Current capabilities and limitations of available stereological techniques

The various methods available for stereological analysis of sectioned material are reviewed with special emphasis on a critical evaluation of their capabilities, advantages and limitations. The review deals with four main topics: (I) Comparison with structural standards; (II) Point counting methods; (III) Image analysis with the scanning microphotometer; (IV) Automatic image analysis based on television systems. It is concluded that each of these approaches has its place, and that the choice essentially depends on the properties of the material and on the nature of the problem.