Multiplex analysis of mass imaging data: Application to the pathology of experimental myocardial infarction

Abstract

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Subcellular physiology

“…10 Pohl et al 11 highlight the need for comprehensive characterization of cellular marker profiles to enable unbiased screening for the determination of cell identity, as exemplified on endothelial cells and their plasticity in renal disease. Shi et al 12,13 recently described a novel approach to physiological mass cytometry imaging, that is, a spatial analysis workflow to enable multiplex imaging data analysis to study cardiac post-infarction injury. Yeh et.…”

Mass cytometry imaging in physiology

“…In this issue, Shi et al 1 present a novel technique of multiplex analysis of mass spectrometric imaging data, together with its application to cardiac pathology, specifically studying cell infiltration around myocardial infarction over time. Traditionally, such processes are studied on histological sections using antibodies against selected cell markers (immunohistochemistry, IHC, Figure 1).…”

“…Of course, this promising new technique is not limited to cardiovascular studies, but could be applied to other systems and models just as well. The quantitative analysis approach presented by Shi et al 1 is especially suitable for detecting physiologically relevant gradients of molecules and thus should be useful for the field of cell signaling at the tissue level in general, for example, in hypoxia.…”

Development, growth, and beyond

“…11 Other recent advancements have expanded and refined the methodological toolbox to exactly characterize potential disruptions of growth and development. The list is huge -to name but a few examples, pertaining to, for example, analysis of mass imaging data, 12 highly reliable non-invasive organ size determination, 13 spatial transcriptomics 14 or approaches to refine computational modeling of individual organ systems by improving bilateral feedback exchanges with experimental scientists. 15 While growth and development are undoubtedly used beyond their specific meaning with regard to, for example, ontogenic or pediatric development, I would encourage non-native speakers, myself included, to keep our eyes and ears open at all times to the precise and specific meanings of terms we thought we knew fully well, and which we have been using confidently, all the time.…”

“…Other recent advancements have expanded and refined the methodological toolbox to exactly characterize potential disruptions of growth and development. The list is huge ‐ to name but a few examples, pertaining to, for example, analysis of mass imaging data, 12 highly reliable non‐invasive organ size determination, 13 spatial transcriptomics 14 or approaches to refine computational modeling of individual organ systems by improving bilateral feedback exchanges with experimental scientists 15 …”