Analysis Of Cell Morphology And Motility
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Abstract
Determination of the morphology and motility of a population of cells in vitro is possible via a series of steps. The cells are imaged using a microscope and camera. A first frame of image data allows identification of parts of the image data corresponding to a cell or cells of interest. Cell morphology is determined from this data. A second frame of image data, captured subsequent to the first, allows the determination of the relative displacement of the cell or cells of interest. This provides motility data. The invention has particular application in male fertility investigations.
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Citations
73 Claims
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1-38. -38. (canceled)
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39. A method for determining the morphology and motility of a population of cells in vitro including the steps:
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(a)(i) capturing a first frame of image data of said population and identifying a part or parts of the image data corresponding to a cell or cells of interest;
(a)(ii) capturing a second frame of image data of said population and identifying a part or parts of the image data corresponding to a cell or cells of interest;
(b)(i) determining the characteristic morphology of the cell or cells of interest from the first and/or second frame;
(c)(i) tracking the cell or cells of interest by identifying each cell of interest by its characteristic morphology and determining the relative displacement, in the second frame compared to the first frame, of said cell or cells of interest. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 71, 72, 73)
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47. A method of processing image data captured from a population of cells in vitro in order to determine the morphology and motility of the cells, the image data including a first frame of image data of said population and a second frame of image data of said population, the method including the steps:
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(i) determining the characteristic morphology of the cell or cells of interest from the first and/or second frame; and
(ii) tracking the cell or cells of interest by identifying each cell of interest by its characteristic morphology and determining the relative displacement, in the second frame compared to the first frame, of said cell or cells of interest. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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67. Apparatus for determining the morphology and motility of a population of cells in vitro, the apparatus including:
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imaging means for capturing first and second frames of image data of said population and identifying a part or parts of the image data corresponding to a cell or cells of interest;
computation means for determining the characteristic morphology of the cell or cells of interest from the first and/or second frame, tracking the cell or cells of interest by identifying each cell of interest by its characteristic morphology and determining the relative displacement, in the second frame compared to the first frame, of said cell or cells of interest. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70)
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Specification