Application of unbiased stereology on archival human temporal bone.
OBJECTIVE
The current report presents unbiased stereological sampling and counting strategies for estimating the total number of neurons in the spiral and vestibular ganglia of the archival human temporal bone.


METHODS
Application of unbiased stereology using archival human temporal specimens. Observational study.


METHODS
The practical sampling and counting strategies for estimating the number of neurons are presented. To illustrate the method described, the total number of neurons in spiral and vestibular ganglia from archival human temporal bone was estimated.


RESULTS
The study found, on average, 41,643 (coefficient of variation = 0.12) spiral ganglion neurons in the subjects with an average age of 35.6 years (age range, 22-60 y) and, on average, 27,635 (coefficient of variation = 0.10) vestibular ganglion neurons in the subjects with an average age of 28.6 years (age range, 2-58 y).


CONCLUSIONS
The total number of primary auditory and vestibular ganglion neurons from the current study differs significantly from the previously published data using assumption-based methods. The unbiased stereological technique presented in the current report thus would be invaluable for future studies on such specimens, including the study of the changes of neurons during aging and various pathological conditions.
Tang
Yong
Y
Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, 90095, USA.
Lopez
Ivan
I
Ishiyama
Akira
A
D002452:Cell Count; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D013136:Spiral Ganglion / Q000166:cytology*; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000166:cytology*; D014725:Vestibular Nerve / Q000166:cytology*