Computer-assisted analysis of two-dimensional electrophoresis images using an array processor

The CLIP4 machine has been used to analyze two-dimensional electrophoresis gel images. The architecture of the CLIP4 machine allows high-speed processing of gel images unavailable on conventional machines. The paper gives a brief review of the CLIP system followed by a detailed description of the segmentation and comparison algorithms. The segmentation algorithm makes full use of methods already designed for other gel analysis systems, but optimized for use on the highly parallel CLIP4 machine. The comparison algorithm is a totally new method using, to the full, the parallel efficiency of the CLIP4 computer. The algorithm attempts to match each spot on one gel with a corresponding spot on a second gel, operating simultaneously on all pairs of spots.