Microscopic image analysis using computer-assisted methodology to quantify immunostained receptors

Image analysis is a rapidly expanding field, with large diversity of applications in life sciences, including basic and clinical research, biology, etc. Since most of images in life science are acquired through microscopy, procedures and methods for image analysis present some specificities. In this chapter, an overview on the fundamentals of imaging, processing, staining and analysis in biological tissues is presented guiding the reader through the basic and advanced knowledge of major quantitative image analysis approaches. A validated semi-automated computer assisted image analysis to quantify immunostained receptors in vascular tissue sections (specimens that might not fill the entire image filed of the microscope) is described. This methodology provides an objective description of the differences in receptors staining patterns among sets of tissues and comparison among experimental groups. With that, quantitative evaluation of immunostained receptors in tissue sections provides information about receptor imbalance and/or overexpression that might contribute to a more accurate elucidation of their putative physiological and/or pathophysiological role. In summary, microscope image analysis using computer-assisted methodology to quantify immunostained receptors would be pertinent to applications in both basic and clinical studies.