# US 10,482,598 B2 · Cell analysis system, cell analysis program and cell analysis method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,482,598 B2 - Document ID: US10482598B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/188,151 - Filed: 2018-11-12 - Published: 2019-03-14 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-08 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Kazuhiro Nakagawa; Takuya Kishimoto; Eriko Matsui - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10482598B2 ## CPC - G06T 7/0012: {Biomedical image inspection} - C12M 41/46: {of cellular or enzymatic activity or functionality, e.g. cell viability} - G01N 33/5029: {on cell motility} - G01N 33/5035: {on sub-cellular localization} - G01N 33/6872: {Intracellular protein regulatory factors and their receptors, e.g. including ion channels} - G06T 7/20: Analysis of motion (motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51) - G01N 2333/705: Assays involving receptors, cell surface antigens or cell surface determinants - G06T 2207/30024: Cell structures in vitro; Tissue sections in vitro - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A cell analysis system according to the present disclosure includes a motion information extracting unit and a motion characteristics calculating unit. The motion information extracting unit extracts motion information arising from a movement of ions or molecules across a cell membrane, out of a cell image obtained from imaging a cell in time series. The motion characteristics calculating unit calculates motion characteristics of the motion information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cell analysis system comprising: an imaging apparatus configured to capture a first cell image and a second cell image; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a cell analysis program which operates an information processing apparatus to execute: extracting first motion information from the first cell image and second motion information from the second cell image, wherein the first cell image and the second cell image are obtained from imaging a cell in time series; calculating a first motion characteristic from the first motion information and a second motion characteristic from the second motion information; and evaluating a movement of at least one ion or molecule across a cell membrane of the cell based on a difference between the first motion characteristic and the second motion characteristic. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cell analysis system according to claim 1, wherein the cell analysis program further operates the information processing apparatus to execute: superposing the first motion characteristic and the first cell image, and generate a first motion characteristics displaying image. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cell analysis system according to claim 1, wherein the cell analysis program further operates the information processing apparatus to execute: superposing the second motion characteristic and the second cell image, and generate a second motion characteristics displaying image. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The cell analysis system according to claim 1, wherein the cell analysis program further operates the information processing apparatus to execute: determining, based on the first motion characteristic and the second motion characteristic, one or more metrics relating to the movement of the at least one ion or molecule. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The cell analysis system according to claim 4, wherein the cell analysis program further operates the information processing apparatus to execute: calculating a motion amount, and evaluate an amount of moved ions or molecules, on the basis of the motion amount. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The cell analysis system according to claim 4, wherein the cell analysis program further operates the information processing apparatus to execute: calculating a motion amount, and evaluate an activity of an ion channel or an ionotropic receptor, on the basis of the motion amount. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The cell analysis system according to claim 4, wherein the cell analysis program further operates the information processing apparatus to execute: calculating a change in the movement of the at least one ion or molecule before and after addition of an activator or an inhibitor of an ion channel or an ionotropic receptor, and evaluate the presence or absence, or an amount, of the ion channel or the ionotropic receptor, on the basis of the change in the movement of the at least one ion or molecule. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The cell analysis system according to claim 4, wherein the cell analysis program further operates the information processing apparatus to execute: calculating a change in the movement of the at least one ion or molecule before and after addition of an inhibitor of an ionotropic receptor, and evaluate a type or a strength of a synapse formed between cells, on the basis of the change in the movement of the at least one ion or molecule. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The cell analysis system according to claim 4, wherein the cell analysis program further operates the information processing apparatus to execute: calculating a motion amount, and evaluate a type or an effectiveness of a substance that acts on an ion channel or an ionotropic receptor, on the basis of the motion amount. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The cell analysis system according to claim 4, wherein the cell analysis program further operates the information processing apparatus to execute: calculating a motion amount, and evaluate a movement, a swell, a shrink and a vibration of a cell membrane due to the movement of the at least one ion or molecule across the cell membrane or a movement of water involved, on the basis of the motion amount. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The cell analysis system according to claim 4, wherein the cell analysis program further operates the information processing apparatus to execute: calculating a motion direction, and evaluate a flow direction of the at least one ion or molecule, on the basis of the motion direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The cell analysis system according to claim 4, wherein the cell analysis program further operates the information processing apparatus to execute: calculating a duration time or a spatial distribution of the movement of the at least one ion or molecule, and evaluate a migration time of the at least one ion or molecule across the cell membrane or a spatial distribution of the at least one ion or molecule, on the basis of the duration time or the spatial distribution of the movement of the at least one ion or molecule. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The cell analysis system according to claim 1, wherein the cell analysis program further operates the information processing apparatus to execute: specifying an extraction range in the first cell image by using a luminance difference in the first cell image, and extract the first motion information out of the extraction range. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The cell analysis system according to claim 1, wherein the cell analysis program further operates the information processing apparatus to execute: specifying an extraction range in the second cell image by using a luminance difference in the second cell image, and extract the second motion information out of the extraction range. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a cell analysis program which operates an information processing apparatus to execute: extracting a first motion information from a first cell image and a second motion information from a second cell image, wherein the first cell image and the second cell image are obtained from imaging a cell in time series; calculating a first motion characteristic from the first motion information and a second motion characteristic from the second motion information; and evaluating a movement of at least one ion or molecule across a cell membrane of the cell based on a difference between the first motion characteristic and the second motion characteristic. ### Claim 16 A cell analysis method comprising: extracting a first motion information from a first cell image and a second motion information from a second cell image, wherein the first cell image and the second cell image are obtained from imaging a cell in time series; calculating a first motion characteristic from the first motion information and a second motion characteristic from the second motion information; and evaluating a movement of at least one ion or molecule across a cell membrane of the cell based on a difference between the first motion characteristic and the second motion characteristic.