APPLICATIONS OF MICROCOMPUTER TECHNOLOGY TO CYTOPHOTOMETRY

Lack of appropriate software support for microprocessor program development has previously limited the applications of such technology in the field of microspectrophotometry. This paper describes our use of a Vickers M86 integrating microdensitometer coupled through a custom-designed interface circuit to a Processor Technology SOL III microcomputer. We have developed a series of interactive, user-oriented programs for DNA-Feulgen cytophotometry with this instrument to allow automatic storage of data in files on floppy disks and instant retrieval of sets of measurements for statistical processing. The same data files can also be used to generate graphic displays in the form of bar histograms or plots of linear regressions on a video monitor and to produce hardcopy output of data files and graphic displays through the use of a high speed DIABLO printer.