Slow integrin-dependent migration organizes networks of tissue-resident mast cells.

Immune cell locomotion is associated with amoeboid migration, a flexible mode of movement, which depends on rapid cycles of actin polymerization and actomyosin contraction1. Many immune cells do not necessarily require integrins, the major family of adhesion receptors in mammals, to move productively through three-dimensional tissue spaces2,3. Instead, they can use alternative strategies to transmit their actin-driven forces to the substrate, explaining their migratory adaptation to changing external environments4-6. However, whether these generalized concepts apply to all immune cells is unclear. Here, we show that the movement of mast cells (immune cells with important roles during allergy and anaphylaxis) differs fundamentally from the widely applied paradigm of interstitial immune cell migration. We identify a crucial role for integrin-dependent adhesion in controlling mast cell movement and localization to anatomical niches rich in KIT ligand, the major mast cell growth and survival factor. Our findings show that substrate-dependent haptokinesis is an important mechanism for the tissue organization of resident immune cells.

T Cell Zone Resident Macrophages Silently Dispose of Apoptotic Cells in the Lymph Node.

In lymph nodes (LNs), dendritic cells (DCs) are thought to dispose of apoptotic cells, a function pertaining to macrophages in other tissues. We found that a population of CX3CR1+ MERTK+ cells located in the T cell zone of LNs, previously identified as DCs, are efferocytic macrophages. Lineage-tracing experiments and shield chimeras indicated that these T zone macrophages (TZM) are long-lived macrophages seeded in utero and slowly replaced by blood monocytes after birth. Imaging the LNs of mice in which TZM and DCs express different fluorescent proteins revealed that TZM-and not DCs-act as the only professional scavengers, clearing apoptotic cells in the LN T cell zone in a CX3CR1-dependent manner. Furthermore, similar to other macrophages, TZM appear inefficient in priming CD4 T cells. Thus, efferocytosis and T cell activation in the LN are uncoupled processes designated to macrophages and DCs, respectively, with implications to the maintenance of immune homeostasis.

Clonal Proliferation and Stochastic Pruning Orchestrate Lymph Node Vasculature Remodeling.

Lymph node (LN) expansion during an immune response relies on the transient remodeling of its vasculature. Although the mechanisms driving LN endothelial cell division are beginning to be understood, a comprehensive view of LN endothelial cell dynamics at the single-cell level is lacking. Here, we used multicolored fluorescent fate-mapping models to track the behavior of blood endothelial cells during LN expansion upon inflammation and subsequent return to homeostasis. We found that expansion of the LN vasculature relied on the sequential assembly of endothelial cell proliferative units. This segmented growth was sustained by the clonal proliferation of high endothelial venule (HEV) cells, which act as local progenitors to create capillaries and HEV neo-vessels at the periphery of the LN. Return to homeostasis was accompanied by the stochastic death of pre-existing and neo-synthesized LN endothelial cells. Thus, our fate-mapping studies unravel-at a single-cell level-the complex dynamics of vascular-tree remodeling during LN expansion and contraction.

[ARMD reaction patterns in knee arthroplasty : A novel hypothetical mechanism: hingiosis]. / ARMD-Reaktionsmuster bei Kniegelenkendoprothesen : Ein neuer hypothetischer Mechanismus: Hingiose.

BACKGROUND: There are case descriptions of pronounced peri-implant inflammatory reactions and necrosis in non-infectious knee joint replacements with metal-polyethylene pairing. OBJECTIVES: Due to the histopathological similarities to the dysfunctional metal-on-metal (MoM) hip joint replacement, MoM-like reactions in knee joint arthroplasty ("ARMD-KEP") are proposed and a histopathological comparison is made. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This analysis evaluates five cases of "ARMD-KEP" using: (1) the SLIM consensus classification, (2) the particle algorithm, (3) the CD3 focus score and (4) the AVAL score. The comparison groups consist of 11 adverse cases of MoM hip and 20 cases of knee joint arthroplasty without adverse reaction. RESULTS: The ARMD-KEP cases were identified as SLIM type VI. Their median ALVAL score was 10. The CD3 focus score confirmed an adverse reaction. Particle corrosion was found in two of five cases. CONCLUSIONS: This data indicates that, in rare cases, an adverse MoM-like reaction may be present in knee replacements, with inflammatory and immunological expression similar to that of the adverse MoM reaction in the hip. The pathomechanisms can be discussed as follows: (1) secondary metal-metal contact, (2) dysfunctional loading of the coupling mechanism and (3) corrosion of the metal components. Much like trunnionosis in the hip, the term "hingiosis" is proposed for corrosion phenomena in dysfunctional conditions of coupled knee endoprosthetic systems.

