MSCProfiler: a single cell image processing workflow to investigate mesenchymal stem cell heterogeneity

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Biotechnology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exhibit significant heterogeneity due to their diverse origins.
• Understanding MSC morphology and immunophenotype is crucial for advancing stem cell therapeutics.
• Existing methods may not fully capture the complex characteristics of MSCs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce MSCProfiler, an automated image analysis pipeline for characterizing mesenchymal stem cells.
• To enable detailed analysis of MSCs' geometrical and textural features.
• To support the development of next-generation stem cell therapies through enhanced MSC profiling.

Main Methods:

• Developed MSCProfiler using CellProfiler software for image analysis.
• Extracted geometrical features (shape, size, eccentricity) and texture features (entropy) from single cell images.
• Quantified surface marker intensity values using imaging flow cytometry data.

Main Results:

• MSCProfiler successfully extracts diverse geometrical and texture features from MSC images.
• The pipeline analyzes both brightfield and fluorescent images, providing comprehensive data.
• Demonstrated potential for analyzing MSCs across various passages and origins.

Conclusions:

• MSCProfiler offers a robust platform for detailed MSC characterization.
• This tool enhances the understanding of MSC immuno-heterogeneity and cellular features.
• Facilitates advancements in stem cell research and therapeutic applications.