Introduction to stereology
Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 19, 2026

Knowing What Counts: Unbiased Stereology in the Non-human Primate Brain
Published on: May 14, 2009
Abstract:
Just as astrology became astronomy and alchemy became chemistry through the application of mathematics, descriptive anatomy can be expected to become more and more quantitative in nature. This article describes the basics of stereology, which provides meaningful quantitative descriptions of the geometry of three-dimensional (3D) structures from measurements that are made on two-dimensional (2D) images. With precise mathematical descriptions such as those that can be obtained with unbiased stereological techniques, it will be possible to make concise descriptions of the relationships between structure and function, of the dynamics of structure, and to reassert the importance of quantitative morphology as an essential part of the evaluation of biological tissues.
More Related Videos
09:21Serial Block-Face Scanning Electron Microscopy (SBF-SEM) of Biological Tissue Samples
Published on: March 26, 2021
08:19Stereological Estimation of Dopaminergic Neuron Number in the Mouse Substantia Nigra Using the Optical Fractionator and Standard Microscopy Equipment
Published on: September 1, 2017
Related Concept Videos
Stereoisomerism
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula.
Transition metal complexes often exist as geometric isomers, in which the same atoms are connected through the same types of bonds but with differences in their orientation in space. Coordination complexes with two different ligands in the cis and trans positions from a ligand of interest form isomers. For example, the octahedral [Co(NH3)4Cl2]+ ion has two isomers (Figure 1) In the cis...
Stereoisomers
Stereoisomerism of Cyclic Compounds
Gauss's Law: Spherical Symmetry
Gauss's Law: Cylindrical Symmetry