Automated characterization of cell shape changes during amoeboid motility by skeletonization.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The ability of a cell to change shape is crucial for the proper function of many cellular processes, including cell migration. One type of cell migration, referred to as amoeboid motility, involves alternating cycles of morphological expansion and retraction. Traditionally, this process has been characterized by a number of parameters providing global information about shape changes, which are insufficient to distinguish phenotypes based on local pseudopodial activities that typify amoeboid motility.

Results

We developed a method that automatically detects and characterizes pseudopodial behavior of cells. The method uses skeletonization, a technique from morphological image processing to reduce a shape into a series of connected lines. It involves a series of auto

SUBMITTER: Xiong Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2864235 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature