We thank Andreas Radbruch for valuable discussions. We are grateful to Sabine Gruczek, Patrick Thiemann and Manuela Ohde for assistance with animal care and Robert G&#252;nther for excellent technical assistance. We thank our trained raters Laura Oehme, Jannike Bayat-Sarmadi, Karolin Pollok, Katrin Roth, Florence Pache and Katharina Horn for evaluation of the histology samples and Randy Lindquist for proofreading of the manuscript. We thank J. and N. Lee, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA for MBP-specific antibodies.
This work was supported by DFG HA5354/4-1, by JIMI-a DFG core facility network grant for intravital microscopy and by TRR130/TP17,and DFG FOR 2165 (HA5354/6-1) to A.E.H. S.Z. was supported by the International Max Planck School for Infectious Diseases and Immunology (IMPRS-IDI), Berlin.

The animal experiments were approved by the appropriate state committees for animal welfare (Landesamt f&#252;r Gesundheit und Soziales, Berlin) and were performed in accordance with current guidelines and regulations (animal experiment license G0194/11).
1. Generation of Fluorescent Bone Marrow Chimeric Mice
NOTE: The generation of fluorescent bone marrow chimeric mice to visualize bone marrow stromal cells is performed as described before9.
<ol>
	<li>...

<ol>
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B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Bone+marrow+is+a+major+reservoir+and+site+of+recruitment+for+central+memory+CD8++T+cells.">Bone marrow is a major reservoir and site of recruitment for central memory CD8+ T cells.</a> Immunity. 22, 259-270 (2005).</li><li>Lin, G. 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Despite the progress in modern optical imaging methods, the analysis of histological data is still often hindered by the lack of proper quantification tools and methods, or by biased analyses that focus on a small area of interest. The synergistic approach presented here combines image analysis covering the entire bone marrow region, automated segmentation and object recognition of various hematopoietic and stromal cell types, co-localization analysis, and finally a validation tool of non-randomly occurring contacts prov...

Due to recent rapid technological developments in microscopy, including optical imaging, the analysis of cells within the context of the whole tissue has become increasingly accessible for immunologists. The characterization of single cells in suspension represents a valuable and indispensable method to understand cellular and molecular function. However, the analysis of the cells within their (micro)-anatomical environment is essential for understanding the interactions between various cell types that collaborate in complex processes such as the development of immune responses.
While it is relatively easy for microscopists to obtain qualitative information from images, it remains a challenge to quantify these data, partly due to the fact that analysis methods in this field are lagging behind compared to what is possible in image acquisition. Many researchers still rely on time-consuming manual cell counting in their histology images, thus introducing a bias amongst different raters and hindering replication by other groups. Oftentimes, one representative image is chosen to underline a statement on cellular position or co-localization in a publication, making it hard for the reader to judge the statistical relevance of such an event.
Together with the fact that the full information content of image data is rarely exploited, this emphasizes the need for a more unbiased, faster and comprehensive approach to analyze histological images.
The bone marrow is a complex tissue, which takes on important vital functions as the organ of hematopoiesis in adult vertebrates. Besides being the birthplace for hematopoietic cells1,2 and playing an important role in B lymphocyte development3, it also acts as a site where immune reactions are initiated4 and supports mature, recirculating B cells5. In addition, its role in maintaining immunological memory has become increasingly appreciated in the last decade, as several types of cells constituting immune memory have been found to reside there6-9.
The relation between the complex tissue architecture of the bone marrow and its functions still remain elusive. Unlike secondary lymphoid organs, which are organized in macro-compartments such as T and B cell zones, the bone marrow lacks a clear macro-compartmentalization. So far distinct compartments in bone marrow are defined by their proximity to the bone cortex or to vasculature. The importance of the various resident stromal cell populations in the bone marrow for a number of processes such as supporting stem cells, development of B cells or maintenance of immune memory cell populations (such as long-lived plasma cells (PCs), CD4+ and CD8+ memory T cells) clearly indicates that there is a certain degree of micro-compartmentalization in the bone marrow.
These observations have led to the concept of distinct microanatomical niches, which are specialized in certain functionalities (stem cell maintenance, B cell development at various stages, and maintenance of immunological memory) in the bone marrow. Although there seems to be a certain degree of heterogeneity among the niches that serve different functions, some of the factors produced by stromal cells, such as CXC-chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) or interleukin 7 (IL-7), are crucial components for several of these niches10. The visualization and characterization of stromal cells in the bone marrow is difficult due to their morphological features with long, thin dendritic extensions forming a network throughout the bone marrow, and the lack of appropriate markers to discriminate stromal subpopulations.
It is not yet clear as to what extent these niches share common features with respect to their cellular and molecular composition, and which elements render a certain niche unique. In addition to stromal cells, hematopoietic cell types have been shown to play a crucial role by providing certain signals at least for some of the niches. Clearly, the complexity of the niche composition requires their analysis in situ, and it has become increasingly important for immunologists and hematologists to zoom in on bone marrow microarchitecture, e.g., by analyzing the spatial relationships between its cellular components.
Here, a strategy to quantify cellular co-localization and neighborhood relationships in the bone marrow in an automated and unbiased way is presented. A detailed workflow including the generation of chimeric mice, harboring fluorescent stromal cells and non-fluorescent hematopoietic cells, preparation of histological sections from undecalcified bones, acquisition of confocal images covering the whole bone, as well as the automated image analysis of cellular co-localization and its validation/discrimination from random positioning by a simulation tool is provided (Figure 8).

