Practical application of stereological methods in experimental kidney animal models

• Published in: Nefrologia : publicacion oficial de la Sociedad Espanola Nefrologia Vol. 37; no. 1; p. 29
• Main Authors: Fernández García, María Teresa, Núñez Martínez, Paula, García de la Fuente, Vanessa, Sánchez Pitiot, Marta, Muñiz Salgueiro, María Del Carmen, Perillán Méndez, Carmen, Argüelles Luis, Juan, Astudillo González, Aurora
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Spanish
• Published: Spain 01-01-2017
• Subjects: Algorithms; Animals; Kidney Diseases - pathology; Kidney Glomerulus - ultrastructure; Mice; Microscopy - methods; Models, Animal; Nephrons - ultrastructure; Photomicrography; Glomeruli; Glomérulos; Densidad glomerular; Renal stereology; Estereología renal; Glomerular density
• ISSN: 1989-2284
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nefro.2016.04.002

The kidneys are vital organs responsible for excretion, fluid and electrolyte balance and hormone production. The nephrons are the kidney's functional and structural units. The number, size and distribution of the nephron components contain relevant information on renal function. Stereology is a branch of morphometry that applies mathematical principles to obtain three-dimensional information from serial, parallel and equidistant two-dimensional microscopic sections. Because of the complexity of stereological studies and the lack of scientific literature on the subject, the aim of this paper is to clearly explain, through animal models, the basic concepts of stereology and how to calculate the main kidney stereological parameters that can be applied in future experimental studies.