Sep 13, 2022

Public workspaceIntracellular neuromelanin quantification

Nature Communications
DOI
https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.yxmvm27e6g3p/v1
  • Marta Gonzalez-Sepulveda1,
  • Joan Compte1,
  • Miquel Vila1
  • 1Vall d'Hebron Research Institute
  • Vilalab Public
  • Nuria
Miquel Vila
Icon indicating open access to content
QR code linking to this content
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.yxmvm27e6g3p/v1
External link: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53168-7
Protocol Citation: Marta Gonzalez-Sepulveda, Joan Compte, Miquel Vila 2022. Intracellular neuromelanin quantification. protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.yxmvm27e6g3p/v1
Manuscript citation:
Laguna, A., Peñuelas, N., Gonzalez-Sepulveda, M. et al. Modelling human neuronal catecholaminergic pigmentation in rodents recapitulates age-related neurodegenerative deficits. Nat Commun 15, 8819 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53168-7
License: This is an open access protocol distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License,  which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this protocol and it's working
Created: September 12, 2022
Last Modified: April 17, 2025
Protocol Integer ID: 69884
Keywords: intracellular neuromelanin quantification protocol, quantifying intracellular neuromelanin, intracellular neuromelanin
Abstract
Protocol for quantifying intracellular neuromelanin
Troubleshooting
Scan midbrain section using the Pannoramic Midi II FL, HQ Scientific 60x
Acquire SNpc images at 63x with CaseViewer
Upload individual images at Image J software
Click on Adjust canvas size and adjust it at 1596x1198
Click on Invert image
With the free hand selections tool, draft a neuromelanin-pigmented neuron (excluding the nucleus) and measure the optical density (pixel brightness) and the area
With the free hand selections tool, draft the neuromelanin pigment of the neuron and measure the optical density (pixel brightness) and the area
With the free hand selections tool, draft 15-25 non-pigmented neurons (excluding the nucleus), measure the optical density and calculate the mean value
Normalize (i.e., substract) the values of the neuromelanin-pigmented neuron’s optical density with the mean value of the optical density of the non-pigmented neurons
Extra measurement: calculate the percentage of the neuronal area occupied by the pigment diving the neuromelanin pigment area by the neuron’s area