PROTEIN CRYSTALLIZATION OBSERVATION METHOD AND DEVICE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a protein crystallization observation method and a device capable of determining crystallization accurately and quickly, concerning a generated protein crystal. SOLUTION: In the protein crystallization observation method and the device for observing a process of growth of protein crystal in a crystallization container, through an imaging means, as for an imaged image imaged by the imaging means, a solution storage part domain wherein a protein solution in the crystallization container is stored is recognized by a pattern matching method, and the imaged image is image-divided into a circumferential dark part domain formed on the periphery of the solution storage part domain and a center part domain formed on the furthermore inside, and the dark part domain is acquired as peripheral part light and shade data by a prescribed gradation by polar coordinate scanning, and the center domain is acquired as center part light and shade data by a prescribed gradation by XY-coordinate scanning, and the existence/number and the shape of a crystallized protein are recognized, based on the peripheral part light and shade data and the center part light and shade data. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT