Table 2: Comparison of Data Acquisition and Analysis Method Described Herein with Other Published Methods

Ramm (Ref. #24) Price (Ref. #25) Mitchell (Ref. #4) Radio (Ref. #5) Yeyeodu (This paper)
Instrument IN Cell Analyser 1000 (Amersham) Automated microscope stage (Prior Scientific) Ludl stage ArrayScan V (Cellomics) BD Pathway 855
Acquisition software (included) (Media Cybernetics) VolumeScan (Vaytek) (included) BD AttoVision 1.6
Autofocus yes yes yes yes yes
Image intensity resolution 12 bit NR 24 bit NR 12 bit
Analysis software (included) custom algorithm (Advansoft) in ImagePre Plus 4.1 (Media Cybernetics) custom algorithm (detailed in text) in ImagePro Plus (included) BD AttoVision 1.6 with Neurite Outgrowth Module
Neurite defined ~2x cell diam. (30m) NR NR ~2x total neurite length in cells w/o NGF (> 20 µm) >1.5x cell width
Parameters measured
Total neurite length yes yes yes
Total cell body area yes
Num. neurites yes yes
Avg cell diameter yes
Num. nuclei or cells yes yes yes yes
Individual neurite length yes
Num. branches yes yes yes
Maximum neurite length yes yes
Neurites/cell yes
Cell body area yes
Parameters derived
% neurite bearing cells yes yes
Num. cells yes yes
Mean neurite length yes yes yes yes
Total neurite length/cell yes yes yes
Mean neurite length/cell yes yes

NR=not reported.