摘要:

To determine if the metaplastic effects of diethylstilbestrol (DES) on prostatic development are reversible, human fetal prostates (obtained from abortus specimens 6-22 weeks old) were bisected mid-sagittally; one half was grafted under the renal capsule of untreated, athymic, male nude mice and the contralateral half was similarly grafted into DES-treated hosts. Severe squamous metaplasia seen in the prostatic ducts after 1 month of continuous DES exposure either disappeared entirely or became reduced in extent and degree after retransplantation of the DES-treated specimens to untreated, intact male hosts and 2 additional months of growth. However, 14 of 21 DES-treated prostates harvested after a 2-month recovery period without DES revealed ductal dilatation (ectasia) and persistent distortion of ductal architecture. Ectasia was most severe in the proximal ducts near the urethra and in prostates 17 weeks or older at the end of 1 month of DES treatment. The clinical consequences of early alteration of prostatic ductal architecture and development are potentially deleterious, as men who were prenatally exposed to DES may be at increased risk for the development of prostatic disease.

ISSN:1422-6405    

DOI:10.1159/000147709

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1995

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Human uterine epithelium displays a distinctly polarized organization with basal, lateral, and apical plasma membrane domains. Although nonadhesive throughout most of the menstrual cycle, uterine epithelial cells allow attachment of trophoblast cells to their apical pole during embryo implantation. Development of the receptive state might involve expression of cell adhesion molecules and/or redistribution of such molecules with respect to their localization at the basal, lateral, and apical membrane domains of cells. Expression and distribution of α1-, α3-, α5-, α6-, β1-, β3- and β4-integrin subunits as well as of CD44 were examined in the luminal epithelium of human endometrium by immunohisto-chemistry in different phases of the menstrual cycle. The luminal epithelium was found to express αl-, α3-, α6-, β1-, β4-integrin subunits and CD44. α6-integrin subunits and CD44 displayed cycle dependency. The oc6-integrin subunits were detected in the basal membrane domains in all phases. However, in correlation with increasing expression during the secretory phase of cycle, these subunits newly appeared in the lateral membranes of epithelial cells. CD44 showed increased expression in the secretory phase but was always restricted to the lateral membranes. The conspicuous behavior of α6-integrin subunits and CD44 is discussed with respect to its possible functional significance for embryo implantation, and in relation to a hypothesis postulating that steroid-controlled master genes direct the acquisition of the receptive state of the luminal uterine epithelium by changing elements of the apicobasal polarity o

ISSN:1422-6405    

DOI:10.1159/000147710

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1995

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Outbred female mice of the NMRI strain were treated with daily doses of diethylstilbestrol (DES; 0.1–10 µg), estradiol-17β (E2; 5 µg), testosterone (T; 5 or 25 µg), progesterone (P; 100 µg), corticosterone (CC; 10 or 50 µg), or olive oil (controls) for the first 5 days after birth. Animals were killed on day 6 after birth, at 2, 4, and 8 weeks or at 4 and 6 months. Only CC resulted in reduced thymus index weight (IW, mg organ weight/g body weight) on day 6 while the estrogen-induced reduced IW was secondary to a reduced body weight. Four-week-old and older estrogen-treated females had increased thymus IW (1.8-fold at 8 weeks after 5 µg DES/day neonatally) which was still seen at 6 months. Estrogen-induced thymus enlargement also occurred in 8-week-old inbred NMRI females and in females belonging to the BALB/c strain. Thymus IW in 8-week-old T-, P- and CC-treated females was as in controls. The leukocyte counts in blood and bone marrow were lower in DES females than in controls. The responses (thymus IW, peripheral blood leukocyte count) of 8-week-old females to ovariectomy and challenge with DES were different in DES females and in control females. The mitogen response of spleen lymphocytes and thymocytes was similar in controls and DES females. An anomaly in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadthymus axis of adult, neonatally estrogen-treated females might explain the thymus enl

ISSN:1422-6405    

DOI:10.1159/000147711

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1995

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Morphological and ultrastructural features of the paracloacal glands of Metachirus nudicaudatus are described. Two pairs of glands, one on the right and the other on the left of the anal canal, are formed, each consisting of a major and a minor portion. Their wall is made up of three layers: a mucosal, a muscular and an external capsule. The inner one is a mucosa the epithelium of which contains holocrine cells characterized by lipid droplets and intermediate filaments. The surrounding vascular lamina propria contains flattened tubular apocrine glands whose epithelial cells contain abundant endoplasmic reticulum, prominent Golgi complexes and numerous secretory granules. The middle layer is formed by skeletal striated muscle and the outer (third layer) consists of dense connective tissue. Each gland originates from a single duct. Transverse sections show that each duct, except in the female major gland, is in fact formed by a duct system. One of these ducts comes from the central cavity, lined by holocrine epithelium, and the others result from the branched tubular glands of the lamina propria.

