LeafJ è stato scritto da JNM mentre era in anno sabbatico nel laboratorio del Dr. Katherine Pollard presso gli Istituti Gladstone. Questo lavoro è stato sostenuto da un finanziamento della National Science Foundation (numero di licenza IOS-0923752).

1. Materiali vegetali Si noti che questo protocollo la crescita delle piante è destinato per rilevare evitare risposta ombra. È possibile coltivare le piante sotto la condizione preferita. <ol><li> Cospargere semi di Arabidopsis thaliana in materia di acqua filtri di carta imbevuti di 9 centimetri piastre di Petri e conservare (stratificare) li a 4 ° C per quattro giorni al buio. </li><li> Trasferire queste piastre di Petri per condizioni di sole simulato: 80-100 μE radiazione fotosinteticamente attiva (PAR) e molto rosso supplemento di portare la R: rapporto FR a 1,86. Condizioni di utilizzo giorno lungo (16 ore di luce / 8 ore buio) e la temperatura costante di 22 ° C. Incubare in questa condizione per tre giorni per permettere ai semi di germinare. </li><li> Trasferimento seme germogliato nel terreno e mantenere le piante in condizioni di Dom Per esperimenti su larga scala, si consiglia di preparare i tag piccoli per l&#39;etichettatura di ogni impianti utilizzando dati Gestore stampa unione in Microsoft Word 2004 (o successivo) per la produzione di etichette. </li><li> Undici giorni dopo il transfer al suolo, spostare la metà degli impianti a condizione tonalità: come sole, ma con supplemento di far-luce rossa per portare la R / FR rapporto a 0,52. </li><li> Dopo altre dodici giorni, le piante sono pronte per l&#39;imaging foglia. In questa fase le foglie più vecchie ancora del tutto sviluppato, mentre giovani foglie sono in fase di espansione, in modo da catturare un&#39;istantanea di sviluppo. Si consiglia di scegliere un orario diverso di sviluppo a seconda delle esigenze. </li></ol> 2. Catturare le immagini Leaf sezionato <ol><li> Preparare lucidi etichettati con genotipo vegetale e condizioni di crescita con cinque cornici rettangolari. Un frame corrisponde alle foglie di una pianta. Microsoft Excel può essere utilizzato per stampare una griglia coerente con etichette. </li><li> Staccare le foglie di 26 giorni vecchi impianti. </li><li> Scansione lascia a 600 dpi su un scanner piano. Notare che parte da un impianto deve essere posizionato verticalmente all&#39;interno di una finestra nera in un sandwich di fogli trasparenti. Evitare di toccare le foglieal telaio di una finestra nera e foglie sovrapposte, che darà errori nelle procedure seguenti. </li></ol> 3. Foglia Image Analysis per LeafJ <ol><li> Scarica ImageJ Trascinare il file LeafJ.jar nella cartella plugins di ImageJ. </li><li> Aprire un file di immagine in ImageJ 1.45s o versioni successive 14. </li><li> Dividere l&#39;immagine in tre canali di colore (rosso, verde e blu) da &quot;Immagine a colori&gt; Canali&gt; Split&quot; e applicare la soglia per l&#39;immagine nel canale blu. </li><li> Selezionare tutte le foglie da una pianta con uno strumento rettangolo (Figura 1A). </li><li> Selezionare &quot;LeafJ&quot; dal menu plugin. </li><li> Selezionare informazioni di annotazione per questa pianta dalla finestra di dialogo che appare. È possibilemodificare i valori di default che appaiono qui cliccando su &quot;modificare queste opzioni&quot;. </li><li> Dopo l&#39;esecuzione di plug LeafJ e prima di fare clic su &quot;OK&quot;, modificare le linee tracciate dalla regione di interesse (ROI) window manager (se necessario Figura 1B). Un touch-screen tablet (come un iPad) è utile per questa procedura. iPads può essere collegato ad un computer come un monitor esterno utilizzando il software di visualizzazione Air. </li><li> Esportare i risultati di misura e le informazioni associate (i nomi dei file, tempo di fioritura, che si disgregano per, misurati dai, ecc) per Microsoft Excel o software equivalente. </li></ol> 4. Foglia Image Analysis cella in ImageJ <ol><li> Fissare sezionato lascia come descritto nel riferimento 15 dopo la scansione (fase 2). Foglie FAA fissi possono essere conservati a 4 ° C per almeno 6 mesi. </li><li> Eliminare le foglie modificando fissativo FAA per cloralio idrato soluzione e foglie incubare per 1 ~ 2 ore prima osservazione al microscopio 15. </li><li> Monte foglie mimicroscopio scorre con tricomi rivolto verso l&#39;alto. Utilizzando ingrandimento 40x su un microscopio composto, strato mesofillo immagine del del centro di ogni foglia su entrambi i lati della vena principale, evitando cellule vicine tricomi o venature. </li><li> Cella foglia Trace delinea da strumento di ImageJ gestore ROI con l&#39;aiuto del touch-screen tablet e uno stilo (come descritto al punto 3). Analisi delle immagini cellulare utilizza le funzioni integrate di ImageJ, ma non richiede LeafJ. </li></ol>

<ol>
	<li>Furbank, R. T., Tester, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Phenomics--technologies+to+relieve+the+phenotyping+bottleneck.">Phenomics--technologies to relieve the phenotyping bottleneck.</a> Trends Plant Sci. 16, 635-644 (2011).</li><li>Berger, B., Parent, B., Tester, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=High-throughput+shoot+imaging+to+study+drought+responses.">High-throughput shoot imaging to study drought responses.</a> J. Exp. Bot. 61, 3519-3528 (2010).</li><li>Borevitz, J. O. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Natural+genetic+variation+for+growth+and+development+revealed+by+high-throughput+phenotyping+in+Arabidopsis+thaliana.">Natural genetic variation for growth and development revealed by high-throughput phenotyping in Arabidopsis thaliana.</a> G3 (Bethesda). 2, 29-34 (2012).</li><li>Albrecht, D. R., Bargmann, C. I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=High-content+behavioral+analysis+of+Caenorhabditis+elegans+in+precise+spatiotemporal+chemical+environments.">High-content behavioral analysis of Caenorhabditis elegans in precise spatiotemporal chemical environments.</a> Nat. Methods. 8, 599-605 (2011).</li><li>Chitwood, D. H., 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=Native+environment+modulates+leaf+size+and+response+to+simulated+foliar+shade+across+wild+tomato+species.">Native environment modulates leaf size and response to simulated foliar shade across wild tomato species.</a> PLoS ONE. 7, e29570 (2012).</li><li>Chitwood, D. H., 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=The+developmental+trajectory+of+leaflet+morphology+in+wild+tomato+species.">The developmental trajectory of leaflet morphology in wild tomato species.</a> Plant Physiol. 158, 1230-1240 (2012).</li><li>Casal, J. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Shade+Avoidance.">Shade Avoidance.</a> The Arabidopsis Book. , e0157 (2012).</li><li>Smith, H., Kendrick, R. E., Kronenberg, G. H. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Photomorphogenesis in Plants. , 377-416 (1994).</li><li>Iwata, H., Ukai, Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=SHAPE:+a+computer+program+package+for+quantitative+evaluation+of+biological+shapes+based+on+elliptic+Fourier+descriptors.">SHAPE: a computer program package for quantitative evaluation of biological shapes based on elliptic Fourier descriptors.</a> J. Hered. 93, 384-385 (2002).</li><li>Bylesjo, M., 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=LAMINA:+a+tool+for+rapid+quantification+of+leaf+size+and+shape+parameters.">LAMINA: a tool for rapid quantification of leaf size and shape parameters.</a> BMC Plant Biol. 8, 82 (2008).</li><li>Weight, C., Parnham, D., Waites, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=LeafAnalyser:+a+computational+method+for+rapid+and+large-scale+analyses+of+leaf+shape+variation.">LeafAnalyser: a computational method for rapid and large-scale analyses of leaf shape variation.</a> Plant J. 53, 578-586 (2008).</li><li>Backhaus, A., 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=LEAFPROCESSOR:+a+new+leaf+phenotyping+tool+using+contour+bending+energy+and+shape+cluster+analysis.">LEAFPROCESSOR: a new leaf phenotyping tool using contour bending energy and shape cluster analysis.</a> New Phytol. 187, 251-261 (2010).</li><li>Tsukaya, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mechanisms+of+Leaf-shape+determination.">Mechanisms of Leaf-shape determination.</a> Annual Review of Plant Biology. 57, 477-496 (2006).</li><li>Abramoff, M. D., Magalhaes, P. J., Ram, S. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Image+Processing+with+ImageJ.">Image Processing with ImageJ.</a> Biophotonics International. 11, 36-42 (2004).</li><li>Horiguchi, G., Fujikura, U., Ferjani, A., Ishikawa, N., Tsukaya, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Large-scale+histological+analysis+of+leaf+mutants+using+two+simple+leaf+observation+methods:+identification+of+novel+genetic+pathways+governing+the+size+and+shape+of+leaves.">Large-scale histological analysis of leaf mutants using two simple leaf observation methods: identification of novel genetic pathways governing the size and shape of leaves.</a> Plant. 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Nessun conflitto di interessi dichiarati.

