TY - JOUR
T1 - Morphometric analysis of the corpus luteum of 16‐day pregnant rats
T2 - The effect of preparative procedures on volume of luteal cell, interstitial, and vascular compartments
AU - Dharmarajan, A. M.
AU - Meyer, G. T.
AU - Bruce, N. W.
PY - 1983/9
Y1 - 1983/9
N2 - The volumes of the major tissue compartments, vascular space, interstitial space, and luteal cells, in the corpus luteum (CL) of 16‐day pregnant rats were determined morphometrically after different fixation procedures. Ovaries were fixed by perfusion at physiologic pressures (PF), by immersion directly in fixative (IF), by immersion after clamping blood vessels to prevent escape of blood (IFC), or by immersion after administration of heparin to prevent blood clotting (IFH). Three CL in each of eight ovaries were examined for each fixation method. Total volumes were significantly larger in CL fixed by PF and IFC, and approximated physiologic volumes as assessed from frozen ovaries. Perfusion‐fixed CL had significantly larger vascular and interstitial spaces and smaller cell volumes than immersion‐fixed CL. Capillary surface area varied significantly between the four groups in accordance with absolute volume of vascular space. Estimated numbers of endothelial cells and amounts of connective tissue differed significantly, presumably due to difficulties in identifying these components in immersion‐fixed CL with collapsed vessels. The fixation methods used caused substantial fluid shifts between the three major compartments. A theoretical approach for considering these shifts and the likely physiologic situation was developed.
AB - The volumes of the major tissue compartments, vascular space, interstitial space, and luteal cells, in the corpus luteum (CL) of 16‐day pregnant rats were determined morphometrically after different fixation procedures. Ovaries were fixed by perfusion at physiologic pressures (PF), by immersion directly in fixative (IF), by immersion after clamping blood vessels to prevent escape of blood (IFC), or by immersion after administration of heparin to prevent blood clotting (IFH). Three CL in each of eight ovaries were examined for each fixation method. Total volumes were significantly larger in CL fixed by PF and IFC, and approximated physiologic volumes as assessed from frozen ovaries. Perfusion‐fixed CL had significantly larger vascular and interstitial spaces and smaller cell volumes than immersion‐fixed CL. Capillary surface area varied significantly between the four groups in accordance with absolute volume of vascular space. Estimated numbers of endothelial cells and amounts of connective tissue differed significantly, presumably due to difficulties in identifying these components in immersion‐fixed CL with collapsed vessels. The fixation methods used caused substantial fluid shifts between the three major compartments. A theoretical approach for considering these shifts and the likely physiologic situation was developed.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0020562156&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/aja.1001680106
DO - 10.1002/aja.1001680106
M3 - Article
C2 - 6637856
AN - SCOPUS:0020562156
SN - 0002-9106
VL - 168
SP - 51
EP - 65
JO - American Journal of Anatomy
JF - American Journal of Anatomy
IS - 1
ER -