Mitotic Tree Construction by Computer In Vitro Cell Tracking: a Tool for Proliferation and Motility Features Extraction

We propose a new algorithm to analyze cell migration. Sequences of frames are automatically recorded from standard (unmarked) cell cultures by means of phase-contrast microscopes equiped with video acquisition systems. This algorithm is able to automatically follow the locations in the reverse time of many cells during sequences covering relatively long periods of time such as 1 to 3 days. We then recombine the obtained cell tracks to detect mitoses and build a "mitotic tree". Several features are extract to characterize cell population motility and proliferation. As illustration the method is tested on U373 astrocytoma cell line