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Updated: Jun 25, 2026
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Automated Quantification and Analysis of Cell Counting Procedures Using ImageJ Plugins
Published on: November 17, 2016
Automated quantitative analysis of epithelial cell scatter
Melissa D Pope1, Nicholas A Graham, Beijing K Huang
1Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA.
Cell Adhesion & Migration
|March 11, 2009
Summary
We developed new metrics to quantify epithelial cell scatter, a model for cancer metastasis. These metrics reveal how growth factors like EGF synergistically drive cell dispersion and invasion.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Epithelial cell scatter is a key in vitro model for studying epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).
- EMT is crucial for tumor invasion and metastasis, making its regulation a significant research focus.
- Understanding the quantitative aspects of cell scatter is vital for deciphering EMT regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel quantitative metrics for analyzing cell scatter.
- To assess the individual and synergistic effects of molecular signals on cell scatter.
- To create automated image analysis techniques for rapid metric measurement.
Main Methods:
- Development of quantitative metrics: cluster size (intercellular adhesion disruption) and nearest-neighbor distance (cell dispersion).
- Application of metrics to analyze the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF), cholera toxin (CT), and insulin on cell scatter.
- Implementation of automated image analysis for identifying cell nuclei and clusters in live-cell fluorescence images.
Main Results:
- The developed metrics successfully quantify cell scatter, distinguishing the effects of individual and combined molecular cues.
- Epidermal growth factor (EGF), cholera toxin (CT), and insulin were found to synergistically decrease cluster size and increase nearest-neighbor distance.
- Automated image analysis techniques enable rapid and efficient measurement of these scatter metrics.
Conclusions:
- The study introduces broadly applicable quantitative image analysis techniques for studying epithelial cell scatter.
- These methods provide new insights into the molecular control of epithelial cell scatter and EMT.
- The findings contribute to a better understanding of cancer metastasis and invasion mechanisms.
