In spite of improved equipment and software, the routine application of quantitative microscopy to practical problems in drug development has been limited. This is due to a perceived and often real increase in project complexity and time added by quantitation of tissue changes, without an offsetting return of information. A major barrier to quantitative microscopy is the degree of difficulty in collecting data. The more steps in this process, the less attractive the task. Therefore, it follows that the more automated the task, the more likely quantitative methods will be applied. The purpose of this presentation will be to illustrate an approach taken to automate the morphometric quantification of muscle atrophy which follows dennervation.

The traditional morphometric approach to assess myofiber atrophy is based upon laborious planometric measurement of individual muscle fiber cross-sections. Examples of the type of data obtained using the traditional method are shown in text table 1.