Once the script is executed and the sub-volumes have been created, several density distribution analyses can be performed on the sample. The simplest one is to get the single/multiple channel(s) intensity features inside the boxes. More sophisticated approaches can include a compartment analysis.

The COMPARTMENTALIZATION concept is strictly related to the studies of the interactions and of the relationship between the structure compartments.

Complex hierarchies between the structures can be established and evaluated using this operator. Objects inside a parent structure can be selected. Their position inside the main structure, as well as their distribution (clustering), and other features, can be evaluated. A child object can be a parent for other objects. The number of the available nested levels are, theoretically, unlimited.

In the example above, The COMPARTMENTALIZATION is extended on 3 levels. The result is a hierarchical link between the Cell (Reference) and its nucleus (subject) . The nucleus is, in turn, related to the vesicles it contains. Finally, the vesicles count per cell is obtained.

The COMPARTMENTALIZATION analysis is not limited to the biological samples, even if this is the most common situation. Any structure located inside of a defined surrounding volume can be evaluated.

It is not mandatory that the parent object is a defined structure (e.g. Cell or Nucleus). It can be an anatomical region or, generally speaking, a sub-region of interest of the sample volume. These regions can be drawn both manually or using the interactive method.

The COMPARTMENTALIZATION approach is the base on which more complex and sophisticated evaluations can be performed.

On the next pages the compartment concept will be detailed.

Refer to the Application Note #8 for detailed information about «How to Draw objects interactively».