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Principal component analysis is a multivariate statistical method that reduces a large number of variables into fewer variables, called principal components. This Primer describes how the method can be used for data analysis, explaining the mathematical background, analytical workflows, how to interpret a biplot and variants of the method.
This PrimeView highlights the trade-off between biological complexity and tunability when designing and fabricating hydrogels for use in mechanobiology.
Hydrogels are used to mimic cells’ local environment, enabling the study of cellular responses to biochemical and mechanical cues. Here, Blache et al. discuss the challenges of creating hydrogels for mechanobiology studies and how they can be used to analyse cell behaviour in the context of mechanobiological processes and harnessed to create regenerative therapies.
Tandem mass spectrometry is increasingly utilized for clinical applications in laboratory medicine. In this Primer, Thomas et al. discuss experimental considerations and quality management for implementing clinical tandem mass spectrometry in the clinic with an overview of some key applications.
This PrimeView highlights the procedure for growing and maintaining organoids from human stem cells, with a focus on recent developments that have reduced a number of limitations in organoid development and research.
Organoids are cell-based in vitro models derived from stem cells, reconstituting the complex structure and function of the corresponding tissue. In this Primer, Zhao, Chen, Dowbaj, Sljukic, Bratlie, Lin et al. discuss the development of organoids and methods for controlling their cellular environment.
This PrimeView highlights different transduction mechanisms, protein mediators and magnetic nanotransducers that can be used to control cell signalling.
Magnetic nanomaterials can be used to transduce magnetic fields into biologically relevant signals. This Primer describes different magnetic transduction mechanisms, the design of nanotransducers and example applications for studying cell signalling and neuroscience.
This PrimeView highlights the use of intravital microscopy techniques to study a range of biological processes, including neurobiology, stem cell biology and cancer research.
Intravital microscopy (IVM) techniques are used to visualize intact and live tissues at the cellular and subcellular level. In this Primer, Scheele, Herrmann et al. discuss IVM in rodents, outlining challenges and opportunities for using the technique.
Imaging flow cytometry combines the high-event-rate nature of flow cytometry with single-cell image acquisition associated with microscopy. In this Primer, Rees et al. discuss the typical imaging flow instrumentation, the type of data acquired and how to analyse them.
Electrochemical water splitting using renewable electricity is a promising method for the sustainable production of hydrogen. This Primer overviews considerations, techniques and methods for water electrolysis and describes methods to improve rigour and reproducibility when analysing electrochemical data.
Holographic microscopy is based on collecting holograms, patterns of dark and light fringes, and analysing them to obtain information about the specimen’s properties. This Primer introduces in-line holographic microscopy, with a focus on three analysis methods: generative modelling, machine learning and hybrid approaches.
This PrimeView highlights the instrumentation for optical coherence tomography (OCT) in clinical settings, with an emphasis on Fourier domain OCT, spectral domain OCT and circular OCT.
Optical coherence tomography can be used as a conventional microscope, ophthalmic scanner or endoscope. In this Primer, Bouma et al. outline the instrumentation and data processing in obtaining topological and internal microstructure information from samples in three dimensions.
