Effect of specimen preparation method on relative volume of the microvasculature--a light microscopic study in rat...

The study of corrosion casts by scanning electron microscope is an established means of investigating three-dimensional microvascular architecture. However, concern has been raised that the volume of the vasculature is affected by the perfusion procedure. Ten rats (group A) were standard perfusion fixed, while 10 rats (group B) were perfused with acrylic resin after fixation. Vascular volume was assessed by computer-aided analysis of thin sections of tongue lamina propria. The results showed that vascular volume in lamina propria of rat tongue is 13.6 +/- 4.1% (mean +/- SD). No significant differences in vascular volume were found between group A and group B specimens. It can be concluded that plastic-perfused specimens may be as reliable as histologic sections in obtaining a true image of vascular systems. Thus, corrosion casts are suitable for histometric analysis of the microvasculature.