Image analysis in fluorescence microscopy: Bacterial dynamics as a case study

Sven van Teeffelen, Joshua W. Shaevitz, Zemer Gitai

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

Fluorescence microscopy is the primary tool for studying complex processes inside individual living cells. Technical advances in both molecular biology and microscopy have made it possible to image cells from many genetic and environmental backgrounds. These images contain a vast amount of information, which is often hidden behind various sources of noise, convoluted with other information and stochastic in nature. Accessing the desired biological information therefore requires new tools of computational image analysis and modeling. Here, we review some of the recent advances in computational analysis of images obtained from fluorescence microscopy, focusing on bacterial systems. We emphasize techniques that are readily available to molecular and cell biologists but also point out examples where problem-specific image analyses are necessary. Thus, image analysis is not only a toolkit to be applied to new images but also an integral part of the design and implementation of a microscopy experiment.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)427-436
Number of pages10
JournalBioEssays
Volume34
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2012

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Keywords

  • Bacteria
  • Computational image analysis
  • Fluorescence microscopy

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