Transfer of 45Ca and 36Cl at the blood-nerve barrier of the sciatic nerve in rats fed low or high calcium diets

Unidirectional fluxes of 45Ca, 36Cl, and of [3H]mannitol from blood into the sciatic nerve and cerebral cortex were determined from 5- and 15-min uptakes of these tracers after an intravenous (i.v.) bolus injection in awake rats. Rats were fed diets for 8 wk, that had either a low (0.01% wt/wt), normal (0.67%), or high (3%) Ca content. Plasma [Ca] was 32% less and 11% more in rats fed low (LOCA) and high Ca diets (HICA), respectively, than in rats fed a normal Ca diet (CONT). The mean permeability-surface area product (PA) of 45Ca at the blood-nerve barrier was about eightfold higher than at the blood-brain barrier in the same animals and did not differ significantly between groups (greater than 0.05). Mean PA ratios of 45Ca/36Cl for the blood-nerve and blood-brain barriers in CONT rats, 0.52 +/- 0.04 and 0.40 +/- 0.02, respectively, were not significantly different from corresponding ratios in LOCA and HICA groups, and corresponded to the aqueous limiting diffusion ratio (0.45). Our results show no evidence for concentration-dependent transport of Ca over a plasma [Ca] range of 0.8-1.4 mmol/liter at the blood-nerve barrier of the rat peripheral nerve, and suggest that Ca and Cl exchange slowly between nerve and blood via paracellular pathways.     

Glutamergic Action on Alpha-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone Release from the Rat Hypothalamus

Release of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) synthesized in the hypothalamus is regulated by monoaminergic neuronal systems. An endogenous dopaminergic system inhibits α-MSH release (1, 2) whilst serotoninergic systems exert a biphasic effect on peptide release (3). The toxic effects of neonatal peripheral administration of monosodium glutamate on hypothalamic neurons containing proopiomelanocortin- (POMC-) derived peptides (4, 5) suggest additionally the presence of glutamate receptors on or indirectly influencing the POMC neuron. By comparison of the effect of the excitatory amino-acid agonists N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), quisqualate and kainate on the release of α-MSH from superfused slices of rat hypothalamus, we have demonstrated a stimulatory glutamergic action on α-MSH release mediated through NMDA-type receptors.     

成年大鼠纹状体海人藻酸损伤后nestin的表达

目的　 研究成年大鼠纹状体海人藻酸 (kainicacid,KA)损伤后不同时间点nestin的表达并探讨其机制。方法　向成年SD大鼠纹状体内立体定位注射 0 .5 μlKA(1mg/ml) ,分别于手术后第 1、3、7、14天用免疫组织化学法检测纹状体内nestin表达的变化。结果　 正常纹状体内可观察到微弱的淡染nestin样免疫活性阳性细胞 ;大鼠纹状体KA损伤后 1d ,nestin样免疫活性增强 ;第 3天nestin样免疫活性达峰值 ,nestin样免疫活性阳性细胞的胞体肥大 ,突起粗大 ,分支增加 ;此后nestin样免疫活性阳性细胞染色强度减弱 ,其胞体和突起逐渐变小变细。 结论　 成年大鼠纹状体内注射海人藻酸可诱导nestin的大量表达 ,该表达可能与脑损伤后的自身修复相关。     

头皮针对脑缺血模型大鼠血浆内皮素-1的影响

目的 :研究头皮针对脑缺血模型大鼠内皮素 - 1 ( ET- 1 )的影响 ,并与电针组比较。方法 :Wistar大鼠 5 0只 ,随机分正常、假手术、模型、电针、头皮针五组 ,每组 1 0只 ,后四组均于造模后 72小时、1 0天、1 5天取血测 ET- 1 ,并与手术后 6小时测定值进行比较 ;前三组不治疗 ,后两组造模后分别用电针与头皮针治疗。观察治疗前后 ET- 1测定值。结果 :神经功能评分 ,术后 1 0天与 1 5天 ,治疗组与模型组有显著性差异 ( P<0 .0 5～ 0 .0 1 ) ,电针组与头皮针组 ET- 1测定值无明显差异。对ET- 1的影响 ,术后 72小时及 1 0天时 ,治疗组 ET- 1明显低于模型组 ( P<0 .0 5 ) ,头皮针组明显低于电针组 ( P<0 .0 5 )。结论 :头皮针可在脑缺血早期就明显降低血浆 ET- 1含量 ,这可能是头皮针减轻脑缺血损伤并促进肢体功能恢复的机制之一。     

High-resolution imaging of progressive articular cartilage degeneration.

The objective of this study was to develop and verify a new technique for monitoring the progression of osteoarthritis (OA) by combining a rat model with the imaging modality optical coherence tomography (OCT). Time-sequential, in vivo, OCT imaging was performed on the left femoral condyles of 12 Wistar rats following sodium-iodoacetic acid-induced OA progression. The right femoral condyles (untreated) were also imaged and served as controls. Imaging was performed on days 0, 10, 20, 30, and 60 with an OCT system capable of acquiring images at four frames per second and an axial resolution of 5 microm. Progressive changes were analyzed using an OA scoring system. OCT successfully identified progressive cartilage degeneration as well as alteration of the cartilage/bone interface. Significant changes to both of these structures were observed in the sodium-iodoacetic acid-injected condyles. Structural changes detected with OCT were confirmed histologically. OCT in combination with a well-known model used in arthritis research represents a powerful tool for following degenerative joint disease progression in a given animal by detecting changes to the cartilage/bone interface and articular cartilage.     

