Development of an Integrated Visualization System for Phenotypic Character Networks

Wet and dry biological data are potentially complementary. By visually integrating the initiation and developmental processes of organisms, we might reveal new causalities in biological data. Here we present an integrated visualization system for a causality network constructed from phenotypic developmental characters and their related scientific literature. To obtain the phenotypic characters, we applied bio-imaging informatics techniques to the data of wet experiments. The phenotypic character network was visually rendered in the CausalNet system, which provides both explanatory and verification visualization functions. Statistical analysis and scientific literature mining proved useful for determining the mechanisms underlying the phenotypic trait network. The validity of the system was confirmed in an application example and expert feedback on the developmental process of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The discussed methodology is applicable to other multicellular organisms.