Computer-based tracking of living cells.

A computer-based tracing technique has been developed to follow the movement of living cells and keep them centered in the field of view of an optical microscope. With the use of an image-processing system, the video image of a cell can be sufficiently processed to allow computer-recognition of the cell boundaries. Determination of the location of the center of the cell enables comparison of successive cell positions and correction for any cell movement. In order to illustrate the versatility of this technique, patterns of movement were obtained of cancerous and non-cancerous cells in an effort to determine the difference in motility between the two cell types. After examination of the data gathered, it was found that there is no difference in the motility between the two cell types over 1-h periods.