SICT: automated detection and supervised inspection of fast Ca(2+) transients

Recent advances in live Ca(2+) imaging with increasing spatial and temporal resolution offer unprecedented opportunities, but also generate an unmet need for data processing. Here we developed SICT, a MATLAB program that automatically identifies rapid Ca(2+) rises in time-lapse movies with low signal-to-noise ratios, using fluorescent indicators. A graphical user interface allows visual inspection of automatically detected events, reducing manual labour to less than 10% while maintaining quality control. The detection performance was tested using synthetic data with various signal-to-noise ratios. The event inspection phase was evaluated by four human observers. Reliability of the method was demonstrated in a direct comparison between manual and SICT-aided analysis. As a test case in cultured neurons, SICT detected an increase in frequency and duration of spontaneous Ca(2+) transients in the presence of caffeine. This new method speeds up the analysis of elementary Ca(2+) transients.