The value of graphic reconstructions--comparison with scanning electron microscopy.

Because knowledge of spatial morphology of the human embryonic heart mainly derives from serial microscopic sections and from reconstructions based on such series, it might be questioned whether the results obtained are comparable with animal studies in which scanning electron microscopy is used. Therefore, pig embryo hearts of the same developmental stage were processed for routine histological sectioning as well as for scanning electron microscopy. A graphic reconstruction was made of a right ventricular view, to be compared with a similar scanning micrograph. The two images, produced by much different techniques, were strikingly similar. In addition, the graphic reconstruction technique is complementary to scanning electron microscopy, because histological details can be introduced.