biostudies-literatureRobino JJNICHD NIH HHSNIDDK NIH HHSNIA NIH HHSNIAID NIH HHSNational Institutes of HealthNIH HHS723-732https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10965369biostudies-literatureUnknown32(4)<h4>Objective</h4>The pathological expansion of white adipose tissue (WAT) in obesity involves adipocyte hypertrophy accompanied by expansion of the collagen-rich pericellular extracellular matrix (ECM) and development of crown-like structures (CLS). Traditionally, WAT morphology is assessed through immunohistochemical analysis of WAT sections. However, manual analysis of large histological sections is time-consuming, and the available digital tools for analyzing adipocyte size and pericellular ECM are limited. To address this gap, the authors developed the Adipose Tissue Analysis Toolkit (ATAT), an ImageJ plugin facilitating analysis of adipocyte size, WAT ECM, and CLS.<h4>Methods and results</h4>ATAT utilizes local and image-level differentials in pixel intensity to independently threshold image background, distinguishing adipocyte-free tissue without user input. It accurately captures adipocytes in histological sections stained with common dyes and automates the analysis of adipocyte cross-sectional area, total-field, and localized region-of-interest ECM. ATAT allows fully automated batch analysis of histological images using default or user-defined adipocyte detection parameters.<h4>Conclusions</h4>ATAT provides several advantages over existing WAT image analysis tools, enabling high-throughput analyses of adipocyte-specific parameters and facilitating the assessment of ECM changes associated with WAT remodeling due to weight changes and other pathophysiological alterations that affect WAT function.Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)Adipose Tissue Analysis Toolkit (ATAT) for automated analysis of adipocyte size and extracellular matrix in white adipose tissue.PMC10965369P51OD01192R01AI1428411S10OD025002-01R01 DK122843R01 AG0714411S10OD025002‐01R01 AI175459R01AG071441P51 OD011092P50 HD071836R01 AI142841R01DK122843S10 OD025002R01 DK040484P50HD071836Scherer PEPlekhanov APRobino JJJensen MDRoberts CTVarlamov OZhu QfalseAdipose Tissue Analysis Toolkit (ATAT) for automated analysis of adipocyte size and extracellular matrix in white adipose tissue.<h4>Objective</h4>The pathological expansion of white adipose tissue (WAT) in obesity involves adipocyte hypertrophy accompanied by expansion of the collagen-rich pericellular extracellular matrix (ECM) and development of crown-like structures (CLS). Traditionally, WAT morphology is assessed through immunohistochemical analysis of WAT sections. However, manual analysis of large histological sections is time-consuming, and the available digital tools for analyzing adipocyte size and pericellular ECM are limited. To address this gap, the authors developed the Adipose Tissue Analysis Toolkit (ATAT), an ImageJ plugin facilitating analysis of adipocyte size, WAT ECM, and CLS.<h4>Methods and results</h4>ATAT utilizes local and image-level differentials in pixel intensity to independently threshold image background, distinguishing adipocyte-free tissue without user input. It accurately captures adipocytes in histological sections stained with common dyes and automates the analysis of adipocyte cross-sectional area, total-field, and localized region-of-interest ECM. ATAT allows fully automated batch analysis of histological images using default or user-defined adipocyte detection parameters.<h4>Conclusions</h4>ATAT provides several advantages over existing WAT image analysis tools, enabling high-throughput analyses of adipocyte-specific parameters and facilitating the assessment of ECM changes associated with WAT remodeling due to weight changes and other pathophysiological alterations that affect WAT function.2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Apr2026-03-16T08:14:53.346Z2025-08-14T03:05:41.31ZS-EPMC109653693832123110.1002/oby.23992