title: Estimating the proportion of proliferating cells in a population.
abstract: In a population of cells that proportion which is actively engaged in the proliferative cycle is often estimated from the ratio of the observed labelling index to an expected labelling index, calculated, on the basis of all cells being in cycle, from the cell cycle phase durations and the age distribution. Ignoring the variability in cell cycle times may lead to large overestimates or underestimates in the expected labelling index. A method is given of obtaining a more accurate estimate of this variable, and hence of the proliferative proportion.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002455:Cell Division; D008433:Mathematics; D008938:Mitosis; D013997:Time Factors