ESTIMATION OF THE SURFACE-AREA AND VOLUME OF THE RETINAL CAPILLARY BASEMENT-MEMBRANE USING THE STEREOLOGIC METHOD OF VERTICAL SECTIONS

The modern stereologic method of vertical sections was applied to the retina as a means of generating unbiased estimates of three-dimensiona l structure. The method is illustrated with real data on the volume an d surface area of the capillary basement membrane from the central ret ina of the rat. Novel methods of estimating the volume of retina sampl ed and of creating accurate vertical sections are described. The advan tages of using stereologic methods to generate quantitative informatio n on the three-dimensional structure of the retina are discussed and c ompared to those of previous quantitative methods that provide data on two-dimensional structure only.