Single cell analysis using a glass microchamber for studying movement fluctuations of Navicula pavillardii and Seminavis robusta diatom cells.

We propose a new technique for quantitative trajectory analysis of gliding phenomenon of Navicula pavillardii (NP) and Seminavis robusta (SR) diatom cells by single cell observation using a glass microchamber in this short technical note. Two-dimensional trajectory analysis of cell movements was used to determine the angular velocity, velocity, and migration distances of the diatom movement. Based on the trajectory analysis, we found that asymmetrically shaped SR had a larger angular velocity with large fluctuations compared to symmetrically shaped NP, although the velocity of SR was less than that of NP.