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Angiogenesis is the generation of mature vascular networks from pre-existing vessels. Angiogenesis is crucial during the organism' development, for wound healing and for the female reproductive cycle. Several murine experimental systems are well suited for studying developmental and pathological angiogenesis. They include the embryonic hindbrain, the post-natal retina and allantois explants. In these systems vascular networks are visualised by appropriate staining procedures followed by microscopical analysis. Nevertheless, quantitative assessment of angiogenesis is hampered by the lack of readily available, standardized metrics and software analysis tools. Non-automated protocols are being used widely and they are, in general, time--and labour intensive, prone to human error and do not permit computation of complex spatial metrics. We have developed a light-weight, user friendly software, AngioTool, which allows for quick, hands-off and reproducible quantification of vascular networks in microscopic images. AngioTool computes several morphological and spatial parameters including the area covered by a vascular network, the number of vessels, vessel length, vascular density and lacunarity. In addition, AngioTool calculates the so-called "branching index" (branch points/unit area), providing a measurement of the sprouting activity of a specimen of interest. We have validated AngioTool using images of embryonic murine hindbrains, post-natal retinas and allantois explants. AngioTool is open source and can be downloaded free of charge.
Pubmed ID: 22110636 RIS Download
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Open source Java based image processing software program designed for scientific multidimensional images. ImageJ has been transformed to ImageJ2 application to improve data engine to be sufficient to analyze modern datasets.
View all literature mentionsIt is now widely known that animals share many genes with humans and can suffer from the same diseases, for example diabetes or deafness. Investigating these diseases in animals can provide vital leads to understanding both their causes and ways to treat them in humans. This approach to medical research lies at the heart of work at the MRC Mammalian Genetics Unit (MGU) at Harwell in Oxfordshire. In 1995 the MRC Radiobiology Unit was reconstituted to form two new units, the Radiation and Genome Stability Unit and the MGU. These opened in January 1996, together with the UK Mouse Genome Centre which is now part of MGU, making MRC Harwell a unique campus for multi-disciplinary genetics research. Since MGU's Director Steve Brown took the reins in 1996, the unit has dramatically expanded its scientific scope and increased its personnel from 40 to over 100. It now has 13 research programs encompassing molecular genetics, genomics, genetic manipulation and data analysis at all levels, from single genes to the whole genome. With a combination of cutting-edge facilities and expertise unrivaled in Europe, MGU Harwell has become firmly established as one of the world's leading academic centres for mouse genetics.
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