Cost-Effective and Efficient Approaches for Applying Stereological Methods

Abstract

Stereology is an essential tool to drive accurate quantitative information from sectioned material, yet the specialized equipment required for its implementation is not readily accessible to most laboratories or too costly for disciplines where quantification is only a part of their studies. This review deals with the practical aspects of stereology and illustrates our practical experience of applying stereological methods. A description of simple and efficient approaches for applying certain stereological techniques in a rather cost-effective way is presented. They provide economical solutions for critical steps like systematic field sampling, measuring vertical movements of a microscope stage, displaying large reference fields and simultaneous viewing of physical disector pairs. The presented applications may encourage the usage of stereological methods where specialized equipment for performing such steps is not available.