Update on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer, including recommendations to assess TILs in residual disease after neoadjuvant therapy and in carcinoma in situ: A report of the International Immuno-Oncology Biomarker Working Group on Breast Cancer.

Morphological evaluation of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer is gaining momentum as evidence strengthens the clinical relevance of this immunological biomarker. TILs in the post-neoadjuvant residual disease setting are acquiring increasing importance as a stratifying marker in clinical trials, considering the raising interest on immunotherapeutic strategies after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. TILs in ductal carcinoma in situ, with or without invasive carcinoma, represent an emerging area of clinical breast cancer research. The aim of this report is to update pathologists, clinicians and researchers on TIL assessment in both the post-neoadjuvant residual disease and the ductal carcinoma in situ settings. The International Immuno-Oncology Working Group proposes a method for assessing TILs in these settings, based on the previously published International Guidelines on TIL Assessment in Breast Cancer. In this regard, these recommendations represent a consensus guidance for pathologists, aimed to achieve the highest possible consistency among future studies.

Assessing Tumor-infiltrating Lymphocytes in Solid Tumors: A Practical Review for Pathologists and Proposal for a Standardized Method From the International Immunooncology Biomarkers Working Group: Part 1: Assessing the Host Immune Response, TILs in Invasive Breast Carcinoma and Ductal Carcinoma In Situ, Metastatic Tumor Deposits and Areas for Further Research.

Assessment of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in histopathologic specimens can provide important prognostic information in diverse solid tumor types, and may also be of value in predicting response to treatments. However, implementation as a routine clinical biomarker has not yet been achieved. As successful use of immune checkpoint inhibitors and other forms of immunotherapy become a clinical reality, the need for widely applicable, accessible, and reliable immunooncology biomarkers is clear. In part 1 of this review we briefly discuss the host immune response to tumors and different approaches to TIL assessment. We propose a standardized methodology to assess TILs in solid tumors on hematoxylin and eosin sections, in both primary and metastatic settings, based on the International Immuno-Oncology Biomarker Working Group guidelines for TIL assessment in invasive breast carcinoma. A review of the literature regarding the value of TIL assessment in different solid tumor types follows in part 2. The method we propose is reproducible, affordable, easily applied, and has demonstrated prognostic and predictive significance in invasive breast carcinoma. This standardized methodology may be used as a reference against which other methods are compared, and should be evaluated for clinical validity and utility. Standardization of TIL assessment will help to improve consistency and reproducibility in this field, enrich both the quality and quantity of comparable evidence, and help to thoroughly evaluate the utility of TILs assessment in this era of immunotherapy.

Assessing Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Solid Tumors: A Practical Review for Pathologists and Proposal for a Standardized Method from the International Immuno-Oncology Biomarkers Working Group: Part 2: TILs in Melanoma, Gastrointestinal Tract Carcinomas, Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma and Mesothelioma, Endometrial and Ovarian Carcinomas, Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck, Genitourinary Carcinomas, and Primary Brain Tumors.

Assessment of the immune response to tumors is growing in importance as the prognostic implications of this response are increasingly recognized, and as immunotherapies are evaluated and implemented in different tumor types. However, many different approaches can be used to assess and describe the immune response, which limits efforts at implementation as a routine clinical biomarker. In part 1 of this review, we have proposed a standardized methodology to assess tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in solid tumors, based on the International Immuno-Oncology Biomarkers Working Group guidelines for invasive breast carcinoma. In part 2 of this review, we discuss the available evidence for the prognostic and predictive value of TILs in common solid tumors, including carcinomas of the lung, gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary system, gynecologic system, and head and neck, as well as primary brain tumors, mesothelioma and melanoma. The particularities and different emphases in TIL assessment in different tumor types are discussed. The standardized methodology we propose can be adapted to different tumor types and may be used as a standard against which other approaches can be compared. Standardization of TIL assessment will help clinicians, researchers and pathologists to conclusively evaluate the utility of this simple biomarker in the current era of immunotherapy.

