title: Lipid vesicle shape analysis from populations using light video microscopy and computer vision.
abstract: We present a method for giant lipid vesicle shape analysis that combines manually guided large-scale video microscopy and computer vision algorithms to enable analyzing vesicle populations. The method retains the benefits of light microscopy and enables non-destructive analysis of vesicles from suspensions containing up to several thousands of lipid vesicles (1-50 µm in diameter). For each sample, image analysis was employed to extract data on vesicle quantity and size distributions of their projected diameters and isoperimetric quotients (measure of contour roundness). This process enables a comparison of samples from the same population over time, or the comparison of a treated population to a control. Although vesicles in suspensions are heterogeneous in sizes and shapes and have distinctively non-homogeneous distribution throughout the suspension, this method allows for the capture and analysis of repeatable vesicle samples that are representative of the population inspected.
authors.affiliation: Seyens Ltd., Ljubljana, Slovenia; University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Jernej
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zupanc
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Drašler
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boljte
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kralj-Iglič
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Aleš
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iglič
authors.affiliation: Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erdogmus
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Damjana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Drobne
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000737:chemistry*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008027:Light; D018715:Microscopy, Video / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D016011:Normal Distribution; D010316:Particle Size; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000737:chemistry*; D013535:Suspensions; D053835:Unilamellar Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D013535:Suspensions; D053835:Unilamellar Liposomes; D002784:Cholesterol; C028694:1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine