Do bronchial biopsies represent mast cell density in airways? A stereological study

¹ Faculty of Regional Professional Studies, Edith Cowan University, Robertson Drive, Bunbury, Western Australia, 6230; and West Australian Sleep Disorders Research Institute, Dept of Pulmonary Physiology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, Western Australia, 6009
² West Australian Sleep Disorders Research Institute, Dept of Pulmonary Physiology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, Western Australia, 6009

	Abstract

Endobronchial biopsy specimens may not adequately represent inflammatory cell counts throughout the airway wall. This study aimed to compare mast cell density in biopsies and airway sections using both stereological and non-stereological methods.

Post-mortem biopsies and adjacent transverse sections were obtained from a mean of 5 proximal airways per case in 10 subjects who had died of non-respiratory causes. Tryptase-positive mast cells were measured stereologically in 30 µm sections and non-stereologically in 5µm sections using an optical disector (cells·mm^-3) and cell profiles (cells·mm^-2), respectively. Reference areas included inner and total airway wall and to 100µm below the basement membrane.

Case means based on 4 or more biopsy sites significantly correlated with those on transverse sections only for counts over the inner airway wall, using both stereological and non-stereological methods. Cells·mm^-3 and cells·mm^-2 were significantly correlated within all reference areas.

When endobronchial biopsies are obtained from at least 4 proximal airways per case, inter-subject comparisons of mean mast cell density in the inner airway wall are as well represented by counts on biopsies as they are on transverse sections. This is the case using either three-dimensional, stereological or two-dimensional, non-stereological methods.

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