Enhancing Histologic Assessment of Experimental Disease Using Histomorphometrics

Histopathology is a valuable tool for assessing disease establishmentand temporal lesion progression and as such, is regarded as one of the gold standards for validating experimental disease models. While specific mechanisms of disease often involve complex molecular pathways, subjective scoring of lesions at various experimental times can provide insight into critical points of infection/disease progression, infectious dose, and host response. This often allows the investigator to focus on a single time point to elucidate mechanisms that may be instrumental in understanding disease to institute appropriate management and prevention programs. However, this scientific paradigm is not without an important caveat: evaluation of histologic lesions is a subjective practice and may present as a difference of opinion among pathologists. This is especially relevant when considering subtle tissue alterations and experienced pathologists that are capable of recognizing those changes. Histomorphometry is the quantitative study of microscopic features and substantially reduces subjectivity and observer variation. Histomorphometrics provides a continuum of measurements increasing the statistical inference of experimental design. READ..

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