macrosight

macrosight analyzes overlapping macrophages to detect and track cell shape and trajectories and quantify direction changes associated with cell–cell contact using a MATLAB-based framework.

Key Features:

• MATLAB implementation: Implemented as a MATLAB-based software framework.
• Segmentation of overlapping cells: Uses a segmentation technique to identify overlapping macrophages and discern clumps of two or more cells.
• Tracking framework: Tracks cell trajectories to analyze movement before and after overlap.
• Shape and trajectory analysis: Detects and analyzes cell shape and trajectory characteristics of individual cells and clumps.
• Directional-change detection: Algorithmically assesses directional changes resulting from cell–cell contact.
• Statistical analysis of interactions: Demonstrated statistically significant differences in directional changes after interactions compared to non-contact controls.

Scientific Applications:

• Immune cell migration studies: Quantifies how macrophage interactions affect migration patterns relevant to immune responses.
• Cell–cell interaction analysis: Identifies and characterizes directional changes caused by macrophage contact to study interaction-driven behavior.
• Mechanistic studies of physiological processes: Provides data on how macrophage interactions influence migration in physiological contexts.

Methodology:

Segmentation to identify overlapping cells and clumps of two or more, a tracking framework to analyze trajectories before and after overlap, and algorithmic assessment of directional changes associated with cell–cell contact, implemented in MATLAB.