Preservation of in vivo morphology of blood vessels for morphometric studies.

Preservation of in vivo morphology of the blood vessels is important for morphometric studies. With each fixation method (e.g., immersion fixation, perfusion fixation), there are inherent pitfalls which can easily distort vessel wall morphology, thereby creating artifacts. Alteration of the vessel wall cell volume due to tissue preparation is another common source for errors. Selection of proper morphometric protocols for comparative studies is crucial. Lack of attention in these areas is a cause of confusion and contradiction in the literature. In this review, the merits of various commonly used methods for vessel wall preparation and measurements are discussed.