On this site we provide a collection of ImageJ plugins for analysing dynamics at the leading edge of cells. These plugins are designed to analyze outputs from JFilament and Speckle TrackerJ, two other opensource ImageJ plugins. The plugins are:
LE_Radius: calculates the radial position of the leading edge of cells as a function of angle and time.
LE_Velocity: calculates the radial leading edge velocity of cells as a function of angle and time.
Intensity_Ribbon: calculates the total intensity of a section of lamellipodium as a function of angle and time.
Intensity_Profile: calculates the average intensity profile into a cell.
Crosscorr_1D: calculates the average correlation coefficients of data over time.
Crosscorr_2D: calculates the average correlation coefficients of data over time and angle.
Speckle_Velocity: calculates the velocity of speckles as functions of angle, time, lifetime, and distance from the leading edge.
Speckle_Velocity_NoSnakes: calculates the velocity of speckles as functions of time and lifetime
Download:
You will need to install JFilament and Speckle TrackerJ first. A zip file containing the source code is
available here. To install the plugins, place the unzipped folder into the ImageJ plugins directory. In ImageJ go to Plugins,
'Compile and Run' to compile each .java file. Finally restart ImageJ
and there should be a Leading Edge Analysis Plugins (LEAP) option in your plugins menu, with the compiled plugins indicated.
G. L. Ryan, N. Watanabe, D. Vavylonis,
"Image Analysis Tools to Quantify Cell Shape and Protein Dynamics near the Leading Edge," Cell
Structure and Function (2013).
G. L. Ryan, H. Petroccia, N. Watanabe, D. Vavylonis,
"Excitable Actin Dynamics in Lamellipodial Protrusion and Retraction,"
Biophys. J. 102:1493-1502 (2012).