Estimation of single cell volume from 3D confocal images using automatic data processing

Cardiac cells are highly structured with a non-uniform morphology. Although precise estimation of their volume is essential for correct evaluation of hypertrophic changes of the heart, simple and unified techniques that allow determination of the single cardiomyocyte volume with sufficient precision are still limited. Here, we describe a novel approach to assess the cell volume from confocal microscopy 3D images of living cardiac myocytes. We propose a fast procedure based on segementation using active deformable contours. This technique is independent on laser gain and/or pinhole settings and it is also applicable on images of cells stained with low fluorescence markers. Presented approach is a promising new tool to investigate changes in the cell volume during normal, as well as pathological growth, as we demonstrate in the case of cell enlargement during hypertension in rats.