AUTOMATED ANALYSIS OF DIGITAL IMAGES GENERATED BY TWO-DIMENSIONAL GEL ELECTROPHORESIS

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis is a method to separate proteins according to their molecular weights and mobilities in an electric field at a certain pH value. The presence of a radioactively or fluorescently labeled protein in a preparation is indicated by a spot that is produced on a film with the intensity of the spot indicative of the amount of protein. This article presents algorithms that accomplish automated quantitative analysis of digitized gel images. The limits of currently available analysis systems are discussed. The methods are implemented by software on a commercially available digital image processor that uses a minicomputer host. 13 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs.