Ultrastructural alterations of rat brain microglial cells and pericytes after chronic lead poisoning

Summary Wistar rats of both sexes and the same litter were exposed to chronic lead intoxication from birth untill sacrifice 9 months later. Lead was administered as 0.4% solution of lead nitrate in drinking water. Samples from the parietal brain cortex were examined electron microscopically following intracardiac perfusion with paraformaldehyde-glutaraldehyde solution. Similar changes were observed in the microglial cells and the vascular pericytes whereas all the other tissue elements appeared intact. Both cell types hypertrophied, the microglia assumed characteristic spindle or rod shape, the cell organelles increased, the microglial endoplasmic reticulum widened strongly and a large number of lipid inclusions appeared. The latter consisted of large lipid droplets of varying size and shape, containing multiple zones of low density, and a dense component with a coarse granular structure. The similarity in the response of both cell entities to the lesion as well as some probable functions of microglial cells and their relationship to vascular pericytes are discussed.     

First facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy prenatal diagnosis in a Bulgarian family

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is the third most common myopathy. It is characterized by progressive descendent involvement of facial, shoulder girdle, truncal and lower extremities muscles. FSHD locus was mapped on the terminal part of the long arm of chromosome 4 (4q35). The disease is caused by a deletion of an integral number of tandem D4Z4 repeats and dimension of the pathological fragments < or = 38kb. Prenatal diagnosis of FSHD is possible but it is potentially difficult because of the big amount and high quality of DNA required. Hereby we describe the first prenatal tests performed for a Bulgarian family.     

The incidence and structure of congenital anomalies at the Maternity Home State University Hospital, Sofia in the period of 1992-1996

This is a retrospective study on the dynamics of inborn malformations in University Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 'Ma?chin Dom', Sofia for a five-years-long period of time (1992-1996). The results show that the rate of inborn anomalies in the discussed period of time remains approximately the same, while there is an increase of the relative part of heavy and life-threatening malformations. They cause death of nearly half of term infants who die in the neonatal period. These facts lead to the conclusion that to decrease perinatal and neonatal mortality, early and exact prenatal diagnosis of inborn malformations is absolutely necessary.     

Exploring effects of remote ischemic preconditioning in a pig model of hypothermic circulatory arrest

Objectives. During aortic and cardiac surgery, risks for mortality and morbidity are inevitable. Surgical setups involving deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) are effective to achieve organ protection against ischemic injury. The aim of this study was to identify humoural factors mediating additive protective effects of remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) in a porcine model of DHCA. Design. Twenty-two pigs were randomized into the RIPC group (n?=?11) and the control group (n?=?11). The RIPC group underwent four 5-minute hind limb ischemia-reperfusion cycles prior to cardiopulmonary bypass and DHCA. All animals underwent identical surgical procedures including 60?min DHCA at 18?°C. Blood samples were collected from vena cava and sagittal sinus at several time points. After the 8-hour follow-up period, the brain, heart, and kidney tissue samples were collected for tissue analyses. Results. Serum levels of brain damage marker S100B recovered faster in the RIPC group, after 4?hours of the arrest, (p?Conclusions. The faster recovery of S100B, lower systemic lactate levels and favourable regional antioxidant response suggest possible neuronal cellular and mitochondrial protection by RIPC, whereas better cardiac index underlines functional effects of RIPC. The exact humoural factor remains unclear.     

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) cytotoxicity in rat type II pneumocytes and alveolar macrophages in vitro

Paracetamol (acetaminophen, APAP) liver and kidney cytotoxicity is associated with bioactivation by P450 and/or prostaglandin H synthetase (PGHS) to a reactive metabolite, which depletes GSH, covalently binds to proteins, and leads to oxidative stress. Although APAP may also damage the lung, little is known about the mechanism by which this occurs. We studied the in vitro 24-hr-old type II pneumocytes. A time- and concentration-dependent decrease in intracellular GSH occurred in freshly isolated type II pneumocytes and alveolar macrophages exposed to subtoxic (相似文献   

An efficient optimized method for isolation of villous trophoblast cells from human early pregnancy placenta suitable for functional and molecular studies

PROBLEM: The uniqueness of the human placenta cannot be replaced by animal models. In vitro studies are compulsory to elucidate the biology of human placenta and require isolation and purification of villous trophoblasts, which can be used in molecular and functional studies. Constant improvement in the isolation technique is required to obtain a high yield of pure trophoblast cells with high viability and well preserved morphology. METHOD OF STUDY: Optimized isolation procedure for human villous trophoblasts based on mild enzymatic treatment, Percoll gradient centrifugation and additional purification step involving positive or negative immunoselection on magnetic beads is described. RESULTS: A simple and effective isolation protocol gave a reasonably high yield of villous trophoblast cells with high purity and viability, and excellent morphology as assessed by flow cytometry and electron microscopy. CONCLUSION: This protocol provides an efficient, optimized method for isolation and enrichment of villous trophoblast cells, suitable for phenotypic, ultrastructural, molecular and functional analyses and for establishment of primary cultures.