The ratio of smooth muscle cell volume to cell surface area measured by electron microscopy with corrections for shrinkage.
The ratio of cell volume to cell surface area (V/A) has been measured by electron microscopy, for smooth muscle cells of the guinea-pig taenia coli. The extent of shrinkage which occurs during processing for electron microscopy has been estimated using Archimedes' principle. The corrected ratio of V/A is 0.8 mum which is lower than previously published estimates for this tissue. The contribution of the surface vesicles to V/A was not included in the present estimate, but the extra surface area contributed by these organelles would lower V/A even more.
D000818:Animals; D001699:Biometry / Q000379:methods; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003106:Colon; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006652:Histological Techniques; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000166:cytology*; D012996:Solutions; D013046:Specific Gravity
D012996:Solutions