Establishment of an AI-supported scoring system for neuroglial cells

The feasibility of a computer-aided scoring system based on artificial intelligence to detect and classify morphological changes in neuroglial cells was assessed in this study. The system was applied to hippocampal organotypic slice cultures (OHC) from 5 to 7 day-old wild-type and TNF-overexpressing...

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Main Authors: Annika Bitsch, Manfred Henrich, Svenja Susanne Erika Körber, Kathrin Büttner, Christiane Herden
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncel.2025.1584422/full
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author Annika Bitsch
Manfred Henrich
Svenja Susanne Erika Körber
Kathrin Büttner
Christiane Herden
Christiane Herden
author_facet Annika Bitsch
Manfred Henrich
Svenja Susanne Erika Körber
Kathrin Büttner
Christiane Herden
Christiane Herden
author_sort Annika Bitsch
collection DOAJ
description The feasibility of a computer-aided scoring system based on artificial intelligence to detect and classify morphological changes in neuroglial cells was assessed in this study. The system was applied to hippocampal organotypic slice cultures (OHC) from 5 to 7 day-old wild-type and TNF-overexpressing mice in order to analyze effects of a proinflammtory stimulus such as TNF. The area fraction of cells, cell number, number of cell processes and area of the cell nucleus were used as target variables. Immunfluorescence labeling was used to visualize neuronal processes (anti-neurofilaments), microglia (anti-Iba1) and astrocytes (anti-GFAP). The analytic system was able to reliably detect differences in the applied target variables such as the increase in neuronal processes over a period of 14 days in both mouse lines. The number of microglial projections and the microglial cell number provided reliable information about activation level. In addition, the area of microglial cell nuclei was suitable for classification of microglia into activity levels. This scoring system was supported by description of morphology, using the automatically created cell masks. Therefore, this scoring system is suitable for morphological description and linking the morphology with the respective cellular activity level employing analyses of large data sets in a short time.
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publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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spelling doaj-art-4d87da8b21644c059f86fda9211173a22025-08-20T03:30:45ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience1662-51022025-06-011910.3389/fncel.2025.15844221584422Establishment of an AI-supported scoring system for neuroglial cellsAnnika Bitsch0Manfred Henrich1Svenja Susanne Erika Körber2Kathrin Büttner3Christiane Herden4Christiane Herden5Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Gießen, GermanyInstitute of Veterinary Pathology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Gießen, GermanyInstitute of Veterinary Pathology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Gießen, GermanyBiomathematics and Data Processing Group of the Department of Veterinary Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Gießen, GermanyInstitute of Veterinary Pathology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Gießen, GermanyCenter of Mind, Brain and Behaviour, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Gießen, GermanyThe feasibility of a computer-aided scoring system based on artificial intelligence to detect and classify morphological changes in neuroglial cells was assessed in this study. The system was applied to hippocampal organotypic slice cultures (OHC) from 5 to 7 day-old wild-type and TNF-overexpressing mice in order to analyze effects of a proinflammtory stimulus such as TNF. The area fraction of cells, cell number, number of cell processes and area of the cell nucleus were used as target variables. Immunfluorescence labeling was used to visualize neuronal processes (anti-neurofilaments), microglia (anti-Iba1) and astrocytes (anti-GFAP). The analytic system was able to reliably detect differences in the applied target variables such as the increase in neuronal processes over a period of 14 days in both mouse lines. The number of microglial projections and the microglial cell number provided reliable information about activation level. In addition, the area of microglial cell nuclei was suitable for classification of microglia into activity levels. This scoring system was supported by description of morphology, using the automatically created cell masks. Therefore, this scoring system is suitable for morphological description and linking the morphology with the respective cellular activity level employing analyses of large data sets in a short time.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncel.2025.1584422/fullneuroglial cellsneuronal projectionsmicrogliaastrocytesartificial intelligence based scoring systemsmorphological complexity
spellingShingle Annika Bitsch
Manfred Henrich
Svenja Susanne Erika Körber
Kathrin Büttner
Christiane Herden
Christiane Herden
Establishment of an AI-supported scoring system for neuroglial cells
Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
neuroglial cells
neuronal projections
microglia
astrocytes
artificial intelligence based scoring systems
morphological complexity
title Establishment of an AI-supported scoring system for neuroglial cells
title_full Establishment of an AI-supported scoring system for neuroglial cells
title_fullStr Establishment of an AI-supported scoring system for neuroglial cells
title_full_unstemmed Establishment of an AI-supported scoring system for neuroglial cells
title_short Establishment of an AI-supported scoring system for neuroglial cells
title_sort establishment of an ai supported scoring system for neuroglial cells
topic neuroglial cells
neuronal projections
microglia
astrocytes
artificial intelligence based scoring systems
morphological complexity
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncel.2025.1584422/full
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AT manfredhenrich establishmentofanaisupportedscoringsystemforneuroglialcells
AT svenjasusanneerikakorber establishmentofanaisupportedscoringsystemforneuroglialcells
AT kathrinbuttner establishmentofanaisupportedscoringsystemforneuroglialcells
AT christianeherden establishmentofanaisupportedscoringsystemforneuroglialcells
AT christianeherden establishmentofanaisupportedscoringsystemforneuroglialcells