Selection of the best method in stereology

SUMMARY A brief historical survey of the origin of stereological methods is followed by a synoptic characterization of their nature. They fall into two main classes depending on the structural models at their origin. Those methods which aim at a size analysis of the particle population provide more information, but are more subject to limitations, than those which estimate bulk parameters of the structure as a whole. The choice between the different methods must be guided by a clear definition of the most informative parameters and of the geometric properties of the structure.