3D Visualization of Proteomic Information

Project Description

This work developed methods to pre-process and visualize matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI IMS) data aligned with optically determinable tissue structures in three dimensions. In this procedure, optical images obtained from serial coronal sections of a mouse brain are first aligned to each other and the result used to build a 3-D implicit surface model of the corpus callosum from segmented contours of the aligned images. The MALDI IMS data are then baseline corrected using an algorithm developed by us, and co-registered to the optical images. The proteomic data is then mapped into the 3-D model to provide a full visualization of proteomic data correlated with anatomical structure in a way never before seen. Correlating proteomic data with anatomical structures provides a better understanding of healthy and pathological brain functions, and may be useful in more complex anatomical arrangements.