EFFECT OF SPECIMEN PREPARATION METHOD ON RELATIVE VOLUME OF THE MICROVASCULATURE - A LIGHT-MICROSCOPIC STUDY IN RAT TONGUE

The study of corrosion casts by scanning electron microscope is an est ablished means of investigating three-dimensional microvascular archit ecture. However, concern has been raised that the volume of the vascul ature is affected by the perfusion procedure. Ten rats (group A) were standard perfusion fixed, while 10 rats (group B) were perfused with a crylic 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 i n obtaining a true image of vascular systems. Thus, corrosion casts ar e suitable for histometric analysis of the microvasculature.