MAPaint Technical Report:
A 3D Paint Program for the Mouse Atlas and Gene Expression Database

A 3D Paint Program for the Mouse Atlas and Gene Expression Database

Richard Baldock

R.Baldock@hgu.mrc.ac.uk

Abstract:

At the core of the gene-expression database are a time series of grey-level reconstructions of the mouse embryo with every voxel identified as part as an anatomical component. By this means the gene-expression database can be mapped into a common geometric space or ``standard mouse'' and therefore enable search and comparison of the complex expression patterns. The 3D paint program is one of a number of tools to assist the creation of this atlas and the mapping of the anatomical structures.

The program allows the definition of arbitrarily complex 3D spatial domains by user interaction either directly by ``painting'' the reference image or by using the image processing and analysis tools as a form of ``power-assist''. The program can be used for defining any spatially organised data within the 3D space and in particular will be one of the means by which gene- expression will be entered into the database.