Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Major/Program
Biomedical Engineering
First Advisor's Name
Dr. Wei-Chiang Lin
First Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Chair
Second Advisor's Name
Dr. Jorge Riera
Second Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Member
Third Advisor's Name
Dr. Ranu Jung
Third Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Member
Fourth Advisor's Name
Dr. Timothy Allen
Fourth Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Member
Keywords
Brain, Cortex, Motor, Somatosensory, Cortical Column, Neuron, Astrocyte, Vasculature, Nuclei, Fractional Volume Analysis, Deconvolution, Nuclei Classification
Date of Defense
7-1-2020
Abstract
Characterization of the complex cortical structure of the brain at a cellular level is a fundamental goal of neuroscience which can provide a better understanding of both normal function as well as disease state progression. Many challenges exist however when carrying out this form of analysis. Immunofluorescent staining is a key technique for revealing 3-dimensional structure, but subsequent fluorescence microscopy is limited by the quantity of simultaneous targets that can be labeled and intrinsic lateral and isotropic axial point-spread function (PSF) blurring during the imaging process in a spectral and depth-dependent manner. Even after successful staining, imaging and optical deconvolution, the sheer density of filamentous processes in the neuropil significantly complicates analysis due to the difficulty of separating individual cells in a highly interconnected network of tightly woven cellular arbors. In order to solve these problems, a variety of methodologies were developed and validated for improved analysis of cortical anatomy. An enhanced immunofluorescent staining and imaging protocol was utilized to precisely locate specific functional regions within brain slices at high magnification and collect four-channel, complete cortical columns. A powerful deconvolution routine was established which collected depth variant PSFs using an optical phantom for image restoration. Fractional volume analysis (FVA) was used to provide preliminary data of the proportions of each stained component in order to statistically characterize the variability within and between the functional regions in a depth-dependent and depth-independent manner. Finally, using machine learning techniques, a supervised learning model was developed that could automatically classify neuronal and astrocytic nuclei within the large cortical column datasets based on perinuclear fluorescence. These annotated nuclei were then used as seed points within their corresponding fluorescent channel for cell individualization in a highly interconnected network. For astrocytes, this technique provides the first method for characterization of complex morphology in an automated fashion over large areas without laborious dye filling or manual tracing.
Identifier
FIDC009178
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0308-8381
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Leichner, Jared, "3D Architectural Analysis of Neurons, Astrocytes, Vasculature & Nuclei in the Motor and Somatosensory Murine Cortical Columns" (2020). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 4457.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/4457
Included in
Bioimaging and Biomedical Optics Commons, Biotechnology Commons, Computational Neuroscience Commons, Data Science Commons, Other Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons
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