Number of capillary segments in the alveolar capillary network (ACN) in lung

Range ~2.77×10^7 capillary segments
Organism Human Homo sapiens
Reference Willführ A et al., Estimation of the number of alveolar capillaries by the Euler number (Euler-Poincaré characteristic). Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2015 Dec 1 309(11):L1286-93. doi: 10.1152/ajplung.00410.2014 p.L1291 right column top paragraphPubMed ID26432874
Primary Source [45] Weibel ER, Gomez DM . Architecture of the human lung. Science 137: 577–585, 1962.PubMed ID14005590
Method Abstract: "Here, [investigators] present a new stereological method to estimate the number of capillary loops in the ACN [alveolar capillary network]. One advantage of this method is that it is independent of the shape, size, or distribution of the capillaries. [They] used consecutive, 1 μm-thick sections from epoxy resin-embedded material as a physical disector. The Euler-Poincaré characteristic of capillary networks can be estimated by counting the easily recognizable topological constellations of "islands," "bridges," and "holes.""
Comments P.L1291 right column top paragraph: "The number of capillary segments in the human ACN was estimated to be ∼2.77×10^7, based on a hexagonal model (primary source). Whereas this number appears to be accurate, it relies on the correctness of the model assumption, which may be true for a healthy human lung but may be different in other species or altered by diseases in a nonpredictable fashion."
Entered by Uri M
ID 113844