Investigation of podosome ring protein arrangement using localization microscopy images

- Podosome rings can be imaged at the nano-scale level using localization microscopy.
- Data consists of discrete points, requiring new analysis methods.
- Podosomes were identified using a model of the ring structure.
- Relative positions of different ring proteins were found.

Podosomes are adhesive structures formed on the plasma membrane abutting the extracellular matrix of macrophages, osteoclasts, and dendritic cells. They consist of an f-actin core and a ring structure composed of integrins and integrin-associated proteins. The podosome ring plays a major role in adhesion to the underlying extracellular matrix, but its detailed structure is poorly understood. Recently, it has become possible to study the nano-scale structure of podosome rings using localization microscopy. Unlike traditional microscopy images, localization microscopy images are reconstructed using discrete points, meaning that standard image analysis methods cannot be applied. Here, we present a pipeline for podosome identification, protein position calculation, and creating a podosome ring model for use with localization microscopy data.

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