Source: {"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"}

Three-dimensional images provide valuable information in an increasing number of situations. For example, long-term monitoring of the localization and activity of signaling molecules in cells together with changes in cell morphology is a power experimental method to assess the normal cellular internal state or the state during various pathological disorders. Currently, a majority of works investigating three-dimensional distributions of signaling molecules and morphological changes almost exclusively rely on construction of the three-dimensional image from z-series of multiple (normally >30) two-dimensional images. To do this, researchers are normally required to acquire z-series (depth/height axis) images of experimental samples using a confocal or two-photon microscopy. For example, a series of images may be captured of the same x-y area, each image being at a different distance from the subject of the image and having a different focal plane. Each of the z-series images has in-focus portions and out-of-focus portions. Known deblurring algorithms are then typically applied to each image to remove the out-of-focus portions for that image. Assembly of the resultant, in-focus z-series images results in a three dimensional image. This process is costly and time consuming. Most importantly in many applications, the acquisition of z-series images is inevitable to encounter the problems due to photo-toxicity and photo-bleaching, and would not be capable to detect faster spatio-temporal dynamics of signaling molecules and morphology changes.