Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Histology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania.
Alessandrescu-Rusescu National Institute of Mother and Child Health, Fetal Medicine Excellence Research Center, 020395 Bucharest, Romania.
Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Apr 9;21(7):2615. doi: 10.3390/ijms21072615.
Telocytes (TCs) are unique interstitial or stromal cells of mesodermal origin, defined by long cellular extensions called telopodes (Tps) which form a network, connecting them to surrounding cells. TCs were previously found around stem and progenitor cells, and were thought to be most likely involved in local tissue metabolic equilibrium and regeneration. The roles of telocytes are still under scientific scrutiny, with existing studies suggesting they possess various functions depending on their location.
Human myometrium biopsies were collected from pregnant and non-pregnant women, telocytes were then investigated in myometrial interstitial cell cultures based on morphological criteria and later prepared for time-lapse microscopy. Semi-analytical and numerical solutions were developed to highlight the geometric characteristics and the behavior of telocytes.
Results were gathered in a database which would further allow efficient telocyte tracking and indexing in a content-based image retrieval (CBIR) of digital medical images. Mathematical analysis revealed pivotal information regarding the homogeneity, hardness and resistance of telocytes' structure. Cellular activity models were monitored in vitro, therefore supporting the creation of databases of telocyte images.
The obtained images were analyzed, using segmentation techniques and mathematical models in conjunction with computer simulation, in order to depict TCs behavior in relation to surrounding cells. This paper brings an important contribution to the development of bioinformatics systems by creating software-based telocyte models that could be used both for diagnostic and educational purposes.
间质细胞（telocytes，TCs）是一种独特的中胚层起源的间质或基质细胞，其特征是长细胞突起（telopodes，Tps）形成网络，将它们与周围细胞连接起来。TCs 以前在干细胞和祖细胞周围被发现，人们认为它们最有可能参与局部组织代谢平衡和再生。TCs 的作用仍在科学审查中，现有研究表明，它们根据位置具有各种功能。
从孕妇和非孕妇的人子宫组织中采集活检样本，然后根据形态学标准在子宫间质细胞培养物中研究 TC，随后准备进行延时显微镜检查。开发了半分析和数值解，以突出 TC 的几何特征和行为。
将结果收集到数据库中，这将进一步允许在数字医学图像的基于内容的图像检索（CBIR）中有效地跟踪和索引 TC。数学分析揭示了有关 TC 结构均匀性、硬度和阻力的重要信息。在体外监测细胞活性模型，因此支持创建 TC 图像数据库。
对获得的图像进行了分析，使用分割技术和数学模型以及计算机模拟，以描绘 TC 与周围细胞的关系。本文通过创建可用于诊断和教育目的的基于软件的 TC 模型，为生物信息学系统的发展做出了重要贡献。
