Spinal cord stereology

Abstract

Damage to the spinal cord can lead to significant economic and psychological consequences. Morphoquantitative changes play an important role in determining damage, as well as treatment. The development of light microscopic research in parallel with technology means that morphometric evaluation of neurons, dendritic processes and nerve fibres as well as the whole spinal cord structure can be performed with design-based stereology. Stereological approaches are used for the quantitative analysis of neurodegeneration and regeneration in the central nervous system after trauma and diseases. Optical and physical disector that are stereological techniques have been used in the quantitative evaluation of motor neurons in the spinal cord. The most critical point during cell counting is to correctly classify neuron types using appropriate staining and identification methods. Stereological approaches are also effectively used in radiological evaluations such as magnetic resonance imaging. Evaluations can be performed using the Cavalieri principle in sections obtained from radiological images as well as from light microscopic section images. Unbiased stereological methods are also used for immunohistochemical evaluations. Quantitative evaluations in the spinal cord are especially important in determining the degenerative effect that occurs after injury. In addition, new nanomorphometric information can be acquired with the rotator, optical disector and physical disector methods by providing mapping at the organelle level using the immunogold labelling method. This chapter discusses studies involving the scope of spinal cord evaluation together with the stereological methods applied in radiological, histological and immunohistochemical spinal cord sections.