Chromatin Fractal Organization, Textural Patterns, and Circularity of Nuclear Envelope in Adrenal Zona Fasciculata Cells.
Despite previous research efforts in the fields of histology and cell physiology, the relationship between chromatin structural organization and nuclear shape remains unclear. The aim of this research was to test the existence and strength of correlations between mathematical parameters of chromatin microarchitecture and roundness of the nuclear envelope. On a sample of 240 nuclei of adrenal zona fasciculata cells stained using the DNA-specific Feulgen method, we quantified fractal parameters such as fractal dimension and lacunarity, as well as textural parameters such as angular second moment (ASM), entropy, inverse difference moment, contrast, and variance. Circularity of the nuclear envelope was determined from the nuclear area and perimeter. The results indicate that there is a statistically significant negative correlation between chromatin ASM and circularity. Moreover, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between chromatin fractal dimension and envelope circularity. This is the first study to demonstrate these relationships in adrenal tissue, and also one of the first studies to test the connection between circularity and fractal and gray-level co-occurrence matrix parameters in DNA-specific Feulgen stain. The results could be useful both as an addition to the current knowledge on chromatin/nuclear envelope interactions, and for design of future computer-assisted research software for evaluation of nuclear morphology.
1Laboratory for Cellular Physiology,School of Medicine,Institute of Medical physiology,University of Belgrade,Visegradska 26/II,RS-11129 Belgrade,Serbia.
Igor
0000-0001-6589-8964
I
Pantic
2School of Medicine,Institute of Medical physiology,University of Belgrade,Visegradska 26/II,RS-11129 Belgrade,Serbia.
Dejan
D
Nesic
3School of Medicine,University of Belgrade,Visegradska 26/II,RS-11129 Belgrade,Serbia.
Milos
M
Basailovic
4School of Medicine,Institute of Histology and Embryology,University of Belgrade,Visegradska 26/II,RS-11129 Belgrade,Serbia.
Mila
M
Cetkovic
2School of Medicine,Institute of Medical physiology,University of Belgrade,Visegradska 26/II,RS-11129 Belgrade,Serbia.
Sanja
S
Mazic
5School of Medicine,University Clinical Centre "Dr Dragiša Mišović - Dedinje",University of Belgrade,Heroja Milana Tepica 1,11000 Belgrade,Serbia.
Jelena
J
Suzic-Lazic
6School of Medicine,Serbian Institute for Occupational Health,University of Belgrade,Deligradska 29,11000 Belgrade,Serbia.
Martin
M
Popevic
D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry*; D017709:Fractals; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D009685:Nuclear Envelope / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats; D015383:Zona Fasciculata / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*
D002843:Chromatin
chromatin; microscopy; nucleus; shape; structure