A proposed technique for the morphometric analysis of arteriolar smooth muscle cells from scanning electron...

Morphometric methods are developed which allow the determination of smooth muscle cell (SMC) features from microvasculature prepared for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In vessels so prepared, the SMCs are visible as either tapered ends (T) or complete wraps (CW) around the visible vessel. Formulas were developed so that these features could be used to determine the number of cells (C) in a vessel segment and the number of times the smooth muscle cells wrap around the vessel (W/C). Models were constructed to simulate such vessel preparations to test these formulas. From the two pieces of data (C and W/C) so determined, other SMC parameters could be calculated such as: SMC density along the vessel, SMC length and vessel surface area covered by a SMC. Therefore, it is evident that SMC data can be determined from microvessels prepared for SEM. This data would allow a more complete understanding of SMCs and their changes in normal and diseased states.