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Software for counting cells and estimating structural volumes with the optical disector and fractionator
Author(s) -
Bolender Robert P.,
Charleston Jay S.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
microscopy research and technique
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1097-0029
pISSN - 1059-910X
DOI - 10.1002/jemt.1070250408
Subject(s) - stereology , software , volume (thermodynamics) , computer science , graphics , optical density , biomedical engineering , computer graphics (images) , optics , pathology , engineering , physics , medicine , quantum mechanics , programming language
We describe MS‐DOS software for the optical volume fractionator (OVF), a stereological method combining the principles of the optical disector (Gundersen et al.: Acta Pathol. Microbiol. Immunol. Scand., 96:857–881, 1988) and fractionator (Gundersen: J. Microsc., 143:3–45, 1986). The OVF program estimates the volume of a fixed and embedded structure, the numerical density of cells, and the total number of cells in a structure. The hardware requirements include a PC computer (386 or 486 with VGA graphics) and a conventional light microscope fitted with a rotating stage, extension tube, and length gauge. The software includes an introduction, tutorial, simulator, laboratory toolkit, and report generator. The toolkit improves the efficiency of gathering stereological data with light microscopy and offers a convenient link between the data of light and electron microscopy. A novel algorithm, based on fractionator sampling, gives the volume of a fixed and embedded structure from the same set of sections used for cell counting. A laboratory example illustrates the operation of the software. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.