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Three‐dimensional molecular distribution in single cells analysed using the digital imaging microscope
Author(s) -
Fay Fredric S.,
Carrington Walter,
Fogarty Kevin E.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1989.tb00554.x
Subject(s) - computer science , microscope , software , computer graphics , image processing , microscopy , biological system , molecular imaging , molecular graphics , computer vision , artificial intelligence , computer graphics (images) , image (mathematics) , optics , physics , biology , programming language , microbiology and biotechnology , in vivo
SUMMARY Cellular changes in molecular distribution are believed to underly a wide range of cell functions. In order to investigate changes in molecular distribution in single cells utilizing fluorescent probes we have developed a digital imaging microscope. The system, consisting of both hardware and software, automatically acquires 3‐D data sets consisting of optical sections and then processes such data to facilitate the analysis of molecular distribution in single cells. The first major step in processing reverses distortion introduced principally by the optics of the fluorescent microscope. Various procedures for accomplishing this task are compared and a method based on regularization theory is shown to give superior results for several different 3‐D images. Following this step features of interest are automatically extracted from 3‐D images utilizing an artificial 3‐D visual system. This artificial visual system utilizes a system of spatial filters to identify regional characteristics of images, the information obtained from these filters being used to identify and characterize clusters of molecules within the image. This information is then utilized to construct a 3‐D graphical model of molecular distribution in single cells. Such models are displayed in 3‐D and may be further analysed utilizing interactive 3‐D computer graphics. These methods are illustrated by results obtained regarding alpha‐actinin distribution in single smooth muscle cells.