Formation of new corticorubral synapses as a mechanism for classical conditioning in the cat

An electron microscopic quantitative study of corticorubral synapses was performed in the cat which acquired classical conditioning. Conditioned stimulus was applied to the cerebral peduncle and the unconditioned stimulus was an electrical shock to the forelimb skin. The proportion of corticorubral synapses contacting with somata and proximal dendrite was increased after conditioning. It was suggested that collateral sprouting and the formation of new synapses underlie classical conditioning.     

A Bayesian approach to subvoxel tissue classification in NMR microscopic images of trabecular bone

NMR microscopy is currently being used as an investigational tool for the evaluation of micromorphometric parameters of trabecular bone as a possible means to assess its strength. Since, typically, the image voxel size is not significantly smaller than individual trabecular elements, partial volume blurring can be a major complication for accurate tissue classification. In this paper, a Bayesian segmentation technique is reported that achieves improved subvoxel tissue classification. Each voxel is subdivided either into eight subvoxels twice the original resolution, or up to four subvoxels along the transaxial direction and the subvoxels optimally classified as either bone or marrow. Based on a statistical model for partial volume blurring, the likelihood for the number of marrow subvoxels in each voxel can be computed on the basis of its measured signal. To resolve the ambiguity of the location of the marrow subvoxels, a Gibbs distribution is introduced to model the interaction between the subvoxels. Neighboring subvoxel pairs with the same tissue label are encouraged, and pairs with distinct labels are penalized. The segmentation is achieved by maximizing the a posteriori probability of the label image using the block ICM (iterative conditional mode) algorithm. The potential of the proposed technique is demonstrated in real and synthetic NMR microscopic images.     

Intracerebral distribution of albumin after transient cerebral ischemia: light and electron microscopic immunocytochemical investigation

Summary The blood-brain barrier breaks down following cerebral ischemia, but the exact sequence of events for extravasation of serum proteins and their parenchymal distribution remain uncertain. We studied the distribution of serum albumin in the hippocampus of the gerbil brain using light and electron microscopic immunocytochemical techniques. With light microscopy, there was no reaction for albumin for the first 12 h after unilateral common carotid artery occlusion for 10 min and reperfusion. At 12 h, the reaction was weak and limited to the neuropil in the subiculum-CA1 region (between the subiculum and the medial CA1 region). After 24 h, the reaction became intense in the neuropil and neuronal perikarya in the subiculum-CA1 and medial CA1 regions. The electron microscopic immunocytochemical study of the subiculum-CA1 and medial CA1 regions revealed electron-dense immunoprecipitates in the extracellular space and the peripheral part of the apical dendrites as early as 30 min after reperfusion and in the astrocytic cytoplasm after reperfusion for 1 h. However, immunoprecipitates were not found in the neuronal perikarya until after reperfusion for 24 h. The present study demonstrated prompt appearance of albumin in the extracellular space of the brain parenchyma after re-establishment of cerebral circulation and prompt accumulation in the peripheral part of the dendrites with spreading to neuronal perikarya, likely in the process of degeneration and death.Supported by the grant NS-06663 from the National Institutes of Health, U. S. Public Health Service     

Early Postnatal Changes in the Somatodendritic Morphology of Ankle Flexor Motoneurons in the Rat

The development of locomotor function in the rat spans the first 3 postnatal weeks. We have studied morphological features of the soma and dendrites of motoneurons innervating the physiological flexor muscles of the ankle, tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus, by intracellular injection in vitro between the first and ninth postnatal days. We obtained serial optical sections of 96 adequately filled motoneurons in whole-mounted hemisected spinal cords by confocal microscopy, projected them onto a single plane and analysed them morphometrically. On the day after birth, the somatodendritic surfaces of most such motoneurons were covered in growth-associated spiny, thorny or hair-like appendages. These had disappeared from the soma by the fourth postnatal day and from most proximal dendrites by day 7, but were still common distally on day 9. During this period there was little or no net growth of either the soma (which was still much smaller than in the adult) or the dendritic tree. A dorsal dendritic bias was present and 'sprays' of long, loosely bundled dorsal dendrites were often seen. The mean number of primary dendrites remained constant at about eight, and their combined diameter was already significantly correlated with mean soma diameter, as in the adult cat. Thus, the critical neonatal period during which these ankle flexor motoneurons are known to change their electrophysiological properties and to be particularly sensitive to interference with neuromuscular interaction is characterized by major changes in the neuronal surface, presumably linked to synaptogenesis.     

实验性单纯疱疹病毒Ⅰ型感染兔眼部扫描电镜观察研究

应用ＤＭＳＯ（Ｄｉｍｅｔｈｙｌｓｕｌｆｏｘｉｄｅ二甲基亚砜）冷冻割断制样扫描电镜技术首次动态观察了不同感染阶段（ｐｏｓｔＩｎｆｅｃｔｉｏｎ，ＰＩ）实验性单纯疱疹病毒性角膜炎（ＨＳＫ）兔的角膜、三叉神经节（ＴＧ）泪腺等组织的病变情况。初步报告并分析了各组织病变的扫描图像结果，并对冷冻割断法观察扫描电镜的原理及优缺点予以讨论，认为该技术应用于眼部单疱病毒感染的研究图像清晰、直观、简便可行，是一种有实用价值的方法。     

Effect of exogenous progesterone administration on the morphology of normally developing endometrium in the pre-implantation period

The effects on endometrial morphology of a single, intramuscular dose of 100 mg of progesterone administered in the early luteal phase, between days LH + 1 and LH + 6, were studied in a group (n = 8) of normal, fertile subjects by morphometric techniques and transmission electron microscopy. While the dose of progesterone administered consistently resulted in an increase of salivary progesterone concentration to above the upper limit of the reference range, no significant effect on endometrial development was observed; in particular, endometrial development was not advanced.     