Il nostro plugin &quot;LeafJ&quot; consente la misurazione della lunghezza picciolo semi-automaticamente, aumentando il throughput quasi 6 volte misurazione manuale. Lunghezza Picciolo è un indice importante della SAS ed è anche un punto di riferimento di altri fenomeni, come la resistenza sommersione e la crescita hyponastic 17. Pertanto questo plugin può essere utile per una vasta gamma di ricercatori vegetali. Il nostro plugin è implementato in una ben consolidata java basa...

<html><table border="1"><tbody><tr><td> Nome del reagente </td><td> Azienda </td><td> Numero di catalogo </td><td></td></tr><tr><td> lontano luce rossa del LED </td><td> Orbitec </td><td> su misura </td><td></td></tr><tr><td> trasparenza </td><td> IKON </td><td> HSCA / 5 </td><td></td></tr><tr><td> scanner </td><td> Epson </td><td> Epson Perfection V700 Photo </td><td></td></tr><tr><td> Immagine J </td><td> NIH </td><td></td><td> <a href="http://rsbweb.nih.gov/ij/" target="_blank">http://rsbweb.nih.gov/ij/</a> </td></tr><tr><td> LeafJ </td><td> costume </td><td></td><td> <a href="http://www.openwetware.org/wiki/Maloof_Lab" target="_blank">http://www.openwetware.org/wiki/Maloof_Lab</a> </td></tr><tr><td> Aria di visualizzazione </td><td> Avatron Software Inc. </td><td></td><td>blank &quot;&gt; http://avatron.com/ </td></tr><tr><td> iPad2 </td><td> Apple Inc. </td><td></td><td> <a href="http://www.apple.com/" target="_blank">http://www.apple.com/</a> </td></tr></tbody></table>

leafj: an imagej plugin for semi-automated leaf shape measurement

Fenotipizzazione High throughput (phenomics) è un potente strumento per collegare i geni alle loro funzioni (leggi l&#39;articolo 1 e recenti esempi 2-4). Foglie sono l&#39;organo fotosintetica primaria, e la loro dimensione e la forma variano evolutivamente e ambientalmente nell&#39;impianto. Per queste ragioni gli studi sulla morfologia delle foglie richiedono la misurazione di parametri multipli da numerose foglie, che è meglio fare da strumenti phenomics semi-automatici 5,6. Ombra Canopy è un importante spunto ambientale che colpisce l&#39;architettura vegetale e storia di vita, la suite di risposte è la denominazione collettiva di evitare la sindrome di tonalità (SAS) 7. Tra le risposte SAS, ombra indotta allungamento foglia picciolo e le variazioni di area di lama sono particolarmente utili come indici 8. Ad oggi, i programmi a foglia (ad esempio SHAPE 9, LAMINA 10, LeafAnalyzer 11, LEAFPROCESSOR 12) in grado di misurare e classificare i contorni foglia forma delle foglie, Ma non può emettere lunghezza picciolo. La mancanza di sistemi su larga scala di misura di piccioli fogliari ha inibito approcci phenomics a SAS di ricerca. In questo articolo, si descrive un plugin di nuova concezione ImageJ, chiamato LeafJ, che possono rapidamente misurare la lunghezza picciolo ei parametri lama foglia della pianta modello Arabidopsis thaliana. Per la foglia occasionale che la correzione manuale richiesta del picciolo / foglie confine lama abbiamo usato un touch-screen tablet. Inoltre, cellule forma di foglia e il numero di cellule foglia sono importanti determinanti della dimensione del foglio 13. Separata da LeafJ si presentano anche un protocollo per l&#39;utilizzo di un touch-screen tablet per misurare la forma delle cellule, l&#39;area e dimensione. Il nostro sistema di foglia tratto di misurazione non si limita alla prevenzione ombra di ricerca e accelererà fenotipizzazione foglia di mutanti e piante di screening di fenotipizzazione foglia.

