Tracking the swimming motions of C. elegans worms with applications in aging studies

Med Image Comput Comput Assist Interv. 2008;11(Pt 1):35-42. doi: 10.1007/978-3-540-85988-8_5.

Abstract

Quantitative analysis of the swimming motions of C. elegans worms are of critical importance for many gene-related studies on aging. However no automated methods are currently in use. We present a novel training-based method that automatically tracks and segments multiple swimming worms, in challenging imaging conditions. The position of each worm is predicted by comparing its latest motion with a set of previous observations, and then adjusted laterally and longitudinally to fit the image. After segmentation, a variety of measures can be used to assess the evolution of swimming patterns over time, allowing a quantitative comparison of worm populations over their lifetime. The complete software is being evaluated for mass processing in biology laboratories.

MeSH terms

  • Aging / physiology*
  • Algorithms
  • Animals
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / anatomy & histology*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / physiology*
  • Image Enhancement / methods
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Microscopy, Video / methods*
  • Pattern Recognition, Automated / methods*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Swimming / physiology*