[Stress granules in the cells with intact and discrupted microtubules: analysis with new algorithm of image processing]

Stress granules--temporary RNP structures that are formed in cells under stress. They are studied mainly by means of fluorescence microscopy with the quantitative analysis of cell images. We have developed a new algorithm for automatic detection of stress granules in the cytoplasm of cultured animal cells having non-uniform cytoplasmic background. Using this approach, we have found that visible stress granules are formed in cells as "all or nothing", and their number in cells is rather constant. We also show that disruption of cellular microtubules lead to a decrease in the average size of stress granules and an increase in their number in the cell.