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Computerized morphometric quantitation of cellular features in splenocytes from normal and nutrient-restricted mice.
G B Olson1, C W Weber, C S Jolley
1Department of Microbiology/Immunology, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721.
Analytical and Quantitative Cytology and Histology
|December 1, 1989
Summary
Dietary restriction alters cell structures. Computerized morphometric analysis of splenocytes quantifies these changes, distinguishing between normally fed and diet-restricted mice based on nuclear and cytoplasmic features.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Nutritional Science
- Computational Pathology
Background:
- Dietary restriction impacts cellular morphology.
- Quantifying these changes is crucial for understanding nutritional stress.
- Morphometric analysis offers a potential method for objective assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate quantitative changes in splenocytes due to dietary restriction.
- To determine if morphometric analysis can differentiate between normal and restricted diets.
- To assess the impact of calorie and protein restriction on cellular structures.
Main Methods:
- Morphometric analysis of Feulgen-stained and Papanicolaou-stained splenocytes.
- Measurement of nuclear area, total optical density (TOD) of chromatin, and cytoplasmic TOD.
- Linear discriminant analysis using nuclear area, TOD, and textural features.
Main Results:
- Diet-restricted mice showed approximately 10% reduction in nuclear area and chromatin TOD.
- Significant reductions in cytoplasmic TOD (23%) and nuclear TOD (10%) were observed in Papanicolaou-stained cells.
- Distinct separation of cells was achieved using morphometric parameters, differentiating between dietary groups.
Conclusions:
- Computerized morphometric analysis effectively quantifies cellular changes induced by nutritional stress.
- This method can differentiate cells from normally fed and diet-restricted animals.
- Morphometric analysis serves as a valuable tool for assessing nutritional impacts on cells.