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="1864">
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		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Name of Reagent/ Equipment</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Company</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">Catalog Number</td>
			<td style="width:1200px;">Comments/Description</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Neomycin</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">N6386 SIGMA</td>
			<td>Neomycin trisulfate salt hydrate, EU hazard code: GHS08; www.sigmaaldrich.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:365px;">Ursovit AD3EC</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Serumwerke Bernburg</td>
			<td style="width:155px;"></td>
			<td>1 ml contains: 50.000 I.E retinyl palmitate,&#160; 5.000 I.E. cholecalciferol, 30 mg tocopheryl acetate, 100 mg ascorbic acid, 1 mg sorbic acid, 200 mg polyoxyl 35 castor oil, 0,5 mg propyl gallate</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:365px;">Transfer buffer (100ml PBS, 1ml 1M HEPES, 50U/ml Penicillin/Streptomycin)</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">P4333&#160;&#160; Sigma&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; H3375&#160;&#160; Sigma&#160;&#160;</td>
			<td>www.sigmaaldrich.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:365px;">4-Hydroxy-3-nitrophenylacetyl hapten conjugated to chicken gamma globulin)</td>
			<td style="width:145px;"></td>
			<td style="width:155px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Chicken gamma globulin (CGG) 100 mg</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Rockland</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">D602-0100</td>
			<td>www.rockland-inc.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">20 % Paraformaldehyde solution (EM-grade)</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Science Services</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">15713</td>
			<td>EU hazard codes: GHS02, GHS05, GHS07, GHS08</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">D(+)-Sucrose</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Carl Roth</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">4621.1</td>
			<td>www.carlroth.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Dry ice</td>
			<td style="width:145px;"></td>
			<td style="width:155px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:365px;">Acetone</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Sigma.Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">179124 SIGMA-ALDRICH</td>
			<td>EU hazard codes: GHS02, GHS07; www.sigmaaldrich.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:365px;">Hexane</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">208752 SIGMA-ALDRICH</td>
			<td>EU hazard codes: GHS02, GHS07, GHS08, GHS09; www.sigmaaldrich.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Tissue-Tek cryomolds (standard)</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Sakura&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">4557</td>
			<td>25 x 20 x 5 mm; www.sakuraus.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Tissue-Tek O.C.T.</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Sakura&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">4583</td>
			<td>&#160;www.sakuraus.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Kawamoto&#39;s SCEM embedding medium</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Section-Lab, JP</td>
			<td style="width:155px;"></td>
			<td>http://section-lab.jp/index.html</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Kawamoto&#39;s cryosection preparation kit&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Section-Lab, JP</td>
			<td style="width:155px;"></td>
			<td>http://section-lab.jp/index.html</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Kawamoto&#39;s cryofilm type 2C(9)</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Section-Lab, JP</td>
			<td style="width:155px;"></td>
			<td>http://section-lab.jp/index.html</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Microtome blade MX35 Premier Plus, Low Profile</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">3052835</td>
			<td>L X W: 80 x 8 mm (31.5 x 3.13&#34;), thickness: 0.25 mm (0.01&#34;);www.thermoscientific.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">polyclonal rabbit anti-RFP antibody, biotinylated</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Rockland</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">600-406-379</td>
			<td>www.rockland-inc.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Alexa Fluor 555 streptavidin</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Life Technologies</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">S-32355</td>
			<td>www.lifetechnologies.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">rat anti-MBP</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">J. and N. Lee</td>
			<td style="width:155px;"></td>
			<td>available from: J. and N. Lee, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ , U.S.A., clone MT-14.7</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">goat anti-rat-Alexa Fluor 647</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Life Technologies</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">A-21247</td>
			<td>www.lifetechnologies.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">rat anti-B220 - Alexa Fluor 594</td>
			<td style="width:145px;"></td>
			<td style="width:155px;"></td>
			<td>produced and coupled in-house (DRFZ), clone RA3.6B2, Alexa Fluor 594 from Life Technologies</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">mouse anti-l1 light chain -FITC</td>
			<td style="width:145px;"></td>
			<td style="width:155px;"></td>
			<td>produced and coupled in-house (DRFZ), clone LS136</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">rat anti-k light chain - FITC</td>
			<td style="width:145px;"></td>
			<td style="width:155px;"></td>
			<td>produced and coupled in-house (DRFZ), clone 187.1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">DAPI (4&#8242;,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride)</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">D9542 SIGMA</td>
			<td>www.sigmaaldrich.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Fluorescent mounting medium</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">DAKO</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">S3023</td>
			<td>www.dako.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Cover slips (24mm x 24mm x 0.13-0.16 mm)</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Carl Roth</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">H875.2</td>
			<td>www.carlroth.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Superfrost slides glasses (75 mm x 25 mm)</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">VWR</td>
			<td style="width:155px;">48311-703</td>
			<td>www.vwr.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Laser scanning confocal microscope&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:145px;"></td>
			<td style="width:155px;"></td>
			<td>equipped with laser lines of 405, 488, 561, 594, 633 nm and a 20x/0.8 NA air objective lens; We used a Zeiss LSM710 and Zen 2010 Version 6.0 software.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Automated image analysis tools for bone marrow</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Wimasis, Munich</td>
			<td style="width:155px;"></td>
			<td>The cell contact tool and cell vicinity tool will be made available by Wimasis upon request: www.wimasis.de</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">VC2012 Runtime</td>
			<td style="width:145px;">Microsoft</td>
			<td style="width:155px;"></td>
			<td>free download: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30679</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Simulation tool for random cell positioning</td>
			<td style="width:145px;"></td>
			<td style="width:155px;"></td>
			<td>available from us, upon request</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="43">
			<td height="43" style="height:43px;width:365px;">Image analysis software with image segmentation functions</td>
			<td style="width:145px;"></td>
			<td style="width:155px;"></td>
			<td>We used Volocity (Perkin Elmer) for measuring cell size distributions of hematopoietic cell types in bone marrow (Figure 5). Alternatives are Definiens Image Analysis (Definiens) or Cell Profiler (free download: http://www.cellprofiler.org)&#160;&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:365px;">Fiji image analysis software&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:145px;"></td>
			<td style="width:155px;"></td>
			<td>free download: http://fiji.sc/Fiji. Fiji was used by trained raters for manual cell count (Figure 3).</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

