1. Quantification of fibrosis extend and airspace availability in lung: A semi-automatic ImageJ/Fiji toolbox.
- Author
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Ségard BD, Kimura K, Matsuoka Y, Imamura T, Ikeda A, and Iwamiya T
- Subjects
- Reproducibility of Results, Filtration, Lung, Thorax, Coloring Agents
- Abstract
The evaluation of the structural integrity of mechanically dynamic organs such as lungs is critical for the diagnosis of numerous pathologies and the development of therapies. This task is classically performed by histology experts in a qualitative or semi-quantitative manner. Automatic digital image processing methods appeared in the last decades, and although immensely powerful, tools are highly specialized and lack the versatility required in various experimental designs. Here, a set of scripts for the image processing software ImageJ/Fiji to easily quantify fibrosis extend and alveolar airspace availability in Sirius Red or Masson's trichrome stained samples is presented. The toolbox consists in thirteen modules: sample detection, particles filtration (automatic and manual), border definition, air ducts identification, air ducts walls definition, parenchyma extraction, MT-staining specific pre-processing, fibrosis detection, fibrosis particles filtration, airspace detection, and visualizations (tissue only or tissue and airspace). While the process is largely automated, critical parameters are accessible to the user for increased adaptability. The modularity of the protocol allows for its adjustment to alternative experimental settings. Fibrosis and airspace can be combined as an evaluation of the structural integrity of the organ. All settings and intermediate states are saved to ensure reproducibility. These new analysis scripts allow for a rapid quantification of fibrosis and airspace in a large variety of experimental settings., Competing Interests: I have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests to declare. All authors of the present article are current or former employees of Metcela Inc. Metcela is developing cell therapies to treat chronic organ diseases. Metcela’s core patented technology involves a particular population of cardiac fibroblasts, namely VCAM-1-positive cardiac fibroblasts. VCAM-1-positive cardiac fibroblasts are known to replenish and re-establish the damaged cardiac muscles and the microenvironment surrounding them. Two products for heart failure patients are currently being tested in phase I clinical trial. Takahiro Iwamiya is a co-founder and co-CEO of Metcela Inc. and has ownership of stocks. TIw has the authority to make payment decisions regarding employee salaries. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials., (Copyright: © 2024 Ségard et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)
- Published
- 2024
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