title: A low-priced computer-assisted densitometer and analysis software for quantitative autoradiography.
abstract: A computer-assisted densitometer which consists of a darkroom enlarger, a black-and-white exposure meter, an amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter, and a microcomputer with a monitor and a graphic printer can be utilized for the quantitative analysis of autoradiograms. QUANTAR, a computer program written in BASIC, records the density measurements and stores the data in a file that can be easily retrieved by commercially available spreadsheet software. A spreadsheet template was designed to convert the digital readings into concentration of ligand in tissue. A variety of spreadsheet templates can be created to analyze data for a standard curve, a Scatchard plot, or a binding competition curve. This system, which is easy to assemble, may be useful to the frugal investigator with a modest equipment budget.
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003720:Densitometry / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011983:Receptors, Purinergic / Q000502:physiology; D012984:Software; D013376:Substantia Gelatinosa / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011983:Receptors, Purinergic; C047235:N-(1-methyl-2-phenylethyl)adenosine; D000241:Adenosine