automated quantification of hematopoietic cell &#8211; stromal cell interactions in histological images of undecalcified bone

Confocal microscopy is the method of choice for the analysis of localization of multiple cell types within complex tissues such as the bone marrow. However, the analysis and quantification of cellular localization is difficult, as in many cases it relies on manual counting, thus bearing the risk of introducing a rater-dependent bias and reducing interrater reliability. Moreover, it is often difficult to judge whether the co-localization between two cells results from random positioning, especially when cell types differ strongly in the frequency of their occurrence. Here, a method for unbiased quantification of cellular co-localization in the bone marrow is introduced. The protocol describes the sample preparation used to obtain histological sections of whole murine long bones including the bone marrow, as well as the staining protocol and the acquisition of high-resolution images. An analysis workflow spanning from the recognition of hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic cell types in 2-dimensional (2D) bone marrow images to the quantification of the direct contacts between those cells is presented. This also includes a neighborhood analysis, to obtain information about the cellular microenvironment surrounding a certain cell type. In order to evaluate whether co-localization of two cell types is the mere result of random cell positioning or reflects preferential associations between the cells, a simulation tool which is suitable for testing this hypothesis in the case of hematopoietic as well as stromal cells, is used. This approach is not limited to the bone marrow, and can be extended to other tissues to permit reproducible, quantitative analysis of histological data.

Cutting cryosections of undecalcified bone with the Kawamoto tape method allows the whole bone to be cut as an intact section, with the bone marrow of the endosteal region still attached to the mineralized bone, both in the diaphysis as well as in the epiphyseal areas with their high density of trabecular bone (Figure 1). Nuclear staining of the sections reveals that although small cracks in the preparation cannot be fully avoided, the structure of the sinusoids and arteries as well as the reticular netw...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Automated Quantification of Hematopoietic Cell â€“ Stromal Cell Interactions in Histological Images of Undecalcified Bone at JoVE.com

Automated Quantification of Hematopoietic Cell &amp;#8211; Stromal Cell Interactions in Histological Images of Undecalcified Bone

A strategy to quantitatively analyze histological data in the bone marrow is presented. Confocal microscopy of fluorescently labeled cells in tissue sections results in 2-dimensional images, which are automatically analyzed. Co-localization analyses of different cell types are compared to data from simulated images, giving quantitative information about cellular interactions.

Automated Quantification of Hematopoietic Cell &#8211; Stromal Cell Interactions in Histological Images of Undecalcified Bone

Confocal microscopy is the method of choice for the analysis of localization of multiple cell types within complex tissues such as the bone marrow. ...

automated-quantification-hematopoietic-cell-stromal-cell-interactions

Research

JoVE Journal

Developmental Biology

11.4K vistas.  German Rheumatism Research Center, a Leibniz Institute. A strategy to quantitatively analyze histological data in the bone marrow is presented. Confocal microscopy of fluorescently labeled cells in tissue sections results in 2-dimensional images, which are automatically analyzed. Co-localization analyses of different cell types are compared to data from simulated images, giving quantitative information about cellular interactions.