The Colocalization Benchmark Source (CBS) is a free collection of downloadable images to test and validate the degree of
colocalization of markers in any
fluorescence microscopy
A fluorescence microscope is an optical microscope that uses fluorescence instead of, or in addition to, scattering, reflection, and attenuation or absorption, to study the properties of organic or inorganic substances. "Fluorescence micr ...
studies. Colocalization is a visual phenomenon when two molecules of interest are associated with the same structures in the cells and potentially share common functional characteristics.
CBS provides researchers with reference tools to verify the results of
quantitative
Quantitative may refer to:
* Quantitative research, scientific investigation of quantitative properties
* Quantitative analysis (disambiguation)
* Quantitative verse, a metrical system in poetry
* Statistics, also known as quantitative analysis ...
colocalization measurements. It serves as a specialised
bioimage informatics database
In computing, a database is an organized collection of data stored and accessed electronically. Small databases can be stored on a file system, while large databases are hosted on computer clusters or cloud storage. The design of databases spa ...
of
computer-simulated images with exactly known (pre-defined) values of colocalization. They were created using image simulation
algorithm
In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm () is a finite sequence of rigorous instructions, typically used to solve a class of specific problems or to perform a computation. Algorithms are used as specifications for performing ...
. These
benchmark
Benchmark may refer to:
Business and economics
* Benchmarking, evaluating performance within organizations
* Benchmark price
* Benchmark (crude oil), oil-specific practices
Science and technology
* Benchmark (surveying), a point of known elevati ...
images can be downloaded as sets as well as separately. By calculating and comparing the values of coefficients on their images versus benchmark images, researchers can validate the results of quantitative colocalization studies. The use of CBS images was described in a number of studies.
[Zinchuk V et al. (2013). "Bridging the gap between qualitative and quantitative colocalization results in fluorescence microscopy studies.]
''Sci Rep'' 3:1365 doi:10.1038/srep01365.
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Examples
Researchers can submit examples of custom images when the benchmark images were used to validate colocalization on them. Submitted images are then posted on the site of CBS together with description of their properties and the values of coefficients, such as '' Pearson's correlation coefficient (Rr)'', ''overlap coefficient (R)'', and others. The template for submitting information about custom images can be downloaded from CBS site.
See also
* Colocalization
* Fluorescence microscopy
A fluorescence microscope is an optical microscope that uses fluorescence instead of, or in addition to, scattering, reflection, and attenuation or absorption, to study the properties of organic or inorganic substances. "Fluorescence micr ...
* Bioimage informatics
* Biological database
Biological databases are libraries of biological sciences, collected from scientific experiments, published literature, high-throughput experiment technology, and computational analysis. They contain information from research areas including genom ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
Colocalization Benchmark Source home page
Biological databases
Microscopy
Fluorescence
Medical imaging