Patent ID: 6986993

Claim:
An automated method for analyzing neurite outgrowth comprising a) providing an array of locations comprising cells, wherein the cells possess at least a first luminescently labeled reporter molecule that reports on cell location, and at least a second luminescently labeled reporter molecule that reports on neurite outgrowth; b) obtaining a nuclear image from the at least first luminescently labeled reporter molecule and a neurite image from the at least second luminescently-labeled reporter molecule; c) automatically identifying cell bodies from the nuclear image; d) automatically identifying neurites extending from the cell bodies, wherein identifying-neurites extending from cell bodies comprises the steps of: I) generating a reservoir image from the neurite image; and II) identifying positive pixels in the reservoir image that are not present in the cell bodies, wherein such positive pixels belong to neurites extending from cell bodies; and e) automatically determining one or more neurite features selected from the group consisting of: i) Total neurite length from all cells; ii) Total number of neurite branches from all cells; iii) Number of neurites per cell; iv) Number of neurites per positive neuron; v) Neurite length from each cell; vi) Neurite length per positive neuron; vii) Neurite length per neurite; viii) Number of cells that are positive for neurite outgrowth; ix) Percentage of cells positive for neurite outgrowth; x) Number of branches per neuron; and xi) Number of branches per neurite; wherein the features provide a measure of neurite outgrowth from the cell bodies.