Evaluation of colony‐forming ability experiments using normal and DNA repair‐deficient human fibroblast strains and an automatic colony counter

Abstract

An automated procedure for evaluation of colony‐forming ability experiments has been developed using normal and xeroderma pigmentosum fibroblast strains. Technically this consists of an image analyzer equipped with a contrast‐intensifying video camera, monitor, and a desk‐top computer. Complex structures composed of overlapping colonies could be reduced to the consitituent single colonies by special correction programs. Eighteen experiments were evaluated, and the D0 values for colony‐forming ability were determined. A systematic but correctable deviation between visual and automated counting was found. The source of this deviation is described and a solution for correction is provided. The automatic procedure reduced the evaluating time by a factor of five to ten. Copyright © 1985 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.