Summary
A method is described to compute the correct distribution of nuclear diameters in thick sections of superior cervical ganglia of rats from the observed distribution of nuclear profiles. This method is applicable to the problem of correcting for the differing diameters of cells observed after treatment with nerve growth factor (NGF). It overcomes the errors due to the failure to count small fragments of nuclei too thin to be seen and the multiple counting of nuclei in more than one section. It has been shown that the changes in number of neurons after NGF treatment were not as large as previously supposed. An estimate of the volume occupied by the cell bodies suggests that the numbers calculated here are correct.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Abercrombie, M. (1946) Estimation of nuclear population from microtome sections.Anatomical Record 94, 274–329.
Anker, R. L. andCragg, B. G. (1974) Estimation of the number of synapses in a volume of nervous tissue from counts in thin sections by electron microscopy.Journal of Neurocytology 3 725–35.
Coupland, R. E. (1968) Determining sizes and distribution of sizes of spherical bodies such as chromaffin granules in tissue sections.Nature 217, 384–388.
Cragg, B. G. (1974) The development of synapses in the visual system of the cat.Journal of Comparative Neurology 160, 147–66.
Floderus, S. (1944) Untersuchungen über den Bau der menschlichen Hypophyse mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der quantitativen mikromorphologischen Verhaltnisse.Acta pathologica et microbiologica scandinavica 53, 1–276.
Hendry, I. A. (1975) The mechanism for the increased number of adrenergic neurons after nerve growth factor treatment of neonatal rat.Proceedings Australian Physiological and Pharmacological Society 6, Abs. 45.
Konigsmark, B. W. (1970) Methods for the counting of neurons. InContemporary Research Methods in Neuroanatomy (edited byNauta, W. J. H. AndEbbesson, S. O. E.) pp. 315–80. Springer-Verlag: New York.
Levi-Montalcini, R. andBooker, B. (1960a) Excessive growth of the sympathetic ganglia evoked by a protein isolated from mouse salivary glands.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Washington 46, 373–83.
Levi-Montalcini, R. andBooker, B. (1960b) Destruction of the sympathetic ganglia in mammals by an antiserum to a nerve growth protein.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Washington 46, 384–391.
Schenker, A., Mobley, W. C. andShooter, E. M. (1976) Nerve growth factor, Rapid methods in its isolation and determination of its chain composition.Journal of Biological Chemistry — in press.
Thoenen, H., Angeletti, P. U., Levi-Montalcini, R. andKettler, R. (1971) Selective induction by nerve growth factor of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine-β-hydroxylase in the rat superior cervical ganglia.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Washington 68, 1598–1602.
Zaimis, E. (1972) Nerve growth factor: the target cells. InNerve Growth Factor and its Antiserum, (edited byZaimis, E.), pp. 59–70. Athlone Press: London.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hendry, I.A. A method to correct adequately for the change in neuronal size when estimating neuronal numbers after nerve growth factor treatment. J Neurocytol 5, 337–349 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01175119
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01175119