A fast and user-friendly multiplatform software for mass determination by dark-field electron microscopy

Last version: 1.13 (released 02-Jun-2010)

MASDET offers several subroutines for the main mass analysis steps, namely image display and selection of regions of interest (ROI), mass evaluation and data analysis. Two program-modes constitute the core procedures for mass determination in individual ROIs:

1. the program-mode AREA determines the mass-per-area of sheet-like structures (e.g., protein S-layers, thin organic and inorganic films) and the mass-per-box for globular structures (e.g., single macromolecules, globular assemblies, organic/inorganic nanoparticles), and
2. the program-mode FILAMENT determines the mass-per-length for filamentous structures (e.g., intermediate filaments, DNA-protein complexes, tobacco mosaic virus, nanowires).

The statistical analysis of the mass data in individual ROIs contains graphical data display (histograms and XY-plots) and allows up to 10 Gaussian curves to be fitted. The dark-field micrographs can also be recalculated to a mass-thickness profile and/or mass-thickness map using data from Monte Carlo simulations.

Supported operating systems:

• Windows (both standalone program and p-files for run from MATLAB)
• Mac OS X, Linux (p-files to be run from MATLAB)

Image format support:

• Basel IMAG
• Muenster TIFF
• (other formats will be implemented by us on request)

Cost: Free (on request to Vladislav Krzyzanek)

Primary publication:

• Krzyzanek V, Müller SA, Engel A, Reichelt R (February 2009). "MASDET--A fast and user-friendly multiplatform software for mass determination by dark-field electron microscopy". J. Struct. Biol. 165 (2): 78-87. doi:10.1016/j.jsb.2008.10.006. PMID:19041401