Segmentation Of Melanoma And Lymphocyte Cells In Three-Dimensional Collagen Matrices

: Computer-automated detection of viable cells of varying size, shape, and contrast is a prerequisite for monitoring cell behavior including migration in three-dimensional (3-D) tissue cultures. By using a 3-D collagen matrix migration model, we describe an efficient three-stage segmentation algorithm for different cell types. (1) Preprocessing by a rational operator is combined with (2) region growing within a local adaptive window surrounding each cell, and (3) postprocessing with morphological operations. This procedure allows the segmentation of melanoma cells as well as lymphocytes in 3-D collagen matrices independent of the cell shape and position relative to the in-focus plane. Introduction The study of cell movement is fundamental to research in embryological development, wound healing, immune defense, tumor cell invasion, and metastasis [1]. Cell migration is conventionally monitored by using time-lapse microscopy in combination with different 2-D or 3-D tissue substrata. Fo..