Jeroen H M
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Bergmann
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003712:Dendrites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D018020:Lithium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D011554:Pseudopodia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012984:Software; D012986:Software Validation; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D018020:Lithium Compounds; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; C054562:yellow fluorescent protein, Bacteria
keywords: Dynamics; Filopodia; Image analysis; Lithium; Tracking