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The problem of ambiguous profiles of microvilli between apposed cell surfaces: a stereological solution
Author(s) -
Mayhew T. M.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1985.tb02649.x
Subject(s) - ambiguity , intersection (aeronautics) , surface (topology) , stereology , biological system , biophysics , computer science , biology , chemistry , mathematics , geometry , geography , programming language , cartography , endocrinology
SUMMARY When interdigitating microvilli projecting from apposed cell surfaces are sectioned randomly, it becomes impossible to specify to which of the two parent surfaces an individual microvillous profile belongs. Because of this image ambiguity, direct estimation of the ratio of microvillous surface areas by intersection counting cannot be performed. A stereological solution to this problem is proposed. It relies on counts of the numbers of bases of microvilli identified on each reference (parent) surface.