Constructing software for analysis of neuron, glial and endothelial cell numbers and density in histological Nissl-stained rodent brain tissue

Cell number, density and volume of white and gray matter in brain structures are not constant values. Cellular alterations in brain areas might coincide with neurological and psychiatric pathologies as well as with changes in brain functionality during selection experiments, pharmacological treatment or aging. Several softwares were created to facilitate quantitative analysis of brain tissues, however results obtained from these softwares require multiple manual settings making the computing process complex and time-consuming. This study attempts to establish half automated software for fast, ergonomic and an accurate analysis of cellular density, cell number and cellular surface in morphologically different brain areas: cerebral cortex, pond and cerebellum. Images of brain sections of bank voles stained with standard cresyl-violet technique (Nissl staining), were analyzed in designed software. Results were compared with other commercially available tools regarding number of steps to be done by user and number of parameters possible to measure.