Application of digital image analysis on histological images of a murine embryoid body model for monitoring endothelial differentiation

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningfagfællebedømt

  • Nabi Mousavi
  • Marie Birkvig Raft
  • Sarah Line Bring Truelsen
  • Vera Timmermans
  • Jacob Thastrup
  • Heegaard, Steffen

The in vitro 3D model established from murine pluripotential stem cells (i.e., embryoid bodies (EBs)) is a dynamic model for endothelial differentiation. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether digital image analysis (DIA) can be applied on histological sections of EBs in order to quantify endothelial differentiation over time. The EBs were established in suspension cultures for 21 days in three independent replicate experiments. At day 4, 6, 9, 14, 18, and 21, the EBs were fixed in formaldehyde, embedded in paraffin and immunohistochemically (IHC) stained for CD31. The IHC-stained slides were digitally scanned and analysed using the Visiopharm® Quantitative Digital Pathology software Oncotopix™. The EBs developed CD31+ vascular-like structures during their differentiation. The quantitative DIA of the EBs showed that the log10 values of the relative CD31+ areas increased from −0.574 ± 0.470 (mean ± SD) at day 4 to 0.093 ± 0.688 (mean ± SD) at day 21 (p < 0.001). The approach presented in this study is a fast, quantitative and reproducible alternative method for an otherwise time-consuming and observer-dependent histological investigation. The future perspectives for such a system would be implementation of a modified version of the method on different 3D cultures and IHC markers.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
Artikelnummer153225
TidsskriftPathology Research and Practice
Vol/bind216
Udgave nummer11
ISSN0344-0338
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2020

ID: 260990726