Standardized evaluation of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in breast cancer: results of the ring studies of the international immuno-oncology biomarker working group.

Multiple independent studies have shown that tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) are prognostic in breast cancer with potential relevance for response to immune-checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Although many groups are currently evaluating TIL, there is no standardized system for diagnostic applications. This study reports the results of two ring studies investigating TIL conducted by the International Working Group on Immuno-oncology Biomarkers. The study aim was to determine the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for evaluation of TIL by different pathologists. A total of 120 slides were evaluated by a large group of pathologists with a web-based system in ring study 1 and a more advanced software-system in ring study 2 that included an integrated feedback with standardized reference images. The predefined aim for successful ring studies 1 and 2 was an ICC above 0.7 (lower limit of 95% confidence interval (CI)). In ring study 1 the prespecified endpoint was not reached (ICC: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.62-0.78). On the basis of an analysis of sources of variation, we developed a more advanced digital image evaluation system for ring study 2, which improved the ICC to 0.89 (95% CI: 0.85-0.92). The Fleiss' kappa value for <60 vs ≥60% TIL improved from 0.45 (ring study 1) to 0.63 in RS2 and the mean concordance improved from 88 to 92%. This large international standardization project shows that reproducible evaluation of TIL is feasible in breast cancer. This opens the way for standardized reporting of tumor immunological parameters in clinical studies and diagnostic practice. The software-guided image evaluation approach used in ring study 2 may be of value as a tool for evaluation of TIL in clinical trials and diagnostic practice. The experience gained from this approach might be applicable to the standardization of other diagnostic parameters in histopathology.

Report on computational assessment of Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes from the International Immuno-Oncology Biomarker Working Group.

Assessment of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is increasingly recognized as an integral part of the prognostic workflow in triple-negative (TNBC) and HER2-positive breast cancer, as well as many other solid tumors. This recognition has come about thanks to standardized visual reporting guidelines, which helped to reduce inter-reader variability. Now, there are ripe opportunities to employ computational methods that extract spatio-morphologic predictive features, enabling computer-aided diagnostics. We detail the benefits of computational TILs assessment, the readiness of TILs scoring for computational assessment, and outline considerations for overcoming key barriers to clinical translation in this arena. Specifically, we discuss: 1. ensuring computational workflows closely capture visual guidelines and standards; 2. challenges and thoughts standards for assessment of algorithms including training, preanalytical, analytical, and clinical validation; 3. perspectives on how to realize the potential of machine learning models and to overcome the perceptual and practical limits of visual scoring.

Tissue clonality of dendritic cell subsets and emergency DCpoiesis revealed by multicolor fate mapping of DC progenitors.

Conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) are found in all tissues and play a key role in immune surveillance. They comprise two major subsets, cDC1 and cDC2, both derived from circulating precursors of cDCs (pre-cDCs), which exited the bone marrow. We show that, in the steady-state mouse, pre-cDCs entering tissues proliferate to give rise to differentiated cDCs, which themselves have residual proliferative capacity. We use multicolor fate mapping of cDC progenitors to show that this results in clones of sister cDCs, most of which comprise a single cDC1 or cDC2 subtype, suggestive of pre-cDC commitment. Upon infection, a surge in the influx of pre-cDCs into the affected tissue dilutes clones and increases cDC numbers. Our results indicate that tissue cDCs can be organized in a patchwork of closely positioned sister cells of the same subset whose coexistence is perturbed by local infection, when the bone marrow provides additional pre-cDCs to meet increased tissue demand.

Epidermal γδ T cells originate from yolk sac hematopoiesis and clonally self-renew in the adult.