ISSN:1422-6405    

DOI:10.1159/000147712

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1995

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Memory and cognitive performance decline with advancing age in humans. Rhesus monkeys show a similar age-related memory deficit. Since the functional neuroanatomy of the temporal lobes in the two species is similar, and since the circuits of the temporal lobes are known to be involved in memory function, we undertook a study of the anatomical characteristics of synapses in the dentate gyrus of the rhesus monkey throughout the adult life span. Light- and electron-microscopic examinations were carried out on the dentate gyrus of 10 adult rhesus monkeys (4-35 years) to determine the effect of age on the thickness of the molecular layer and on axon terminals in the outer portion of the molecular layer. The thickness measurements were made on 100-µm-thick Vibratome sections and on 1-µm-fhick Araldite-embedded sections. A total of 100 electron micrographs covering a test area of 3,600 µm2 for each monkey were taken in the outer portion of the molecular layer. Counts of axon terminals synapsing with dendritic spines or shafts, measurements of the cross-sectional area of these terminals, and the length of the postsynaptic density were taken on enlarged prints. The thickness of the molecular layer remained unchanged throughout adulthood. Statistical analysis revealed no overall age-associated loss of synapsing axon terminals or shrinkage of the cross-sectional areas of their profiles. Further, there was no loss in the total number of synapses (axospinous plus axodendritic) or any change in the lenghts of their postsynaptic membrane densities. However, when axodendritic (shaft) synapses (which constitute 13% of the total) were considered separately, a statistically significant age-related loss was detected. Qualitative observations revealed that older monkeys had a moderate number of dystrophic myelinated axons and corpora amylacea located in astrocytic processes in the outer portion of the molecular layer, features not present in young monkeys. Also, glial cells and pericytes showed age-associated accumulation of lipofuscin-like inclusions. A single occurrence of a structured inclusion body in a dendrite was observed in a 10-year-old monkey. In conclusion, most synaptic measures in the dentate gyrus remain stable throughout adulthood of rhesus monkey and there are relatively few other age-related changes. The small age-associated loss of axodendritic synapses is only apparent following separate statistical treatment of these synapses. The functional significance of this loss is unclear since it would result in only 3% reduction in total synapses (shaft plus spinous) from 4 to 35 years of age, the maximal life span of the rhesus monk

ISSN:1422-6405    

DOI:10.1159/000147713

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1995

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Using bonnet monkeys (Macaca radiata) the content, location and types of sensory endings with regard to interphalangeal joints of the fingers of the hand were studied. Use of the modification of Barker and Ip [J Physiol (Lond) 1963; 124: 476-488] of the de Castros silver method showed that the Paciniform/Pacinian corpuscles are almost the exclusive encapsulated receptors in this tissue. Free nerve endings are present. Using serial paraffin sections stained with the May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain, the proximal interphalangeal joint capsules were reconstructed. This confirmed the results of the study using teased preparations stained by the Barker and Ip method. In addition it was shown that the encapsulated endings were situated exclusively in the lateral and ventral aspects of the joint capsule. The number of lamellae of these encapsulated endings varied from as few as three to more than fifty. It is suggested that the contribution of these various receptors to kinaesthesis can depend on such factors as their relationship with tendons and skin

ISSN:1422-6405    

DOI:10.1159/000147714

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1995

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

It has already been clarified that the branch termed Ramus communicans cum nervo glossopharyngeo of the facial nerve in the current Nomina anatomica was in fact one of the branches of the glossopharyngeal nerve that ran towards the auricle [Kawai et al., 1989]. For this investigation, using 5 head sides including 3 with this branch, the author studied the course and the terminal distribution of this branch and compared the data with those of the usual vagal auricular branch which is known to be distributed into the auricle. As a result, the author confirmed that the branch in question was distributed into the cutaneous layer of the concha of the auricle and the posterior wall of the external acoustic meatus, into which the vagal auricular branch is usually distributed, and that the usual vagal or glossopharyngeal auricular branch existed simultaneously with the branch in question in 3 cases. These results suggest that this branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve does not appear simply as a compensatory branch in place of the usual vagal auricular branch.

ISSN:1422-6405    

DOI:10.1159/000147715

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1995

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

There is no detailed description of the fine vasculature of the rat mandibular joint in the literature. The gross vasculature of the cephalic area and of the mandible is known, but without particular emphasis on the joint itself. This article describes the fine vasculature of the rat mandibular joint, using transverse (coronal) and sagittal thick sections of specimens injected with India ink and analyzed with light microscopy. The main vascular supply to the joint comes from the rostral and caudal aspects. Medially, the joint is directly vascularized by vessels from the lateral pterygoid muscle. Rostrally, the synovial membrane and the bilaminar zone of the disc are supplied by articular branches from the rostral deep temporal vessels, terminal branches of the maxillary artery. Caudally, the rich synovium of the retrodiscal pad and the bilaminar zone are supplied by the articular branches of the caudal deep temporal artery, a branch of the maxillary artery. Venous return is into the short, but large retroarticular vein which empties into the maxillary vein together with the vein from the transverse sinus exiting from the postglenoid foramen. Intra-articular synovial membranes own rich venous plexuses, and are lined by a dense capillary network. The central part of the fibrous articular disc is avascular in adult rats, and is circumferentially lined by a rim of capillaries from the bilaminar zone.

ISSN:1422-6405    

DOI:10.1159/000147716

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1995

数据来源: Karger