Genetic hypothyroid mice: normal cerebellar morphology but altered glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in Bergmann glia

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of thyroid deficiency on cerebellar development with mouse endocrine genetic models. Four types of mutant mice, the growth hormone- and thyroid hormone-deficient Snell dwarf mouse (dw/dw), the growth hormone-deficient little mouse (lit/lit), the primary hypothyroid mouse (hyt/hyt), and the congenital genital goiter mouse (cog/cog) were analyzed for expression of the glial enzyme marker glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) and several other marker proteins. GPDH expression, as determined by enzyme activity and Northern blot analysis, was reduced by about 50% in the cerebellum and brainstem of the three hypothyroid mutant mice. No reduced expression was found in any region of the brain of the growth hormone-deficient lit/lit mutant. Visualization of GPDH by immunohistology showed that the immunoreactive enzyme was strikingly reduced in the Bergmann glial cells of dw/dw, hyt/hyt, and cog/cog mutant mice, particularly in the radial glial processes. To evaluate the specificity of the effect on GPDH expression, we also examined the expression of the glial cell-specific S-100 protein by immunohistology. In all mutant cerebella, both the intensity and pattern of staining of the Bergmann glial cells were indistinguishable from that of normal controls, suggesting that the Bergmann glial cells are morphologically normal in the hypothyroid mice. The morphology of the Purkinje cell neurons was similarly visualized by immunohistology using an antiserum specific for the microtubule-associated proteins. Surprisingly, the morphology of the Purkinje cell dendritic arborization also appeared unaltered in the hypothyroid mice. The results suggest that the morphological development of the mouse cerebellum is relatively unaffected by hypothyroidism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Segmental intestinal muscular thinning: a possible cause of intestinal obstruction in the newborn

Intestinal obstruction proximal to a transition zone without an interposed physical barrier usually indicates Hirschsprung disease. The authors report one case of focal small bowel muscular thinning just distal to a transition zone that produced clinical and radiographic findings that simulated long-segment Hirschsprung disease in a 2-day-old infant.     

Difference in learning and retention by Albino-Swiss mice. Part 5. Effect of some antidepressants

According to the methods described earlier (1), the effect of some antidepressants on memory retention in "good" and "poor" learning mice was studied. The present study indicates that several antidepressants have different activity on memory retrieval of the two subtypes of animals, which is directly responsible for the results here reported. In general terms, the data obtained show that, in addition to the classical antidepressant activity, some derivatives may exert a behavioral disinhibition.     

Immune response to intraocular injection of retinal S-antigen in adjuvant

It has been proposed that the introduction of foreign material into the eye at the moment of a penetrating trauma provides an adjuvant effect which, coupled with the release of antigen, might be responsible for sensitizing the immune system to produce a contralateral sympathetic ophthalmia. We addressed that hypothesis by injecting S-antigen with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) into the anterior chamber (AC) of the eye of Lewis rats. The injection of an identical dose of antigen (30 g S-Ag in CFA in a total volume of 10 l) via the foodpad (FP) or under the conjunctiva (SC) could induce typical experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU). By immunizing via the AC route, we could demonstrate a positive sensitization of the immune system, manifested by serum antibody production against S-Ag and by the presence of S-Ag-specific, responsive T-lymphocytes in the spleen. However, immunization via the AC route did not induce contralateral uveitis, and the animals did not produce a DTH skin response when challenged intradermally with S-Ag as they did after FP immunization. In the light of these results, we evaluated the possibility that a DTH suppressive response was elicited by intracameral (IC) injection as seen in anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID): we tested the effect of splenectomy and cyclophosphamide pretreatment before IC immunization and the effect of secondary footpad immunization as well as T-helper cell transfer after IC immunization. The results given by these approaches argue against the induction of suppressor cells by IC immunization. We believe that the absence of lymphatic drainage from the interior of the eye is probably responsible for the absence of EAU induction through the IC route and that extrusion of the antigen under the conjunctiva might be required for the activation of EAU effector cells.     

Application of reflectance spectroscopy to the estimation of uric acid, urea and glucose: an evaluation of the Ames Seralyzer

An original approach to the measurement of analytes in clinical chemistry has now become available, in which dry reagent strip technology is linked to measurement by reflectance spectroscopy. The present studies have evaluated the performance of the first of these test systems—for uric acid, urea and glucose, in serum—by comparison with conventional liquid chemistry methods. Satisfactory performance in terms of both precision and accuracy was obtained for all three test systems, the current “state-of-the-art” performance criteria being met; the Seralyzer system proved reliable and easy to use in the hands of trained operators. It should find a place as a “Stat” analyser in the laboratory, in specified wards and in Health Centres.     

Influence of co-culture with established human endometrial epithelial and stromal cell lines on sperm movement characteristics

The effects of co-culture of human spermatozoa with human immortalized endometrial cells - epithelial or stromal - on sperm movement characteristics, including hyperactivation, were studied using computer- assisted sperm analysis (CASA). Epithelial and stromal cell types could be separated following 8-10 days of culture of endometrial cells originating from human biopsies. Both cell types were immortalized by the SV 40 large T antigen. Co-incubation of sperm with epithelial and stromal monolayers enhanced the rate of hyperactivation: 24.9% (P <0.05) and 17.8% (P = 0.05) versus 9.5% as control, respectively, whereas the majority of motility parameters remained unchanged. Conditioned media had no effect upon sperm parameters, including hyperactivation. Co-incubation with either monolayer was able to maintain sperm motility over a longer period than incubation in control medium alone. In four patients whose spermatozoa did not exhibit hyperactivation, co-incubation with epithelial cells, but not conditioned medium, allowed normal rates of hyperactivation (range: 6.9- 15.6%).