The murine epidermis harbors two immune cell lineages, Langerhans cells (LCs) and γδ T cells known as dendritic epidermal T cells (DETCs). LCs develop from both early yolk sac (YS) progenitors and fetal liver monocytes before locally self-renewing in the adult. For DETCs, the mechanisms of homeostatic maintenance and their hematopoietic origin are largely unknown. Here, we exploited multicolor fate mapping systems to reveal that DETCs slowly turn over at steady state. Like for LCs, homeostatic maintenance of DETCs is achieved by clonal expansion of tissue-resident cells assembled in proliferative units. The same mechanism, albeit accelerated, facilitates DETC replenishment upon injury. Hematopoietic lineage tracing uncovered that DETCs are established independently of definitive hematopoietic stem cells and instead originate from YS hematopoiesis, again reminiscent of LCs. DETCs thus resemble LCs concerning their maintenance, replenishment mechanisms, and hematopoietic development, suggesting that the epidermal microenvironment exerts a lineage-independent influence on the initial seeding and homeostatic maintenance of its resident immune cells.

Dynamics of the Intratumoral Immune Response during Progression of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer.

PURPOSE: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have an established impact on the prognosis of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC), however, their role in recurrent ovarian cancer is largely unknown. We therefore systematically investigated TIL densities and MHC class I and II (MHC1, 2) expression in the progression of HGSOC. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ TILs and MHC1, 2 expression were evaluated by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays in 113 paired primary and recurrent HGSOC. TILs were quantified by image analysis. All patients had been included to the EU-funded OCTIPS FP7 project. RESULTS: CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ TILs and MHC1 and MHC2 expression showed significant correlations between primary and recurrent tumor levels (Spearman rho 0.427, 0.533, 0.361, 0.456, 0.526 respectively; P<.0001 each). Paired testing revealed higher CD4+ densities and MHC1 expression in recurrent tumors (Wilcoxon P=.034 and P=.018). There was also a shift towards higher CD3+ TILs levels in recurrent carcinomas when analyzing platinum-sensitive tumors only (Wilcoxon P=.026) and in pairs with recurrent tumor tissue from first relapse only (Wilcoxon P=.031). High MHC2 expression was the only parameter to be significantly linked to prolonged progression-free survival after first relapse (PFS2, log-rank P=.012). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study that analyzed the development of TILs density and MHC expression in paired primary and recurrent HGSOC. The level of the antitumoral immune response in recurrent tumors was clearly dependent on the one in the primary tumor. Our data contribute to the understanding of temporal heterogeneity of HGSOC immune microenvironment and have implications for selection of samples for biomarker testing in the setting of immune-targeting therapeutics.

Fibrosis in low-grade follicular lymphoma - a link to the TH2 immune reaction.

There is evidence from studies on fibrotic diseases that a TH2 polarized immune response, characterized by the production of cytokines like IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 is important for fibrosis development. Data concerning the role of TH2 polarized immune response for fibrogenesis in lymphomas are scarce. Using immunohistochemistry, we investigated paraffin embedded tissue specimens of 58 follicular lymphomas (FL) grade 1/2 with and without fibrosis. In FL with fibrosis, we detected more interfollicular GATA-3 positive lymphocytes and a shift towards a TH2 immune response. In areas of fibrosis, which were enriched with myofibroblasts, we observed a polarization of macrophages towards a M2 phenotype with expression of CD163. Our results hold some evidence that a polarization of the adaptive immune system towards a TH2 immune response in the tumor microenvironment is associated with increased fibrosis, which may indicate its functional relevance for either development or maintenance of fibrosis in FL.

Prognostic impact of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and PD-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in cancer cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in ovarian high grade serous carcinoma.

AIMS: Antibodies targeting the checkpoint molecules programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand PD-L1 are emerging cancer therapeutics. We systematically investigated PD-1 and PD-L1 expression patterns in the poor-prognosis tumor entity high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. METHODS: PD-1 and PD-L1 protein expression was determined by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays from 215 primary cancers both in cancer cells and in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). mRNA expression was measured by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. An in silico validation of mRNA data was performed in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. RESULTS: PD-1 and PD-L1 expression in cancer cells, CD3+, PD-1+, and PD-L1+ TILs densities as well as PD-1 and PD-L1 mRNA levels were positive prognostic factors for progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS), with all factors being significant for PFS (p < 0.035 each), and most being significant for OS. Most factors also had prognostic value that was independent from age, stage, and residual tumor. Moreover, high PD-1+ TILs as well as PD-L1+ TILs densities added prognostic value to CD3+TILs (PD-1+: p = 0.002,; PD-L1+: p = 0.002). The significant positive prognostic impact of PD-1 and PD-L1 mRNA expression could be reproduced in the TCGA gene expression datasets (p = 0.02 and p < 0.0001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Despite their reported immune-modulatory function, high PD-1 and PD-L1 levels are indicators of a favorable prognosis in ovarian cancer. Our data indicate that PD-1 and PD-L1 molecules are biologically relevant regulators of the immune response in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, which is an argument for the evaluation of immune checkpoint inhibiting drugs in this tumor entity.

Strategies for developing Ki67 as a useful biomarker in breast cancer.

Increased proliferation is a hallmark of malignant tumors. The proliferation marker Ki67 has been investigated as a breast cancer biomarker, but despite 32 years of research the best cutpoints and the best methods for determination are still under debate. This review is based on an overview on the efforts to standardize Ki67 and to optimize its performance that was presented at the St. Gallen oncology conference 2015. The clinical validity of Ki67 as a prognostic marker as well as a predictive marker (in the neoadjuvant setting) has been shown in several meta-analyses. Depending on cohort characteristics, molecular subtype and clinical setting, Ki67 is a prognostic marker, a predictive marker, or both. Many different cutpoints for Ki67 have been reported, but it is has not been possible to determine an evidence-based "optimal" cutpoint. This supports the view that Ki67 is continuous marker, reflecting the continuous variation of the proliferation rate in different tumors. We should probably stop looking for an "optimal" cutpoint for Ki67 because it simply does not exist. It is evident from the results of several ring trials that intermediate levels of Ki67 are particularly difficult for standardization. Due to the low analytical validity in the intermediate range as well as intratumoral heterogeneity, the clinical utility of intermediate Ki67 levels is limited. Clinical decisions should not be based on small differences in the intermediate range and additional molecular tests might be necessary for tumors with intermediate Ki67 levels. For the two groups of tumors with a very low or a very high Ki67 a clinical interpretation could be straightforward. Despite these limitations, the assessment of proliferation is a central parameter for tumor characterization and an important element of the pathological assessment.

Standardized Ki67 Diagnostics Using Automated Scoring--Clinical Validation in the GeparTrio Breast Cancer Study.

PURPOSE: Scoring proliferation through Ki67 immunohistochemistry is an important component in predicting therapy response to chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer. However, recent studies have cast doubt on the reliability of "visual" Ki67 scoring in the multicenter setting, particularly in the lower, yet clinically important, proliferation range. Therefore, an accurate and standardized Ki67 scoring is pivotal both in routine diagnostics and larger multicenter studies. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We validated a novel fully automated Ki67 scoring approach that relies on only minimal a priori knowledge on cell properties and requires no training data for calibration. We applied our approach to 1,082 breast cancer samples from the neoadjuvant GeparTrio trial and compared the performance of automated and manual Ki67 scoring. RESULTS: The three groups of autoKi67 as defined by low (≤ 15%), medium (15.1%-35%), and high (>35%) automated scores showed pCR rates of 5.8%, 16.9%, and 29.5%, respectively. AutoKi67 was significantly linked to prognosis with overall and progression-free survival P values P(OS) < 0.0001 and P(PFS) < 0.0002, compared with P(OS) < 0.0005 and P(PFS) < 0.0001 for manual Ki67 scoring. Moreover, automated Ki67 scoring was an independent prognosticator in the multivariate analysis with P(OS) = 0.002, P(PFS) = 0.009 (autoKi67) versus P(OS) = 0.007, PPFS = 0.004 (manual Ki67). CONCLUSIONS: The computer-assisted Ki67 scoring approach presented here offers a standardized means of tumor cell proliferation assessment in breast cancer that correlated with clinical endpoints and is deployable in routine diagnostics. It may thus help to solve recently reported reliability concerns in Ki67 diagnostics.

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with or without carboplatin in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive and triple-negative primary breast cancers.

