The Colocalization Benchmark Source (CBS) is a free collection of downloadable images to test and validate the degree of

colocalization In fluorescence microscopy, colocalization refers to observation of the spatial overlap between two (or more) different fluorescent labels, each having a separate emission wavelength, to see if the different "targets" are located in the same area of ...

of markers in any

fluorescence microscopy A fluorescence microscope is an optical microscope that uses fluorescence instead of, or in addition to, scattering, reflection, and attenuation or absorption, to study the properties of organic or inorganic substances. "Fluorescence microsc ...

studies. Colocalization is a visual phenomenon when two molecules of interest are associated with the same structures in the cells and potentially share common functional characteristics. CBS provides researchers with reference tools to verify the results of

quantitative Quantitative may refer to: * Quantitative research, scientific investigation of quantitative properties * Quantitative analysis (disambiguation) * Quantitative verse, a metrical system in poetry * Statistics, also known as quantitative analysis ...

colocalization measurements. It serves as a specialised

bioimage informatics Bioimage informatics is a subfield of bioinformatics and computational biology. It focuses on the use of computational techniques to analyze bioimages, especially cellular and molecular images, at large scale and high throughput. The goal is to o ...

database In computing, a database is an organized collection of data stored and accessed electronically. Small databases can be stored on a file system, while large databases are hosted on computer clusters or cloud storage. The design of databases sp ...

of computer-simulated images with exactly known (pre-defined) values of colocalization. They were created using image simulation

algorithm In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm () is a finite sequence of rigorous instructions, typically used to solve a class of specific Computational problem, problems or to perform a computation. Algorithms are used as specificat ...

. These

benchmark Benchmark may refer to: Business and economics * Benchmarking, evaluating performance within organizations * Benchmark price * Benchmark (crude oil), oil-specific practices Science and technology * Benchmark (surveying), a point of known elevatio ...

images can be downloaded as sets as well as separately. By calculating and comparing the values of coefficients on their images versus benchmark images, researchers can validate the results of quantitative colocalization studies. The use of CBS images was described in a number of studies.Zinchuk V et al. (2013). "Bridging the gap between qualitative and quantitative colocalization results in fluorescence microscopy studies.
''Sci Rep'' 3:1365 doi:10.1038/srep01365.
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Examples

Researchers can submit examples of custom images when the benchmark images were used to validate colocalization on them. Submitted images are then posted on the site of CBS together with description of their properties and the values of coefficients, such as '' Pearson's correlation coefficient (Rr)'', ''overlap coefficient (R)'', and others. The template for submitting information about custom images can be downloaded from CBS site.

References

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External links

Colocalization Benchmark Source home page
Biological databases Microscopy Fluorescence Medical imaging

Examples

See also

References

External links