Soma size and oxidative enzyme activity in normal and chronically stimulated motoneurones of the Cat''s spinal cord

In normal adult cats we measured the density of staining for the activity of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH staining) in ventral horn cells of different sizes. The measurements were restricted to that part of the lumbar ventral horn (L6-L7) which is known to contain motoneurones of the peroneal nerve. A statistically significant tendency was found for the SDH staining to be denser in smaller than in larger neurones within the size range of a motoneurones (soma diameter greater than 40 microns). These results are consistent with recently published evidence for ventral horn cells of rats and qualitatively similar relationships between size and SDH staining have also been observed among skeletal muscle fibres (confirmed for mixed muscle of cat in present study). In hindlimb muscles, size as well as SDH staining are known to be markedly activity-dependent. We tested whether this is the case for peroneal motoneurones as well by analyzing the effects of chronic nerve stimulation on the properties of neurones within the appropriate region of the ventral horn. Prior to the final acute experiment, these cats had been subjected to a left-side dorsal rhizotomy and hemispinalization. By aid of a portable mini-stimulator, the left-side common peroneal nerve was activated by repetitive pulses during 50% of total time per day (intra-activity rate: 10, 20 or 40 Hz). After 8 weeks of such treatment, cell sizes as well as the densities of SDH staining showed hardly any differences between peroneal ventral horn cells of the experimental and control sides of the spinal cord.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Bruch''s membrane of the brachymorphic mouse

Bruch's membrane exists between the retinal pigment epithelium and the choriocapillary endothelium. Its structure is very complicated, having five sublayers containing basement membranes of retinal pigment epithelium and choriocapillary endothelium, outer and inner collagenous layers, and a central elastic layer. In the development of Bruch's membrane in normal mice, both basement membranes are created first. Secondarily, collagen fibers are accumulated in the space between these basement membranes and then form a collagenous layer. Finally, the elastic layer elaborated in the collagenous layer separates this into outer and inner collagenous layers. Brachymorphic mice have a disorder in the sulfation pathway, resulting in undersulfation. Consequently, in Bruch's membrane of brachymorphic mice, the expression of decorin, a small proteoglycan containing chondroitin sulfate and an indispensable component in collagen assembly, is at a very low level. It is clear that hypoplasia of the collagenous layer in Bruch's membrane of brachymorphic mice induces a disorder in the following formation of the elastic layer. These findings suggest that the formation of the collagenous layer, regulated with acidic glycoconjugates such as decorin, is important in the development of Bruch's membrane.     

Neoglycoprotein binding to colorectal tumour cells: Comparison between primary and secondary lesions

Summary Biotinylated neoglycoproteins are useful to determine the expression of sugar receptors (lectins) histochemically in routinely processed tissue sections. Assessment of the presence of distinct receptor classes with specificity to-galactosides and to- or-N-acetylgalactosamine, selected on the basis of their potential relevance for recognition processes within the metastatic cascade in murine model systems, was performed for a common human tumour type, colorectal cancer. The four different types of neoglycoproteins, derived from covalent attachment of commercially available derivatives of-N-acetylgalactosamine, differed only quantitatively in their capacity to detect specific binding on cultured cells and tissue sections, thus posing no major restriction on the choice of synthetic process for histochemical efficiency of the product. Glycocytological application revealed specific probe binding and a regulation of level of receptor expression for a human colon carcinoma cell line primarily forN-acetylgalactosamine-specific receptors upon retinoic acid-induced differentiation. Monitoring of sections of the 12 cases of primary and secondary colorectal lesions invariably disclosed the presence of the respective receptors, the extent of cell labelling in primary tumours and metastases being similar. Establishment of metastases, even in different target organs, is apparently not followed by a major phenotypic variation in this feature.     

Wie lange ergeben aufbewahrte Blut- und Knochenmarksausstriche zuverlässige zytochemische Färbungen?

Summary We tested how long unstained and unfixed films of blood and aspirated bone marrow could be kept before special cytochemical staining. To exclude influences other than time on the outcome of the reactions, all the material was taken from hematologically normal persons. A simple score was used to evaluate the results. These may be summarized as follows: in most cells Naphthol-AS-acetate-esterase first shows a progressive decline in reactivity after a delay of 6 weeks, the reaction becoming very weak after 10±1 weeks. This does not hold for monocytes, megakaryocytes and platelets, which maintain reactivity (and susceptibility to NaF) for more than three months. With PAS staining, a slight decrease in reactivity after 8±2 weeks could be observed, whereas all other stainings tested (POX, Sudan black B and Naphthol-AS-D-esterase) were unaffected even by a delay of up to 16 weeks.

