FM-Track

FM-Track quantifies displacements of fiducial markers near living cells embedded in compliant synthetic or biological gels using feature-based particle tracking to measure 3D cell mechanics and mechanobiology.

Key Features:

• Feature-Based Particle Tracking: Employs a feature-based approach to track fiducial marker movements for accurate measurement of particle displacements in 3D environments.
• Pre-Processing Capabilities: Includes image pre-processing functions to enhance image quality and prepare data for tracking.
• Tracking and Quantification: Tracks fiducial marker displacements and quantifies local 3D cell mechanical behavior and contractility.
• Post-Processing and Visualization: Provides post-processing and visualization tools to interpret local 3D cell contractile information.
• Implementation: Implemented in Python.

Scientific Applications:

• Mechanobiology studies: Enables quantitative analysis of cell–matrix mechanical interactions in mechanobiology research.
• Cell contractility mapping: Supports extraction of detailed local 3D cell contractile information from fiducial marker displacements.
• Cell migration and response to mechanical stimuli: Facilitates analysis of cellular migration and responses to mechanical perturbations.
• Transparent compliant gel systems: Applied to fiducial marker tracking within transparent compliant synthetic or biological gel systems.

Methodology:

Computational workflow comprises image pre-processing to enhance image quality, feature-based particle tracking to measure fiducial marker displacements in three dimensions, and post-processing with visualization of local 3D cell contractile information.