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Deep Learning Automates the Quantitative Analysis of Individual Cells in Live-Cell Imaging Experiments

Journal Article · · PLoS Computational Biology (Online)
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [4];  [5]
  1. Stanford Univ., CA (United States). Dept. of Bioengineering; Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California
  2. Stanford Univ., CA (United States). Dept. of Chemical and Systems Biology
  3. Stanford Univ., CA (United States). Dept. of Bioengineering
  4. Stanford Univ., CA (United States). Dept. of Genetics. Dept. of Cardiovascular Medicine
  5. Stanford Univ., CA (United States). Dept. of Bioengineering. Dept. of Chemical and Systems Biology

Live-cell imaging has opened an exciting window into the role cellular heterogeneity plays in dynamic, living systems. A major critical challenge for this class of experiments is the problem of image segmentation, or determining which parts of a microscope image correspond to which individual cells. Current approaches require many hours of manual curation and depend on approaches that are difficult to share between labs. They are also unable to robustly segment the cytoplasms of mammalian cells. Here, we show that deep convolutional neural networks, a supervised machine learning method, can solve this challenge for multiple cell types across the domains of life. We demonstrate that this approach can robustly segment fluorescent images of cell nuclei as well as phase images of the cytoplasms of individual bacterial and mammalian cells from phase contrast images without the need for a fluorescent cytoplasmic marker. These networks also enable the simultaneous segmentation and identification of different mammalian cell types grown in co-culture. A quantitative comparison with prior methods demonstrates that convolutional neural networks have improved accuracy and lead to a significant reduction in curation time. We relay our experience in designing and optimizing deep convolutional neural networks for this task and outline several design rules that we found led to robust performance. We conclude that deep convolutional neural networks are an accurate method that require less curation time, are generalizable to a multiplicity of cell types, from bacteria to mammalian cells, and expand live-cell imaging capabilities to include multi-cell type systems.

Research Organization:
Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) (SC-21); National Inst. of Health (NIH) (United States)
Grant/Contract Number:
FG02-97ER25308
OSTI ID:
1425613
Journal Information:
PLoS Computational Biology (Online), Journal Name: PLoS Computational Biology (Online) Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 12; ISSN 1553-7358
Publisher:
Public Library of ScienceCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (63)

Evaluation of Deep Learning Strategies for Nucleus Segmentation in Fluorescence Images journal July 2019
A unified deep-learning network to accurately segment insulin granules of different animal models imaged under different electron microscopy methodologies journal October 2018
Automated Deep Learning-Based System to Identify Endothelial Cells Derived from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells journal June 2018
Data-analysis strategies for image-based cell profiling journal September 2017
Nucleus segmentation across imaging experiments: the 2018 Data Science Bowl journal October 2019
Neural network control of focal position during time-lapse microscopy of cells journal May 2018
Predicting the decision making chemicals used for bacterial growth journal May 2019
The physical boundaries of public goods cooperation between surface-attached bacterial cells journal July 2017
Predicting the future direction of cell movement with convolutional neural networks posted_content September 2018
Segmenting nuclei in brightfield images with neural networks journal September 2019
The Study on Computer Vision-Assisted Cell Bank Construction and Screening and Classification posted_content September 2019
Quantitative scoring of epithelial and mesenchymal qualities of cancer cells using machine learning and quantitative phase imaging journal February 2020
MIBI-TOF: A multiplexed imaging platform relates cellular phenotypes and tissue structure journal October 2019
A deep learning-based algorithm for 2-D cell segmentation in microscopy images journal October 2018
Tools to reverse-engineer multicellular systems: case studies using the fruit fly journal April 2019
Automated morphometry toolbox for analysis of microscopic model organisms using simple bright-field imaging journal February 2019
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Mass Cytometry Imaging for the Study of Human Diseases—Applications and Data Analysis Strategies journal November 2019
Developing Electron Microscopy Tools for Profiling Plasma Lipoproteins Using Methyl Cellulose Embedment, Machine Learning and Immunodetection of Apolipoprotein B and Apolipoprotein(a) journal September 2020
Coding of Experimental Conditions in Microfluidic Droplet Assays Using Colored Beads and Machine Learning Supported Image Analysis journal December 2018
Automated Object Tracing for Biomedical Image Segmentation Using a Deep Convolutional Neural Network book January 2018
Stem cell motion-tracking by using deep neural networks with multi-output journal November 2017
Convolutional neural networks for segmenting xylem vessels in stained cross-sectional images journal October 2019
Perspectives on the Impact of Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Artificial Intelligence on Materials, Processes, and Structures Engineering journal August 2018
Live-cell measurements of kinase activity in single cells using translocation reporters journal December 2017
High-throughput mouse phenomics for characterizing mammalian gene function journal April 2018
Next-generation computational tools for interrogating cancer immunity journal September 2019
Immune monitoring using mass cytometry and related high-dimensional imaging approaches journal December 2019
Deep learning for cellular image analysis journal May 2019
Automated Training of Deep Convolutional Neural Networks for Cell Segmentation journal August 2017
Learning from droplet flows in microfluidic channels using deep neural networks journal May 2019
Cell Type Classification and Unsupervised Morphological Phenotyping From Low-Resolution Images Using Deep Learning journal September 2019
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Convolutional neural networks automate detection for tracking of submicron-scale particles in 2D and 3D journal August 2018
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Opportunities and obstacles for deep learning in biology and medicine posted_content January 2018
Multiplexed Single-cell Metabolic Profiles Organize the Spectrum of Cytotoxic Human T Cells posted_content January 2020
Structured illumination microscopy combined with machine learning enables the high throughput analysis and classification of virus structure posted_content July 2018
Evaluation of Deep Learning Strategies for Nucleus Segmentation in Fluorescence Images posted_content February 2019
On the objectivity, reliability, and validity of deep learning enabled bioimage analyses posted_content July 2020
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A novel machine learning based approach for iPS progenitor cell identification posted_content August 2019
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Artificial Intelligence for Microscopy: What You Should Know posted_content February 2019
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