Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 23, 2025
A Cost Effective and Adaptable Scratch Migration Assay
Published on: June 30, 2020
PyScratch: An ease of use tool for analysis of scratch assays
Fernanda Garcia-Fossa1, Vladimir Gaal2, Marcelo Bispo de Jesus1
1Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
Background And Objective:
Image acquisition has greatly benefited from the automation of microscopes and has been followed by an increasing amount and complexity of data acquired. Here, we present the PyScratch, a new tool for processing spatial and temporal information from scratch assays. PyScratch is an open-source software implemented in Python that analyses the migration area in an automated fashion.
Methods:
The software was developed in Python. Wound healing assays were used to validate its performance. The images were acquired using Cytation 5™ during 60 h. Data were analyzed using One-Way ANOVA.
Results:
PyScratch performed a robust analysis of confluent cells, showing that high plating density affects cell migration. Additionally, PyScratch was approximately six times faster than a semi-automated analysis.
Conclusions:
PyScratch offers a user-friendly interface allowing researches with little or no programming skills to perform quantitative analysis of in vitro scratch assays.
