Background: Motility of cancer cells is a principal cellular parameter, essentially required in the invasion and formation of distant metastasis in human cancer. Measures to stimulate or inhibit motility of cancer cells may play an important part in the understanding of metastasis biology. The aim of this study was to develop a computer system to analyse and evaluate the movement of cells.
Method: Software was developed which enabled cell boundary definition by specifying salient points around the cell. The position of the centre of area was calculated. Six human cancer cells treated with a motogen and cells without added motogen were analysed by the system.
Results: We observed higher velocities and greater variation in area and velocity of the cells treated with HGF/SF motogen compared with control cells.
Conclusion: The system enables rapid analysis of cell area, velocity and movement, and may thus be of value in further understanding cell motility.