Automated tracking of migrating cells in phase-contrast video microscopy sequences using image registration.

摘要: Analysis of in vitro cell motility is a useful tool for assessing cellular response to range factors. However, the majority of cell-tracking systems available are designed primarily for use with fluorescently labelled images. In this paper, five commonly used tracking examined their performance compared use novel in-house celltracking system based on principles image registration and optical flow. Image registration commonly used in medical imaging correct effects patient motion during procedures and works well low-contrast images, such as those found bright-field phase-contrast microscopy. The five were Retrac, manual system gold standard; CellTrack, recently released freely downloadable software system that uses combination methods; ImageJ, which piece software plug-in for automated (MTrack2) Imaris Volocity, both commercially systems. All systemswere track migration human epithelial cells over ten frames phase-contrast time-lapse microscopy sequence. This showed image-registration system was most effective tested when tracking non-dividing cells low-contrast images, a successful rate 95%. performance the tracking also evaluated by fluorescently labelled imaged both and confocal microscopy techniques. results that using fluorescence instead phase contrast does improve efficiency each systems. For software, improvement relatively small (