A combination of light microscopy and image processing was applied to investigate morphology of label-free primary-melanocytes and melanoma cells. A novel methodological approach based on morphology of nuclear body was used to find those single cells, which were at the same phase of cell cycle. The area and perimeter of melanocytes and melanoma cells were quantified. We found that there was a significant difference between area and perimeter of adendritic-shaped melanocytes with melanoma cells and the reason(s) of this finding was speculated. Finally, a theoretical model based on losing dendrites was proposed, which was in agreement with our experimental data.
Keywords: Cell shape; Image processing; Melanocyte; Melanoma; Morphometry.