title: Biopsy sampling requirements for the estimation of muscle capillarization.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the number of tibialis anterior biopsy samples and muscle fibers required to estimate the capillary supply of individual muscle fibers (C:F(i)). C:F(i) was calculated for 25 type 1 fibers in each of 8 images from 3 biopsies of 5 young healthy individuals. Sequential estimation analysis indicated that 50 fibers from one biopsy are sufficient to characterize the C:F(i) of the tibialis anterior for a group of subjects. Thus, when analyzing the capillarization of the tibialis anterior, the requirements of only one biopsy sample and 50 fibers means a great reduction in time for analysis and in the invasiveness of the procedure.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002196:Capillaries / Q000502:physiology; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000166:cytology; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology