Patent ID: 8050868

Claim:
A computer readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions for causing a cell screening system to execute a set of procedures for determining organization of a component of interest in individual cells, comprising (a) obtaining from individual cells optically detectable signals from (i) at least a first optically detectable reference component reporter molecule in the individual cells that identifies a reference component; and (ii) at least a first optically detectable cellular component reporter molecule in the individual cells that identifies a cellular component of interest; wherein the cellular component of interest and the reference component are selected from the group consisting of microfilaments, intermediate filaments, microtubules, cytoskeletal components, mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, nuclei, endoplasmic reticulum, vacuoles, and plasma membranes; wherein the at least first optically detectable reference component reporter molecule and the at least first optically detectable cellular component reporter molecule are different, and wherein the cellular component of interest and the reference component are different; (b) automatically converting the optically detectable signals from the at least first optically detectable reference component reporter molecule into a digital reference component image; (c) automatically converting the optically detectable signals from the at least first optically detectable cellular component reporter molecule into a digital cellular component image; (d) automatically defining a reference component origin from the digital reference component image; (e) automatically defining a plurality of cellular domains relative to the reference component origin; and (f) automatically measuring from the digital cellular component image one or both of an amount or distribution of the cellular component of interest as a function of position in the plurality of cellular domains, wherein the measure indicates the organization of the cellular component of interest in the individual cells.