Dopamine-D1 and δ-opioid receptors co-exist in rat striatal neurons

Cocaine's enhancement of dopaminergic neurotransmission in the mesolimbic pathway plays a critical role in the initial reinforcing properties of this drug. However, other neurotransmitter systems are also integral to the addiction process. A large body of data indicates that opioids and dopamine together mediate emotional and reinforced behaviors. In support of this, cocaine-mediated increases in activation of dopamine D1 receptors (D1R) results in a desensitization of δ-opioid receptor (DOR) signaling through adenylyl cyclase (AC) in striatal neurons. To further define cellular mechanisms underlying this effect, the subcellular distribution of DOR and D1R was examined in the rat dorsolateral striatum. Dual immunoperoxidase/gold-silver detection combined with electron microscopy was used to identify DOR and D1R immunoreactivities in the same section of tissue. Semi-quantitative analysis revealed that a subset of dendritic cellular profiles exhibited both DOR and D1R immunoreactivities. Of 198 randomly sampled D1R immunoreactive profiles, 43% contained DOR. Similarly of 165 DOR-labeled cellular profiles, 52% contained D1R. The present data provide ultrastructural evidence for co-existence between DOR and D1R in striatal neurons, suggesting a possible mechanism whereby D1R modulation may alter DOR function.     

力达霉素对神经胶质瘤细胞血管生成拟态的抑制及对细胞凋亡的影响

Objective To evaluate the in vitro effects of lidamycin upon vasculogenic mimicry and apoptosis induction in glioma cells. Methods Tube formation assay was performed to estimate the inhibitory effects of lidamycin upon vasculogenic mimicry in C6 and U87 glioma cells. The vasculogenic mimicry of glioma cells was photographed and enumerated. Annexin V-FITC/PI was used for determination of glioma cell apoptosis with flow cytometry. Results Vasculogenic mimicry assay indicated that 0. 1 nmol/L, 0. 5 nmol/L and 1 nmol/L lidamycin showed significant inhibition of vasculogenic mimicry in C6 and U87 cells. Comparing with C6 control group (14. 7 ± 1.2), 0. 1 nmol/L (12. 7 ± 0. 6), 0. 5 nmol/L (9. 0 ± 1.7) and 1 nmol/L (4. 7 ± 0. 6) lidamycin inhibited vasculogenic mimicry in C6 cells with statistical significances (P = 0. 013, P = 0. 005 and P = 0. 0002 respectively). Comparing with U87 control group (14.7±1.2), the vasculogenic mimicry of 0.1 nmol/L (10.0±2.0), 0.5 nmol/L (8.3±1.5) and 1 nmol/L lidamycin (4. 3±0. 6) treated U87 cells showed statistical significances (P =0. 025, P =0. 005 and P =0. 0009 respectively). The apoptotic ratios of same dosages lidamycin treated C6 cells and U87 cells showed a similar tendency as vaaculogenic mimicry inhibition (P < 0. 001). Lidamycin was more potent than neocarzinostatin in vasculogenic mimicry inhibition and apoptosis induction of C6 cells and U87 cells. Conclusion Lidamycin can inhibit vasculogenic mimicry and promote apotosis of glioma cells. Thus it is a promising drug in glioma treatment. Further researches on the therapeutic efficacy of enediyne antibiotics in glioma are needed.     

雌激素对大鼠肝再生过程中肝细胞超微结构的影响

本文采用形态测量技术,分析了雌激素对大鼠肝再生过程中肝细胞超微结构的影响。结果显示,使用雌激素的大鼠肝细胞核及核仁体积明显高于对照组,以术后1～3d最明显(P<0.001);同时,线粒体数密度也明显增加,术后1、3、7d与对照组比较差异有极显著性意义(P<0.01),表明雌激素具有促进肝再生过程中肝细胞线粒体增生的作用。作者认为,雌激素的上述作用是雌激索促进肝细胞再生的形态学表现。     

大鼠肺微血管和肺泡铸型的扫描电镜观察

用扫描电镜观察以甲基丙烯酸甲酯灌注鼠的肺微血管和肺泡。胸膜下毛细血管较稀疏,网孔粗大。毛细血管部分成锐角折返,亦可见毛细血管盲端。肺泡隔毛细血管均成扁平状膨大,且相互吻合成单层密集网。肺泡铸型为大小不等、不规则的多面体,表面可见肺泡Ⅱ型细胞核之压迹。两肺泡之间可见呈桥式连接的肺泡孔,亦可见部分呈三通管样相连。