mitoseindices

Mitoseindices is a term used in histology and cytology to refer to a set of measures that quantify the activity of cell division in a given sample. The core component is the mitotic index (MI), defined as the number of cells in mitosis divided by the total number of cells observed, typically expressed as a percentage.

In some contexts, mitoseindices may also encompass related metrics such as the mitotic rate, mitotic figure count per high power field, and the duration of mitosis, providing a composite view of proliferative activity. To calculate MI, one examines stained tissue sections under a light microscope, counts the mitotic figures in a defined area or per a fixed number of cells, and applies MI = (mitotic cells / total cells) × 100. The choice of field size, staining quality, and counting criteria can influence results and contribute to interobserver variability.

Mitoseindices have been used in cancer pathology to assess tumor proliferative activity, in developmental biology to study growth dynamics, and in toxicology and pharmacology to monitor responses to agents that affect cell division. They serve as a proxy for cellular proliferation and can inform assessments of aggressiveness or treatment response.

Limitations include sampling bias, variability in the duration of mitosis, and challenges in distinguishing mitotic figures from artifacts. The term often overlaps with standard measures such as the mitotic index, and practitioners may use it to describe a broader suite of proliferative metrics in histopathological reporting. See also mitotic index.