Biological stereology: history, present state, future directions.
The development of a quantitative structural platform for experimental biology--extending across a hierarchy of sizes ranging from molecules to organisms--has been punctuated by a series of major achievements over the last 30 years. Stereology, a form of quantitative morphology, has contributed handsomely to this success. A personal view is presented highlighting key events in the development of biological stereology. We also examine stereology with a view toward future developments in biology and speculate how stereology might contribute to the new biological infrastructure currently being built with computers.
Bolender
R P
RP
Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle 98195.
D000818:Animals; D001709:Biotechnology; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003584:Cytological Techniques / Q000266:history; D016206:Databases, Bibliographic; D005544:Forecasting; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008853:Microscopy / Q000266:history / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods