SURFACE AND VOLUME DENSITY OF CD1A- A STEREOLOGICAL STUDY USING VERTICAL SECTIONS( LANGERHANS CELLS IN THE HUMAN OVAL MUCOSA )

Quantification of the surface and volume density of CD1a+ Langerhans c ells in the human oral mucosa was carried out using a recently describ ed technique of intercept counting on vertical sections, and the point counting method, respectively. The surface density of LC, i.e. surfac e area of LC per unit epithelial volume, was estimated between 310.8 m m(-1) and 621.0 mm(-1) (mean 420.3 mm(-1)), and estimated coefficients of error (esrCE) were between 2.92% and 22.15%. Estimates of the volu me density of LC, i.e. fraction of epithelial volume occupied by LC, y ielded values from 1.56% to 13.15% (mean 5.96%) with estimated CE's of 5.69% to 25.94%. The investigation demonstrates the value of newer an d older stereological tools to quantify complex cells such as LC on or dinary vertical sections without expensive equipment.