MorphoCellSorter is an Andrews plot-based sorting approach to rank microglia according to their morphological features

• DOI: 10.7554/elife.101630
• Publication Date: 2024-11-18T16:25:15Z
• Authors: Sarah Benkeder; Son-Michel Dinh; Paul Marchal; Priscille De Gea; Muriel Thoby-Brisson; Violaine Hubert; Ines Hristovska; Gabriel Pitollat; Kassandre Combet; Laura Cardoit; Bruno Pillot; Christelle Leon; Marlene Wiart; Serge Marthy; Jérôme Honnorat; Olivier Pascual; Jean-Christophe C...
• Keywords: Plot (graphics); Rank (graph theory)

Microglia exhibit diverse morphologies reflecting environmental conditions, maturity, or functional states. Thus, morphological characterization provides important information to understand microglial roles and functions. Most recent analysis relies on classifying cells based parameters. However, this classification may lack biological relevance, as represent a continuum rather than distinct, separate groups, do not correspond mathematically defined clusters irrelevant of function. Instead, we propose new open-source tool, MorphoCellSorter, which assesses morphology by automatically computing criteria, using principal component Andrews plots score cells. MorphoCellSorter properly ranked from various microglia datasets in mice rats different ages, vivo, vitro, ex vivo models, that were acquired imaging techniques. This approach allowed for the discrimination cell populations pathophysiological conditions. Finally, offers versatile, easy, ready-to-use method evaluate diversity could easily be generalized standardize practices across laboratories.