A SYSTEM FOR COMPUTER-ANALYSIS OF CANCER CELL-MOVEMENT

Background. Motility of cancer cells is a principal cellular parameter , essentially required in the invasion and formation of distant metast asis in human cancer. Measures to stimulate or inhibit motility of can cer cells may play an important part in the understanding of metastasi s biology. The aim of this study was to develop a computer system to a nalyse and evaluate the movement of cells. Method: Software was develo ped which enabled cell boundary definition by specifying salient point s around the cell. The position of the centre of area was calculated. Six human cancer cells treated with a motogen and cells without added motogen were analysed by the system. Results: We observed higher veloc ities and greater variation in area and velocity of the cells treated with HGF/SF motogen compared with control cells. Conclusion: The syste m enables rapid analysis of cell area, velocity and movement, and may thus be of value in further understanding cell motility.