Basic stereological relationships for quantitative microscopical anatomy--a simple systematic approach.

There exists in the literature a core of formulations regarded as 'the basic stereological principles' for quantifying cell and tissue morphology. They may be used to obtain information relating component volume, surface area, length and number to a specified containing volume (the so-called component densities in a volume: VV, SV, MV and NV). However, principles may also be formulated for relating these component dimensions to a containing surface (SS, MS and NS), containing length (MM and NM) and a containing number (NN). Methods for estimating these previously neglected stereological relations are presented. Possible biological applications of the principles are also discussed.