     

绵羊肥大细胞中类胰蛋白酶的证实

用甲苯胺蓝和阿尔辛蓝常规组织化学方法及特异性酶底物鉴定人肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶的酶组织化学技术，采用小鼠抗人肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶单克隆抗体，（ＡＡ１、ＡＡ３和ＡＡ５）通过间接免疫过的经物酶技术对绵羊肥大细胞的组织化学特性进行研究，酶组织化学技术及免疫组织化学技术均首次证实了绵羊肥大细胞颗粒中含有类胰蛋白酶，且该酶可作为绵羊肥大细胞的特异性标志，对于绵羊肥大细胞的常规组织化学染色，Ｃａｒｎｏｙ液及中性缓门     

Origin and significance of small muscle fibres in neuromuscular disease

Summary Small muscle fibres, defined as those of less than 40 µm diameter in the male and 30 m in the female were encountered in muscle biopsies of patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), polymyositis (PM) and myopathy/dystrophy. Excessive reactivity with NADH-TR in small fibres did not discriminate between neurogenic and myopathic disorders. Quantification of perifascicular atrophic fibres, the number of nuclei in atrophic fibres, or the presence of isolated or grouped small fibres without histochemical kinship to their surrounding fibres did not aid recognition of the disease process in the groups studied. Small fibres which reacted strongly both with NADH-TR and ATPase at pH 9.4 (Type 3 fibres) constituted 38% of small fibres in the biopsies of SMA; 25% in ALS; but only 1% and 2.7% in PM and myopathy/dystrophy respectively. Thus, the presence of small Type 3 fibres in muscle biopsies may be a useful marker for neurogenic disorders in adults.     

Tumor cell line characterization of a malignant histiocytosis transplanted into nude mice

Summary The successful transplantation of a human malignant histiocytosis into nude mice allowed the examination of its atypical histiocytic cell proliferation. Histiocytic type cells were identified by positive reactions with acid phosphatase and non-specific esterase and with anti human DR or OKI1 antisera. Presence of OKT9 antigen and negative results obtained with most OKT antisera, rosettes, erythrophagocytosis and lysozyme corroborate the histiocytic immature state of the cells and preclude another type of tumor. All positive tests to prove a mature mononuclear phagocytic origin were attributable to the murine host cell reaction.     

The cytoskeleton of the myenteric neurons during murine embryonic life

 The organization of the cytoskeleton has been studied during mouse differentiation in cells of the myenteric neuronal lineage. The entire gut was examined starting from day 12.5 of embryonic life (E12.5) until birth (P0). Immunocytochemistry was performed to evaluate the expression of five of the most represented neurofilaments proteins (the low, NF-L, medium, NF-M, and heavy, NF-H, molecular weight subunits, α-internexin and peripherin) and of two of the microtubule-associated proteins (MAP1 and MAP2a+2b). In parallel, the appearance in the differentiating myenteric neurons of filamentous and microtubular structures and their intracytoplasmatic distribution were observed under the electron microscope. A differential immunohistochemical expression of the structural proteins was found. Immature cells expressed α-internexin, peripherin, NF-M and MAP1 by day E12.5; α-internexin expression was strong in these cells, but gradually decreased with age and was practically absent in adulthood. Conversely, the expression of the other three proteins increased with cell differentiation and was still present in adulthood. NF-L and NF-H expression appeared later, by day E16.5, and was weak for the entire pre- and postnatal life. MAP2a+2b was never expressed. Under the electron microscope, at day E12.5 the cytoskeleton was already organized in filamentous and microtubular structures. At this age neurofilaments were few and mainly located in the cell processes, and microtubules were numerous and mainly assembled in the neuritic growth cones, together with synaptic vesicles. With ageing, neurofilaments and microtubules were ubiquitous in the neuron. Data obtained demonstrate that cytoskeletal proteins gradually accumulate in the cells of the neuronal lineage in parallel with the organization of the cytoskeletal structures, which in turn mediate important neural events by the earliest stages of murine embryonic life, including growth of nerve processes and initiation of axonal transport. Accepted: 11 November 1998     

Histologic distinction between malignant mesothelioma,benign pleural lesion and carcinoma metastasis

Summary Thirty men and 7 women with malignant mesothelioma seen at the Free University Hospital from 1st January 1960 until 1st July 1981 were reviewed.The histological, histochemical and morphometrical findings are reported. These findings are compared with 25 cases of pleural metastatic carcinoma and 25 cases of reactive pleural lesions.Fourty-nine percent of malignant mesotheliomas produced hyaluronic acid, however all cases of pleural metastatic carcinomas failed to produce this substance. All cases of malignant mesothelioma were D-PAS negative while 15 cases of pleural metastatic carcinoma showed reactivity to D-PAS. All cases of malignant mesothelioma and 9 cases of metastases were CEA negative.To distinguish malignant mesothelioma from metastases it is advisable to perform the D-PAS staining first. If it is negative mesothelioma can be confirmed by showing hyaluronic acid activity. A positive CEA staining rules out mesothelioma. In our study it was shown that with these methods 18 of 37 mesotheliomas could be identified with certainty, and 22 of the 25 carcinoma metastases.Morphometrically the malignant mesotheliomas could not be distinguished from the metastases, however the reactive pleural lesions had smaller nuclei than the malignant cells with mean values below 30 mu². In the malignant cases these values had a range from 36 to 101 mu².In distinguishing between reactive pleural lesions and malignant mesothelioma the production of hyaluronic acid points to the malignant character of the lesion.Thus histochemistry and immunostaining are important in the distinction of malignant mesothelioma from metastases, while the value of morphometry lies mainly in the separation of reactive lesions from malignant mesothelioma.