A COMPARISON OF 2D IMAGE ANALYSIS AND DESIGN-BASED STEREOLOGY FOR EVALUATING MORPHOLOGICAL AND ANATOMICAL CHANGES IN THE DOPAMINERGIC SYSTEM OF THE RODENT MIDBRAIN
type: CreativeWork
description: Background. 2D analyses produce systematic errors in quantifying anatomical and morphological features in the brain. Design-based stereology overcomes this limitation by applying probability theory, yet many neuroscience investigators still use 2D analyses. The purpose of this study is to compare 2D analysis with design-based stereology in quantifying differences of morphological and anatomical features between groups. Methods. Brain tissue samples of three different rodent models were analyzed; chronic MPTP/probenecid PD (MPD) mouse model, alcohol preferring (AP) rat model, and the enriched environment (EE) rat model. 2D analyses and design-based stereology were used to quantify neuronal number, neuronal volume and regional volume. Student's t-test (two-tailed) was used to compare quantitative data. Results. 2D analyses generated significantly different estimation form design-based stereology in neuronal number and did not find relatively small differences of neuronal number. 2D analysis generated comparable value to design-based stereology in normalized data but not in actual value. 2D estimated accurately regional volume. Discussion. 2D analyses may be used for rough screening to find a difference of neuronal number and volume but should not for the estimation of actual value. Design-based stereology should be used to estimate neuronal number and volume. Both 2D analyses and design based stereology can be used for the estimation of regional volume.
abstract: Background. 2D analyses produce systematic errors in quantifying anatomical and morphological features in the brain. Design-based stereology overcomes this limitation by applying probability theory, yet many neuroscience investigators still use 2D analyses. The purpose of this study is to compare 2D analysis with design-based stereology in quantifying differences of morphological and anatomical features between groups. Methods. Brain tissue samples of three different rodent models were analyzed; chronic MPTP/probenecid PD (MPD) mouse model, alcohol preferring (AP) rat model, and the enriched environment (EE) rat model. 2D analyses and design-based stereology were used to quantify neuronal number, neuronal volume and regional volume. Student's t-test (two-tailed) was used to compare quantitative data. Results. 2D analyses generated significantly different estimation form design-based stereology in neuronal number and did not find relatively small differences of neuronal number. 2D analysis generated comparable value to design-based stereology in normalized data but not in actual value. 2D estimated accurately regional volume. Discussion. 2D analyses may be used for rough screening to find a difference of neuronal number and volume but should not for the estimation of actual value. Design-based stereology should be used to estimate neuronal number and volume. Both 2D analyses and design based stereology can be used for the estimation of regional volume.
author: Park, Ji-Hyuk
language: en
keywords: Nanoscience, Biology, Morphology
date published: 2010-06-13
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:44:44Z
provider: University of Kansas
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Kansas

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/1808/6775