Image and fractal analysis of osteoblastic cells in viscous media.

The aim of the present study was to determine whether osteoblastic morphology was affected by the viscosity of culture media and whether any morphological differences could be readily quantified. A cytochemical stain was used for alkaline phosphatase and a combination of image and fractal analysis, utilising seven morphological parameters to assess the morphology of osteoblasts. Using regression analysis it was determined that as the viscosity of the culture media increased the area of the cells significantly decreased and the fractal dimension of the cell profiles significantly increased. A discriminant function analysis was used to examine whether cell populations could be classified according to culturing time or the viscosity of culturing media based on the seven morphological parameters. It was determined that the cells could be classified up to 93% correct according to the viscosity of the media they were cultured in and up to 93.5% correct according to the culturing time. This study demonstrated that viscous media affects the morphology of osteoblastic cells and that discriminant function analysis can be used to classify these cells based on their morphological parameters. Copyright 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers