What were the numbers of men and women who participated in your study? Did you check for a gender effect to see if there are differences in the male versus female response?

Four men and six women completed the study. We have not yet analyzed the data for a gender effect. However, based on our previous research in which gender comparisons and effect of menstrual cycle phase in women were assessed, we would not expect to see a difference (Navalta et al. Neither gender nor menstrual cycle phase influences exercise-induced lymphocyte apoptosis in untrained subjects. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 32: 481-486, 2007)

What are some of the drawbacks of this morphological technique that you use?

As with any methodology, there are benefits and drawbacks. Perhaps the most important limitation to note is the lack of objectivity associated with this method (the numbers reported here rely on a trained observer to make a determination as to what is an apoptotic cell, and what is a normal cell). In addition, a relatively few number of cells is taken to represent the entire population (we evaluate 100 per condition), and obtaining these results is both time and labor intensive.