A Bayesian filtering approach to incorporate 2D/3D time-lapse confocal images for tracking angiogenic sprouting cells interacting with the gel matrix

We present a new approach to incorporating information from heterogeneous images of migrating cells in 3D gel. We study 3D angiogenic sprouting, where cells burrow into the gel matrix, communicate with other cells and create vascular networks. We combine time-lapse fluorescent images of stained cell nuclei and transmitted light images of the background gel to track cell trajectories. The nuclei images are sampled less frequently due to photo toxicity. Hence, 3D cell tracking can be performed more reliably when 2D sprout profiles, extracted from gel matrix images, are effectively incorporated. We employ a Bayesian filtering approach to optimally combine the two heterogeneous images with different sampling rates. We construct stochastic models to predict cell locations and sprout profiles and condition the likelihood of nuclei location by the sprout profile. The conditional distribution is non-Gaussian and the cell dynamics is non-linear. To jointly update cell and sprout estimates, we use a Rao-Blackwell particle filter. Simulation and experimental results show accurate tracking of multiple cells along with sprout formation, demonstrating synergistic effects of incorporating the two types of images.