[A morphometric method of determining the volumetric density of structural components of tissue]

Methods of determination in the histological sections of the volumetric fraction of the tissue components, characterized by low content (less than 1%), uneven distribution and wide size variation are described. The measuring of the volumetric part of such a structure is carried out by two stages: in the first stage the true area of the whole section is estimated under the low magnification; in the second stage the same is made for the true area of the structure investigated. Then the volumetric density of the component in question is determined by the ratio of the area of investigated structure and that of the whole section. By this method it is identified that the normal volumetric part of the insular apparatus of the rat pancreas is on the average 0.46% in the duodenal part and 0.57% in the spleen part.