3-DIMENSIONAL ESTIMATION OF THE GLANDULAR VOLUME, AND OF THE NUMBER AND VOLUME OF EPITHELIAL-CELLS IN 2 GLANDS FROM THE ANTRAL MUCOSA OF 5 HEALTHY-VOLUNTEERS

Specimens of antral mucosa were taken from five healthy volunteers and processed for microscopic evaluation. Consecutive 50-mu m-thick secti ons were cut to estimate the volume of two antral glands. Two glands i n each section were followed throughout by projecting their profiles f rom two microscopes mounted in parallel. The glandular volume was esti mated using Cavalieri's principle. The mean volume of epithelial cells was estimated by systematic random sampling of the sections with an o ptical disector of known sample volume. The total number of cells per gland was calculated after determination of the volume of the glands a nd the mean volume of the epithelial cells. The mean volume of the ant ral glands was 13.6 +/- 1.67.10(6) mu m(3), whilst the mean volume of the epithelial cells was 1256 +/- 240 mu m(3). The total number of epi thelial cells per gland was 11216 +/- 104. In conclusion, using stereo logical methods, the total number of cells as well as the cell volume and the volume of antral glands can be determined in routine biopsy sp ecimens of human stomach provided that the total depth of the mucosa i s present in the section.