A novel quantitative volumetric spreading index definition and assessment of astrocyte spreading in vitro

A novel quantitative volumetric spreading index (VSI) is defined that depends on the total distance between object voxels and the contact surface plane in three-dimensional (3D) space. The VSI, which ranges from 0 to 1, is rotationally invariant around the z-axis. VSI can be used to quantify the degree of individual cell spreading, which is important for analysis of cell interactions with their environment. The VSIs of astrocytes cultured on a nanofibrillar surface and three different comparative planar surfaces have been calculated from confocal laser scanning microscope z-series images, and the effects of both culture surface and immunoreactivity on the degree of cell spreading were investigated. VSI calculations indicated a statistical correlation between increased reactivity, based on immunolabeling for glial fibrillary acidic protein, and decreased cell spreading. Further results provided a quantitative measure for the increased spreading of quiescent-like and reactive-like astrocytes on planar substrates functionalized with poly-l-lysine.