Machine learning segmentation tool trained on synthetic data for tracking cytoskeleton polymerisation and depolymerisation

The cytoskeleton is important in controlling the growth and morphology of plant cells, so tracking its morphological changes is essential. Here, we develop a new machine learning based segmentation tool for microtubules (MTs), which can distinguish between polymerised and depolymerised fibres. To circumvent the low abundance of data, we trained on synthetic images of microtubules from a computational micro-tubule model, pre-processed to reproduce microscope effects and partial depolymerisation. We used this tool to investigate how the MT network in an Arabidopsis thaliana root hair cell repolymerises after depolymerisation under Oryzalin (OZ) drug treatments. Specifically, we show the network initially repolymerises from the shank region. This work demonstrates the viability of using synthetic data to train machine learning systems handling cytoskeletal image data.