1. Immagini Leaf Mostra stime del picciolo e Blade Boundary foglia, e la loro finestra di misura Una delle caratteristiche più utili di LeafJ è il rilevamento automatico della foglia lama / picciolo confine (Figura 1). L&#39;algoritmo LeafJ funziona come segue: la funzionalità incorporata ImageJ ParticleAnalyzer viene utilizzata per individuare e determinare l&#39;orientamento delle foglie all&#39;interno della selezione dell&#39;utente. Per ciascuna anta la larghezza della ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about LeafJ: An ImageJ Plugin for Semi-automated Leaf Shape Measurement at JoVE.com

LeafJ: An ImageJ Plugin for Semi-automated Leaf Shape Measurement

Dimostrazione di metodi chiave per le misurazioni ad alta foglia di throughput. Questi metodi possono essere utilizzati per accelerare la fenotipizzazione foglia nello studio di molte piante mutanti o comunque impianti di vagliatura da fenotipo foglia.

LeafJ: un plugin per ImageJ semi-automatico di misurazione Leaf Shape

High throughput phenotyping (phenomics) is a powerful tool for linking genes to their functions (see review1 and recent examples2-4). Leaves are the ...

leafj-an-imagej-plugin-for-semi-automated-leaf-shape-measurement

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

28.1K Views.  University of California Davis. Dimostrazione di metodi chiave per le misurazioni ad alta foglia di throughput. Questi metodi possono essere utilizzati per accelerare la fenotipizzazione foglia nello studio di molte piante mutanti o comunque impianti di vagliatura da fenotipo foglia.

Video: LeafJ: An ImageJ Plugin for Semi-automated Leaf Shape Measurement

Semi-automated Optical Heartbeat Analysis of Small Hearts

We have developed a method for analyzing high speed optical recordings from Drosophila, zebrafish and embryonic mouse hearts (Fink, et. al., 2009). Our Semi-automatic Optical Heartbeat Analysis (SOHA) uses a novel movement detection algorithm that is able to detect cardiac movements associated with individual contractile and relaxation events. The program provides a host of physiologically relevant readouts including systolic and diastolic intervals, heart rate, as well as qualitative and quantitative measures of heartbeat arrhythmicity. The program also calculates heart diameter measurements during both diastole and systole from which fractional shortening and fractional area changes are calculated. Output is provided as a digital file compatible with most spreadsheet programs. Measurements are made for every heartbeat in a record increasing the statistical power of the output. We demonstrate each of the steps where user input is required and show the application of our methodology to the analysis of heart function in all three genetically tractable heart models.

We have developed a Semi-automated Optical Heartbeat Analysis method (SOHA) for analyzing high speed optical recordings from Drosophila, zebrafish and embryonic mouse hearts. We demonstrate the application of our methodology to the analysis of heart function in fruit fly and embryonic mouse hearts.

Semiautomatici Analisi Heartbeat ottica di piccoli cuori

We have developed a method for analyzing high speed optical recordings from Drosophila, zebrafish and embryonic mouse hearts (Fink, et. al., 2009). Our ...

