The aim of this work is twofold. First, we survey the techniques developed in
(Perthame, Zubelli, 2007) and (Doumic, Perthame, Zubelli, 2008) to reconstruct
the division (birth) rate from the cell volume distribution data in certain
structured population models. Secondly, we implement such techniques on
experimental cell volume distributions available in the literature so as to
validate the theoretical and numerical results. As a proof of concept, we use
the data reported in the classical work of Kubitschek [3] concerning
Escherichia coli in vitro experiments measured by means of a Coulter
transducer-multichannel analyzer system (Coulter Electronics, Inc., Hialeah,
Fla, USA.) Despite the rather old measurement technology, the reconstructed
division rates still display potentially useful biological features