PURPOSE: Modulation of immunologic interactions in cancer tissue is a promising therapeutic strategy. To investigate the immunogenicity of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) -positive and triple-negative (TN) breast cancers (BCs), we evaluated tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and immunologically relevant genes in the neoadjuvant GeparSixto trial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: GeparSixto investigated the effect of adding carboplatin (Cb) to an anthracycline-plus-taxane combination (PM) on pathologic complete response (pCR). A total of 580 tumors were evaluated before random assignment for stromal TILs and lymphocyte-predominant BC (LPBC). mRNA expression of immune-activating (CXCL9, CCL5, CD8A, CD80, CXCL13, IGKC, CD21) as well as immunosuppressive factors (IDO1, PD-1, PD-L1, CTLA4, FOXP3) was measured in 481 tumors. RESULTS: Increased levels of stromal TILs predicted pCR in univariable (P < .001) and multivariable analyses (P < .001). pCR rate was 59.9% in LPBC and 33.8% for non-LPBC (P < .001). pCR rates ≥ 75% were observed in patients with LPBC tumors treated with PMCb, with a significant test for interaction with therapy in the complete (P = .002) and HER2-positive (P = .006), but not the TNBC, cohorts. Hierarchic clustering of mRNA markers revealed three immune subtypes with different pCR rates (P < .001). All 12 immune mRNA markers were predictive for increased pCR. The highest odds ratios (ORs) were observed for PD-L1 (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.34 to 1.86; P < .001) and CCL5 (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.23 to 1.62; P < .001). CONCLUSION: Immunologic factors were highly significant predictors of therapy response in the GeparSixto trial, particularly in patients treated with Cb. After further standardization, they could be included in histopathologic assessment of BC.

Marginal zone lymphomas with monocytoid morphology express T-bet and are associated with a low number of T cells in extranodal locations.

The presence of tumor cells with monocytoid morphology in marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) has been described previously. Reactive monocytoid B cells bear a distinct immunophenotype and typically express T-bet, which clearly distinguishes them from nodal marginal zone B cells. The latter are positive for CD27 and negative for T-bet. We analyzed 74 MZLs for the expression of T-bet and correlated these results with the presence of monocytoid morphology. Expression of T-bet correlated with the presence of monocytoid morphology in MZLs. In analogy to reactive monocytoid B lymphocytes, we also found a significantly lower relative amount of intratumoral T lymphocytes in extranodal MZL with monocytoid morphology.

Fate mapping reveals origin and dynamics of lymph node follicular dendritic cells.

Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) regulate B cell function and development of high affinity antibody responses but little is known about their biology. FDCs associate in intricate cellular networks within secondary lymphoid organs. In vitro and ex vivo methods, therefore, allow only limited understanding of the genuine immunobiology of FDCs in their native habitat. Herein, we used various multicolor fate mapping systems to investigate the ontogeny and dynamics of lymph node (LN) FDCs in situ. We show that LN FDC networks arise from the clonal expansion and differentiation of marginal reticular cells (MRCs), a population of lymphoid stromal cells lining the LN subcapsular sinus. We further demonstrate that during an immune response, FDCs accumulate in germinal centers and that neither the recruitment of circulating progenitors nor the division of local mature FDCs significantly contributes to this accumulation. Rather, we provide evidence that newly generated FDCs also arise from the proliferation and differentiation of MRCs, thus unraveling a critical function of this poorly defined stromal cell population.

CognitionMaster: an object-based image analysis framework.

BACKGROUND: Automated image analysis methods are becoming more and more important to extract and quantify image features in microscopy-based biomedical studies and several commercial or open-source tools are available. However, most of the approaches rely on pixel-wise operations, a concept that has limitations when high-level object features and relationships between objects are studied and if user-interactivity on the object-level is desired. RESULTS: In this paper we present an open-source software that facilitates the analysis of content features and object relationships by using objects as basic processing unit instead of individual pixels. Our approach enables also users without programming knowledge to compose "analysis pipelines" that exploit the object-level approach. We demonstrate the design and use of example pipelines for the immunohistochemistry-based cell proliferation quantification in breast cancer and two-photon fluorescence microscopy data about bone-osteoclast interaction, which underline the advantages of the object-based concept. CONCLUSIONS: We introduce an open source software system that offers object-based image analysis. The object-based concept allows for a straight-forward development of object-related interactive or fully automated image analysis solutions. The presented software may therefore serve as a basis for various applications in the field of digital image analysis.