Ricerca

Biologia

RNA Secondary Structure Prediction Using High-throughput SHAPE

Understanding the function of RNA involved in biological processes requires a thorough knowledge of RNA structure. Toward this end, the methodology dubbed "high-throughput selective 2' hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension", or SHAPE, allows prediction of RNA secondary structure with single nucleotide resolution. This approach utilizes chemical probing agents that preferentially acylate single stranded or flexible regions of RNA in aqueous solution. Sites of chemical modification are detected by reverse transcription of the modified RNA, and the products of this reaction are fractionated by automated capillary electrophoresis (CE). Since reverse transcriptase pauses at those RNA nucleotides modified by the SHAPE reagents, the resulting cDNA library indirectly maps those ribonucleotides that are single stranded in the context of the folded RNA. Using ShapeFinder software, the electropherograms produced by automated CE are processed and converted into nucleotide reactivity tables that are themselves converted into pseudo-energy constraints used in the RNAStructure (v5.3) prediction algorithm. The two-dimensional RNA structures obtained by combining SHAPE probing with in silico RNA secondary structure prediction have been found to be far more accurate than structures obtained using either method alone.

High-throughput selective 2' hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE) utilizes a novel chemical probing technology, reverse transcription, capillary electrophoresis and secondary structure prediction software to determine the structures of RNAs from several hundred to several thousand nucleotides at single nucleotide resolution.

RNA Secondaria previsione della struttura utilizzando la forma di alta velocità

Understanding the function of RNA involved in biological processes requires a thorough knowledge of RNA structure. Toward this end, the methodology dubbed ...

An Innovative Method for Exosome Quantification and Size Measurement

Although the biological importance of exosomes has recently gained an increasing amount of scientific and clinical attention, much is still unknown about their complex pathways, their bioavailability and their diverse functions in health and disease. Current work focuses on the presence and the behavior of exosomes (in vitro as well as in vivo) in the context of different human disorders, especially in the fields of oncology, gynecology and cardiology.
Unfortunately, neither a consensus regarding a gold standard for exosome isolation exists, nor is there an agreement on such a method for their quantitative analysis. As there are many methods for the purification of exosomes and also many possibilities for their quantitative and qualitative analysis, it is difficult to determine a combination of methods for the ideal approach. 
Here, we demonstrate nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), a semi-automated method for the characterization of exosomes after isolation from human plasma by ultracentrifugation. The presented results show that this approach for isolation, as well as the determination of the average number and size of exosomes, delivers reproducible and valid data, as confirmed by other methods, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

A method for isolation of exosomes from whole blood and further analysis by nanoparticle tracking using a semi-automatic instrument is presented in this article. The presented technology provides an extremely sensitive method for visualizing and analyzing particles in liquid suspension.

Un metodo innovativo per Exosome quantificazione e Size Measurement

Although the biological importance of exosomes has recently gained an increasing amount of scientific and clinical attention, much is still unknown about ...

An Improved Method for Accurate and Rapid Measurement of Flight Performance in Drosophila

Drosophila has proven to be a useful model system for analysis of behavior, including flight. The initial flight tester involved dropping flies into an oil-coated graduated cylinder; landing height provided a measure of flight performance by assessing how far flies will fall before producing enough thrust to make contact with the wall of the cylinder. Here we describe an updated version of the flight tester with four major improvements. First, we added a &#34;drop tube&#34; to ensure that all flies enter the flight cylinder at a similar velocity between trials, eliminating variability between users. Second, we replaced the oil coating with removable plastic sheets coated in Tangle-Trap, an adhesive designed to capture live insects. Third, we use a longer cylinder to enable more accurate discrimination of flight ability. Fourth we use a digital camera and imaging software to automate the scoring of flight performance. These improvements allow for the rapid, quantitative assessment of flight behavior, useful for large datasets and large-scale genetic screens.

An Improved Method for Accurate and Rapid Measurement of Flight Performance in Drosophila

Here we describe a method for rapid and accurate measurement of flight performance in Drosophila, enabling high-throughput screening.

Un metodo migliore per precisa e rapida misurazione delle performance in volo<em&gt; Drosophila</em

Drosophila has proven to be a useful model system for analysis of behavior, including flight. The initial flight tester involved dropping flies into an ...

