Computer-Controlled Electrophoresis Microscope

An automated analytical electrophoresis microscope system was developed to provide instrumentation for rapid analysis of normal and altered cells in biologic and clinical studies. The system is controlled by a computer that (i) provides for the tracking of migrating cells, whose images are projected under phase contrast onto a vidicon, (ii) permits the rapid taking of multiple measurements per cell, and (iii) calculates the electrophoretic mobility. The system contains algorithms and software programs necessary to create a large data base of cell mobilities and to determine statistically valid distributions of cell mobilities.