大鼠脊髓缺血再灌流时脊髓神经元对躯体和内脏传入刺激的反应

５０只大鼠用乌拉坦麻醉，箭毒制动。通过阻断腹主动脉血流以模拟腰段脊髓的局部缺血和再灌流损伤，玻璃微电极记录Ｌ２节段脊髓单位放电（ＳＣＵＤｓ），观察缺血再灌流时脊髓神经元对腓神经刺激（ＰＮＶ），内脏大神经刺激（ＶＬＮＶ）及两者同时刺激（ＳＶ）的反应。结果在缺血前所记录的１３３个自发放电单位中，对３种刺激均产生兴奋（Ｅ）、抑制（Ｉ）及无反应（ＮＲ）３种形式的反应，表明大鼠Ｌ２节段脊髓存在躯体、内脏和躯体内脏反应性神经元，并有会聚和阻塞现象。在脊髓缺血再灌流时，神经元对ＰＮＶ、ＶＬＮＶ、ＳＶ也产生Ｅ、Ｉ、ＮＲ３种形式的反应，提示脊髓缺血再灌流时神经元对躯体和内脏传入刺激的反应形式不受影响；但缺血时ＳＣＵＤｓ对ＰＮＶ、ＶＬＮＶ产生反应的单位数减少，这表明脊髓缺血损伤时神经元对躯体和内脏传入刺激的反应性减弱，随着缺血损伤加重，脊髓神经元对躯体内脏信号的整合功能下降     

肺移植急性排斥反应及其控制实验研究

观察了大鼠实验性肺移植术后急性排斥反应的病理改变。异系间移植术后２ｄ，移植肺内小血管及支气管周围出现单核细胞浸润。４ｄ上述细胞浸润波及肺泡壁，导致肺泡壁增厚，肺内小静脉系及毛细血管管腔变窄，血流不畅。术后６ｄ，血液循环严重障碍处，肺泡完全坏死，环抱素Ａ可使上述排斥反应得到明显抑制。     

The long-term effect of pinealectomy on the crypts of the rat gastrointestinal tract

Abstract: Previously it has been found that rat small bowel crypt cell hyperplasia occurred several weeks after pinealectomy. To determine if this effect was longer-lasting (because of the possible role of the pineal in bowel malignancy) the crypt cell proliferation rate was determined in rat small bowel and colon 6 months after pinealectomy, using a stathmokinetic technique. Although the hyperproliferative effect of pinealectomy was well maintained in the small bowel crypts after 6 months, the hyper proliferative effect in the colonic crypts was much less marked. There is no obvious explanation for these findings, although it is possible that regional differences in levels of gut neuropeptides or melatonin are involved. The mechanism of the effect of pinealectomy on the crypts remains unexplained—in particular, why the effect is so prolonged.     

Endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in the rat: A study of inflammatory and immunological mechanisms

Endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) can be produced by systemic injection of endotoxin (ET). It is not clear yet why exclusive ocular involvement occurs in this model. To clarify this question and to establish the sequence of inflammatory events, EIU was induced in Lewis rats by footpad injection of Salmonella ET. Ocular inflammatory response (anterior chamber cells and proteins), aqueous inflammation mediators (thromboxane B₂, prostaglandin E₂, leukotriene B₄ and substance P) and MHC class 2 (Ia) antigen expression in the ciliary body were monitored for 72 hours. Thromboxane B₂ was detected early in the aqueous humor, peaking already 1 hour after ET injection. Prostaglandin E₂ & leukotriene B₄ peaks and a second peak of thromboxane B₂ were recorded 18 hours after ET-injection, at the time of maximal ocular inflammation. MHC-class 2 expression was first detected in the ciliary body stroma at the vascular level 6 hours after ET injection and was massively expressed in the ciliary body epithelium at 18 and 72 hours. It is hypothetized that ciliary body endothelium is particularly sensitive to the effect of ET and is the site of thrombocyte adherence. Vascular damage leads in succession to cellular infiltration, release of inflammation mediators and disruption of blood-ocular barrier. MHC-class 2 expression is a secondary phenomenon and is probably at the origin of additional tissue damage from immune effector mechanisms.     

Hereditary Hypertriglyceridemic Rat: A New Animal Model of Metabolic Alterations in Hypertension

Hereditary hypertriglyceridemic rats (hHTg) were developed as a new genetic model for the study of relationships between blood pressure (BP) and metabolic abnormalities. This strain has been produced by selective inbreeding from Wistar rats according to the rise of plasma triglycerides induced by a high-sucrose diet. Though hHTg rats display hypertriglyceridemia, impaired glucose tolerrance, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance and increased BP even without nutritional stimuli, high sucrose feeding further aggravates these symptoms. High plasma triglycerides levels in hHTg rats seem to be a consequence of their hyperproduction. Impaired insulin action is responsible for the defective glucoregulation in this strain. The loss of insulin responsiveness might be due to a reduction in the number of glucose transporters. Highly significant relationships among plasma triglycerides, ouabain-resistant Na⁺ transport and BP were demonstrated in the hHTg rats. Segregating populations (F2 hybrids) should be used for genetic analysis of the primary role of lipid and/or ion transport abnormalities in the pathogenesis of this form of genetic hypertension.