Semi-automated Imaging of Tissue-specific Fluorescence in Zebrafish Embryos

Zebrafish embryos are a powerful tool for large-scale screening of small molecules. Transgenic zebrafish that express fluorescent reporter proteins are frequently used to identify chemicals that modulate gene expression. Chemical screens that assay fluorescence in live zebrafish often rely on expensive, specialized equipment for high content screening. We describe a procedure using a standard epifluorescence microscope with a motorized stage to automatically image zebrafish embryos and detect tissue-specific fluorescence. Using transgenic zebrafish that report estrogen receptor activity via expression of GFP, we developed a semi-automated procedure to screen for estrogen receptor ligands that activate the reporter in a tissue-specific manner. In this video we describe procedures for arraying zebrafish embryos at 24-48 hours post fertilization (hpf) in a 96-well plate and adding small molecules that bind estrogen receptors. At 72-96 hpf, images of each well from the entire plate are automatically collected and manually inspected for tissue-specific fluorescence. This protocol demonstrates the ability to detect estrogens that activate receptors in heart valves but not in liver.

Described here is a protocol for semi-automated imaging of tissue-specific fluorescence in zebrafish embryos.

Imaging semi-automatico di fluorescenza tessuto-specifica in embrioni di zebrafish

Zebrafish embryos are a powerful tool for large-scale screening of small molecules. Transgenic zebrafish that express fluorescent reporter proteins are ...

Relating Stomatal Conductance to Leaf Functional Traits

Leaf functional traits are important because they reflect physiological functions, such as transpiration and carbon assimilation. In particular, morphological leaf traits have the potential to summarize plants strategies in terms of water use efficiency, growth pattern and nutrient use. The leaf economics spectrum (LES) is a recognized framework in functional plant ecology and reflects a gradient of increasing specific leaf area (SLA), leaf nitrogen, phosphorus and cation content, and decreasing leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and carbon nitrogen ratio (CN). The LES describes different strategies ranging from that of short-lived leaves with high photosynthetic capacity per leaf mass to long-lived leaves with low mass-based carbon assimilation rates. However, traits that are not included in the LES might provide additional information on the species&#39; physiology, such as those related to stomatal control. Protocols are presented for a wide range of leaf functional traits, including traits of the LES, but also traits that are independent of the LES. In particular, a new method is introduced that relates the plants&#8217; regulatory behavior in stomatal conductance to vapor pressure deficit. The resulting parameters of stomatal regulation can then be compared to the LES and other plant functional traits. The results show that functional leaf traits of the LES were also valid predictors for the parameters of stomatal regulation. For example, leaf carbon concentration was positively related to the vapor pressure deficit (vpd) at the point of inflection and the maximum of the conductance-vpd curve. However, traits that are not included in the LES added information in explaining parameters of stomatal control: the vpd at the point of inflection of the conductance-vpd curve was lower for species with higher stomatal density and higher stomatal index. Overall, stomata and vein traits were more powerful predictors for explaining stomatal regulation than traits used in the LES.

Unraveling how physiology and morphology are linked allows a deeper understanding of mechanistic functioning of plant leaves. We present both a procedure to derive parameters of stomatal regulation from stomatal conductance measurements and correlations with traditional functional leaf traits.

Relative conduttanza stomatica a Leaf tratti funzionali

Leaf functional traits are important because they reflect physiological functions, such as transpiration and carbon assimilation. In particular, ...

Automated Quantification and Analysis of Cell Counting Procedures Using ImageJ Plugins

The National Institute of Health&#39;s ImageJ is a powerful, freely available image processing software suite. ImageJ has comprehensive particle analysis algorithms which can be used effectively to count various biological particles. When counting large numbers of cell samples, the hemocytometer presents a bottleneck with regards to time. Likewise, counting membranes from migration/invasion assays with the ImageJ plugin Cell Counter, although accurate, is exceptionally labor intensive, subjective, and infamous for causing wrist pain. To address this need, we developed two plugins within ImageJ for the sole task of automated hemocytometer (or known volume) and migration/invasion cell counting. Both plugins rely on the ability to acquire high quality micrographs with minimal background. They are easy to use and optimized for quick counting and analysis of large sample sizes with built-in analysis tools to help calibration of counts. By combining the core principles of Cell Counter with an automated counting algorithm and post-counting analysis, this greatly increases the ease with which migration assays can be processed without any loss of accuracy.

This paper describes the quantification of hemocytometer and migration/invasion micrographs through two new open-source ImageJ plugins Cell Concentration Calculator and migration assay Counter. Furthermore, it describes image acquisition and calibration protocols as well as discusses in detail the input requirements of the plugins.

Automated quantificazione e analisi di procedure di conteggio delle cellule Uso ImageJ Plugin

The National Institute of Health&#39;s ImageJ is a powerful, freely available image processing software suite. ImageJ has comprehensive particle analysis ...

Clock Scan Protocol for Image Analysis: ImageJ Plugins

The clock scan protocol for image analysis is an efficient tool to quantify the average pixel intensity within, at the border, and outside (background) a closed or segmented convex-shaped region of interest, leading to the generation of an averaged integral radial pixel-intensity profile. This protocol was originally developed in 2006, as a visual basic 6 script, but as such, it had limited distribution. To address this problem and to join similar recent efforts by others, we converted the original clock scan protocol code into two Java-based plugins compatible with NIH-sponsored and freely available image analysis programs like ImageJ or Fiji ImageJ. Furthermore, these plugins have several new functions, further expanding the range of capabilities of the original protocol, such as analysis of multiple regions of interest and image stacks. The latter feature of the program is especially useful in applications in which it is important to determine changes related to time and location. Thus, the clock scan analysis of stacks of biological images may potentially be applied to spreading of Na+ or Ca++ within a single cell, as well as to the analysis of spreading activity (e.g., Ca++ waves) in populations of synaptically-connected or gap junction-coupled cells. Here, we describe these new clock scan plugins and show some examples of their applications in image analysis.

This paper describes two novel ImageJ plugins for &#39;Clock Scan&#39; image analysis. These plugins expand the functionality of the original visual basic 6 program and, most importantly, make the program available to a large research community by bundling it with the ImageJ free image analysis software package.

Protocollo di controllo dell&#39;orologio per l&#39;analisi delle immagini: plugin ImageJ

The clock scan protocol for image analysis is an efficient tool to quantify the average pixel intensity within, at the border, and outside (background) a ...

Isolamento semi-automatico del tessuto adiposo bianco murino

Semi-Automated Isolation of the Stromal Vascular Fraction from Murine White Adipose Tissue Using a Tissue Dissociator

The in vitro study of white, brown, and beige adipocyte differentiation enables the investigation of cell-autonomous functions of adipocytes and their mechanisms. Immortalized white preadipocyte cell lines are publicly available and widely used. However, the emergence of beige adipocytes in white adipose tissue in response to external cues is difficult to recapitulate to the full extent using publicly available white adipocyte cell lines. Isolation of the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) from murine adipose tissue is commonly executed to obtain primary preadipocytes and perform adipocyte differentiation. However, mincing and collagenase digestion of adipose tissue by hand can result in experimental variation and is prone to contamination. Here, we present a modified semi-automated protocol that utilizes a tissue dissociator for collagenase digestion to achieve easier isolation of the SVF, with the aim of reducing experimental variation, reducing contamination, and increasing reproducibility. The obtained preadipocytes and differentiated adipocytes can be used for functional and mechanistic analyses.

Autore in primo piano: Isolamento semi-automatico della frazione vascolare stromale dal tessuto adiposo bianco murino utilizzando un dissociatore tissutale  

This protocol describes the semi-automated isolation of the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) from murine adipose tissue to obtain preadipocytes and achieve adipocyte differentiation in vitro. Using a tissue dissociator for collagenase digestion reduces experimental variation and increases reproducibility.

Isolamento semi-automatico della frazione vascolare stromale dal tessuto adiposo bianco murino mediante un dissociatore tissutale

The in vitro study of white, brown, and beige adipocyte differentiation enables the investigation of cell-autonomous functions of adipocytes and their ...