TissueQuest - Cell Analysis Software
TissueQuest is the first software solution worldwide to identify and analyze individual cells in their native tissue environment. It supports any number of fluorescent markers used for this purpose.
Cell identification is not confined to isolated cells. TissueQuest also identifies cells that are agglomerated in dense clusters or have been reduced to ring structures (as is typical of cancer cells).
With Tissue Quest, we offer our customers a unique diagnostic tool. This is the first time that tissue can be mapped and analyzed in a truly objective and reproducible manner.
Regardless of the type and density of cells involved, TissueQuest recognizes their nuclei due to patented image processing algorithms.
By combining specific stainings and algorithms, one can measure staining intensities that are specific for various cell types.
TissueQuest can be used as stand alone application.
Cells are clearly distinguished even:
- in solid tissue structures
- if embedded in clusters
- if nuclei are uniformly stained
- if staining involves ring structures
Identifying individual cells
Selecting cellular staining patterns
Individual cells are identified by capturing distinctive staining patterns (such as nuclei, ring structures and cytoplasm). These patterns can be freely selected by the user. A dedicated master channel to identify nuclei is used for cell segmentation.
Different mask options and quantitative analysis
Analysis of staining intensities can be restricted to the area of the nucleus or can be extended into the cytoplasm. In case of cytoplasmic antigens TissueQuest provides an image processing algorithm that is growing in stained areas around the nucleus.
Representation of Data
Identified cells are immediately displayed on screen as scattergrams, indicating surface area/DNA and staining intensity. Just like in flow cytometry, each dot illustrates one individual cell.
For further analysis, cutoff parameters need to be defined based on the negative control. Then gates are set to define which parameters will be analyzed.
Any cutoffs thus defined can be conveniently copied to the other scattergrams. Several gate settings within the same scattergram can be related to each other. Their shape and color can be individually readjusted.Effective Analysis
The results are immediately displayed after setting the gates.
Calculated parameters include mean intensity, relative/absolute events, and percentage of reactive cells.
The data are output in tabular format broken down into quadrants (UL-Upper Left, UR-Upper Right, LL-Lower Left, LR-Lower Right). In the past, this type of representation could not be modified by adjusting the parameters. With TissueQuest 2.0, however, any modifications made to the cutoffs and/or gates will promptly update the results.
Backward and Forward Gating
TissueQuest offers an innovative function for visual and measurement control.
Backward Gating enables the user to connect backwards from a dot in the dotplot to the specific corresponding cell in the image. By Forward Gating the user is able to locate the dot in the plot corresponding to a specific cell in the image. The function “View event data” reads out all measurement data for an individual cell.
Numerous Applications
Specific cells or cell populations contained in fluorescence-labeled tissue specimens are individually analyzed for specific parameters such as surface-expressed or intracellular molecules.
TissueQuest covers a wide range of possible applications. Here are just a few analysis solutions:
- Individual cells
- Individual cells in tissue
- Individual cells with ring structures
- Individual cells in clusters
- Cytoplasm
Features
- TissueQuest can load complete TissueFAXS projects or import any series of .tif or .jpg images for analysis
- Powerful image processing algorithms for the identification of single cells in tissue based on nuclear staining
- Automatic generation of ”cell body” (cytoplasmatic) masks for intensity measurements
- Complete set of manual modification and correction tools (splitting, merging, deleting and creating nuclei)
- Powerful DotPlot operations -Forward Gating of cells to the DotPlots and Backward Gating of dots, gates or cutoff quadrants to the image
- Unlimited custom DotPlot and histogram generation, also based on gates in existing DotPlots, allow for near-unlimited new analyses and refinement of existing ones
- Extensive printed report and data export options
Attention: Consult operating instructions for use!