NOVEL VERSION OF THE COMPUTER MICROSCOPE FOR THE QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS OF BIOLOGICAL STRUCTURES - APPLICATION TO NEURONAL MORPHOLOGY

Three-dimensional spatial information depicting neuronal trajectories has been acquired utilizing a video version of the computer-microscope. The data input system consisted of a closed-circuit TV camera which transferred the microscope image to a TV screen, upon which a digitized cursor was electronically generated. The position of the cursor, under manual control, was related to the X and Y coordinates of a data point. A multiple-turn potentiometer was attached to the fine-focus control for recording the third (Z) dimension. In addition, a topological identifier (code) was assigned to each data point for purposes of structuring the data. Appropriate computer (FORTRAN) programs utilized these data to provide graphic displays of the neuronal topology and to obtain statistical parameters which described the branching characteristics of the axons and dendrites. © 1979.