Expressing stereological results 'per cm3' is not enough.
Stereological results are usually expressed as volumes, areas, lengths, or numbers per cm3 of tissue. This has led to wildly incorrect conclusions about tissues when they have been distorted (and effectively 'diluted') by oedema. Similar problems occur whenever the reference parameters (volume, area, weight, etc.) differ between one group and another. In tissues which occur in layers (e.g., the subcutaneous tissue), the mean depth of the tissue superficial to the deep fascia may be used to multiply these estimates, thus giving results expressed per cm2 of deep fascia. Depth measurements incorrect by an angle of 25 degrees to the perpendicular cause only a 10 per cent error. Such results are independent of the effects of oedema. A similar technique can be used in organs, multiplying the estimates by the volume of the organ, and expressing the results per organ. This presentation can be extended by then dividing these by the animal's body weight and expressing the results per kg. This last is useful for localized disease processes but not for generalized ones, or normal growth.
Casley-Smith
J R
JR
Henry Thomas Laboratory (Microcirculation Research), University of Adelaide, S.A., Australia.
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D004487:Edema / Q000473:pathology*; D006652:Histological Techniques; D009929:Organ Size