METROID

METROID extracts and denoises transmembrane potential signals from single-cell fluorescence imaging to enable precise measurement of action potentials and electroporation events in low signal-to-noise conditions.

Key Features:

• Automated ROI Definition: Automatically defines regions of interest that adapt to cell morphology and follow cell contours to ensure consistent ROI size and shape for signal extraction from voltage-sensitive dyes and genetically encoded voltage sensors.
• Blind Source Separation (BSS) Techniques: Implements BSS methods to separate ROI signals from noise.
• PCA and ICA: Uses Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Independent Component Analysis (ICA) as core decomposition methods for signal separation.
• Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) Variants: Provides two versions that incorporate discrete wavelet transform (DWT) to enhance separation of signal and noise.
• Single-Trial Signal Extraction: Filters subcellular fluorescence signals on a single-trial basis, removing the need for extensive signal averaging across repeated experiments.
• Low SNR Performance: Effectively extracts action potential (AP) and electroporation signals at signal-to-noise ratios as low as -10 dB without distorting the signal.

Scientific Applications:

• Membrane potential measurement: Enables precise measurement of membrane potentials in single-cell fluorescence experiments using voltage-sensitive dyes and genetically encoded voltage sensors.
• Fast subcellular event analysis: Supports analysis of rapid events such as action potentials and electroporation at subcellular resolution.
• Cell biology and biomedical research: Applies to basic cellular physiology studies and advanced biomedical research requiring accurate single-cell electrophysiological signals with minimal prior information.

Methodology:

Automated morphology-adaptive ROI definition; blind source separation using PCA and ICA; two DWT-incorporating variants; single-trial filtering of fluorescence images to extract AP and electroporation signals down to −10 dB SNR without signal distortion.