Estimating human ovarian non-growing follicle number: the application of modern stereology techniques to an old problem
| Autor: | Jay S. Charleston, Karl R. Hansen, Michael R. Soules, Alain Gougeon, Lynne B. Charleston, Angela C. Thyer, Joseph R. Siebert, Nancy A. Klein |
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| Rok vydání: | 2007 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Pathology medicine.medical_specialty Aging Wilcoxon signed-rank test Adolescent Stereology Ovary Biology Andrology Follicle Growing Follicle Ovarian Follicle medicine Image Processing Computer-Assisted Humans Organ donation Ovarian follicle Child Observer Variation Rehabilitation Obstetrics and Gynecology Reproducibility of Results Middle Aged Numero sign medicine.anatomical_structure Reproductive Medicine Female |
| Zdroj: | Human reproduction (Oxford, England). 22(8) |
| ISSN: | 0268-1161 |
| Popis: | BACKGROUND: Previous published reports on the number of non-growing follicles (NGFs) in the human ovary have employed model-based methods for number estimates. These methods are time-intensive, and require correction factors and assumptions that ultimately limit their accuracy. Here, we describe the modification, application and validation of a modern fractionator/optical disector technique for the estimation of human ovarian NGF number. METHODS: Forty-eight pairs of normal human ovaries were collected from women (age 8-51 years) undergoing elective bilateral oophorectomy, organ donation, or from autopsy. After gross pathologic examination, systematic random sampling was utilized to obtain tissue for analysis by the fractionator/optical disector method. The precision of individual NGF counts was determined by calculating the observed coefficient of error (OCE). Intra-observer variability and variation in NGF number between ovaries within a pair were also determined. RESULTS: The mean OCE was 16.6% with larger variations observed at lower follicle counts. In recount experiments of the same ovary, NGF number estimates varied by 15-29%, except at very low follicle counts where variation was greater, but absolute differences were small. There was no significant difference in NGF number between ovaries within a pair (Wilcoxon signed rank test, P = 0.81). CONCLUSIONS: Modern stereology methods provide an unbiased, efficient method for estimating NGF number in the human ovary. Both ovaries within a pair contain similar numbers of NGFs. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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