Morphological analysis of yeast cells using an automated image processing system.

In order to control the growth of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae during cultivations, a fully-automated sampling and analysing system has been developed. Based on the microscopic appearance of cells, a detailed characterization of yeast suspensions from the bioreactor is available, presenting data of current cell concentrations, distributions of process-dependent cell structures and parts of cells containing vacuoles. This measuring system combines quantitative and qualitative analysis methods in a digital image processing technique, which offers the possibility of on-line estimation of cell development that approximates real-time. Perturbations within the process are detectable in time and regulative actions can be done without any delay.