Mapping 4D cell models with VR

In the world of plant research, the way pavement cells in the outermost epidermal layer of the leaves of dicotyledonous plants develop during leaf expansion morphogenesis is still not fully understood. These pavement cells, which form a protective outer layer for more specialized cells below, exhibit complex jigsaw-like patterns. In an article published in the journal Plant Biotechnology, researchers Takumi Higaki and Hidenobu Mizuno demonstrate how to analyze three-dimensional shapes of pavement cells over time, i.e., four-dimensional data, when studying the relationship between mechanical modeling and simulations and the actual shape of the cells. They have developed a framework to capture and analyze 4D data with the help of artificial intelligence image analysis software Aivia, which allows researchers to use virtual reality (VR) equipment to map and explore the inner workings of cells. The researchers were able to perform a time lapse 3D morphometrical analysis with detailed mapping of cell growth rate and shape changes over time.