Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Laboratory of Biology of the Cell Nucleus
GOLD – Software
Gold – software tools for ultrastructural studies
Electron microscopy (EM) is the method of choice to study subcellular compartments in biological samples with high resolution. In many cases, the cellular compartments are defined by the content of specific molecules or by a presence of specific functions and they are morphologically inconspicuous in EM preparations. Such compartments can be detected using antibodies with attached label, usually gold particles. In this case, however, it is necessary to delineate the borders of the immunogold clusters in order to define the topology of the compartment. However, the labeling has a point pattern, while a compartment is a coherent area. In addition, some background labeling is always present which complicates identification of the labeled compartments. Stereological image analysis is therefore required to interpret the density distribution of gold particles.
