Human lymphocyte migration in vitro: Characterization and quantitation of locomotory parameters

Abstract

A time-lapse cinephotomicrographic technique showed that the locomotory paths taken by lymphocytes satisfy the requirements for a continuous-time Markov chain analysis consisting of 4 directional states defined by the 4 quadrants of a Cartesian plane and state 0 in which the cells are stationary. The important parameters characterizing this path motion are the average time (waiting time) that a cell spends in each state and the state transition probabilities which, using the Markov model, allow the computation of the probability of the cells moving in a given direction. Lymphocytes moving alone on glass exhibit a random migration pattern.