Serotonergic receptors in the brain of in utero undernourished rats

In this study, we report that 5-HT(1A) receptors are already present in fractions of axonal growth cones, from the normal rat fetal brain (E-17). Also, in utero undernourished (UN) rat pups at birth show a noteworthy enhancement in the B(max) of [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and [3H]8-hydroxy-(2-N,N-dipropilamin)-tetralin (([3H])8-OH-DPAT), in the brainstem and cerebral cortex up to the second week after birth. Afterwards, there is a significant decrease in the binding of these ligands. [125I]Cyanopindolo binding in the cerebral cortex only showed a decrease in the same period. An elevation of brain serotonin in both regions was also present. These findings together, suggest that the mechanisms of regulation of serotonergic receptors' expression during the period studied, may not depend on the amount of neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft, because in the early UN brain it would be expected only a lower receptor's density due to the chronic serotonin increase. On this basis, we propose that developmental activation of brain serotonin biosynthesis observed in early UN animals may disrupt the mechanism regulating the expression of 5-HT receptors during development.     

交感神经节培养的形态学观察

目的：观察交感神经节在体外培养中的生长和形态学特点。方法：无菌，取新生大鼠椎旁交感神经节，用Ｍａｘｉｍｏｗ培养法在相差显微镜下动态观察７天。终止２后，用Ｈｏｌｍｅｓ还原银染色法显示神经纤维。结果：交感神经节在壁后１２－１８ｈ开始生长，２４－４８ｈ由交感神经节长出的纤维长约０．５ｍｍ，７２－９６ｈ可见神经纤维伸长到１－２ｍｍ以上，并呈放射状向四周延伸。Ｈｏｌｍｅｓ还原银染色的标本中可见大量银染的神经     

大鼠小肠上皮细胞的体外原代培养

目的：探讨大鼠小肠上皮细胞原代培养的原理与方法以及培养过程中常见的问题和克服办法。方法：取生后1周SD大鼠的小肠上皮细胞，经分离纯化后进行原代培养。结果与结论：胶原酶Ⅺ型和中性蛋白酶Ⅰ型配合使用，可以分离到形态完整、容易贴壁生长的小肠绒毛细胞团。进一步利用离心技术纯化得到95％以上的小肠上皮细胞。结果显示，常规体外培养的肠上皮细胞是否增殖分化最终决定于用酶消化后的结构完整性，如果用0．25％胰酶消化，则细胞受损程度较大，不易贴壁生长。     

MMP-2、TIMP-2在脑胶质瘤中的表达及其意义

目的 分析MMP-2、TIMP-2的表达与脑胶质瘤恶性程度和侵袭性之间的关系。方法 采用免疫组化和原位杂交的方法,检测42例人脑胶质瘤和8例正常脑组织中,MMP-2 mRNA、MMP-2和TIMP-2蛋白表达。结果 MMP-2蛋白表达水平(LI)与肿瘤的分级呈正相关(r=0.872,P<0.01);Ⅲ、Ⅳ级与正常脑组织、Ⅰ～Ⅱ级之间均有显著的差异(P<0.01)。MMP-2mRNA表达与肿瘤的分级同样呈正相关(P<0.01);Ⅲ、Ⅳ级与正常脑组织、Ⅰ～Ⅱ级之间均有显著的差异(P<0.01)。MMP-2蛋白表达增高时TIMP-2蛋白表达也增高;但随着肿瘤恶性程度的增加,TIMP-2表达强度增加的幅度较MMP-2明显减缓。结论 MMP-2的高表达与脑胶质瘤恶性程度呈正相关;TIMP-2与MMP-2间的平衡失调与脑胶质瘤的侵袭性和恶性程度密切相关。     

Evaluation of the percentage of sperm motility at 24 h and sperm survival ratio for prediction of in vitro fertilization

Summary. The present study was carried out to investigate the predictive value of the percentage of sperm motility after 24-h incubation and sperm survival ratio from semen and inseminated sperm suspension using grading of motility by WHO criteria with respect to the fertilization of oocytes in vitro. A total of 789 oocytes from 85 cases were inseminated and the mean fertilization rate obtained was 72.5%. There was no significant correlation between all of the sperm motility results with fertilization rate in vitro. All sperm motility results were not significantly different between the non-fertilizing group and the fertilizing group and also between the group of fertilization rate ≤ 25th percentile (fertilization rate ≤62.5%) and the group of fertilization rate >62.5%. However, the initial percentage of rapid progressive sperm motility and progressive motility in semen and inseminated sperm suspension at 24 h gave significant differences between the group of fertilization ≤ 50th percentile (fertilization rate ≤80%) and the group of fertilization rate >80%. Overall accuracy using these parameters for prediction of fertilization rate >80% was only about 60%. In conclusion, the percentage of sperm motility at 24 h and sperm survival ratio in both semen and inseminated sperm suspension have no practical value in predicting fertilization rate in vitro. Moreover, detailed motility grading cannot improve the predictivity of these sperm motility parameters.     

Correlation between in vivo and in vitro toxic effects of foreign compounds

Studies in rats in vivo and in isolated hepatocytes from the same species and strain of animal in vitro with the hepatotoxicant hydrazine have shown that despite measuring the same parameters in each system, the effects do not always show a quantitative or qualitative correlation. For example depletion of glutathione and ATP occurred in both systems but required a much higher concentration of hydrazine in vitro. The effects on triglyceride levels, citrulline synthesis and taurine levels in vivo were not observed in vitro and the inhibition of urea synthesis and cytotoxicity in vitro were not observed in vivo.Inhibition of protein synthesis proved to be the marker which showed the best correlation, occurring at a similar hydrazine concentration in vitro and in vivo although not to the same extent.The situation with other toxicants is variable, in some cases correlation is good, in others modification of conditions in vitro are required.     

Invited. Brain edema development after MRI-guided focused ultrasound treatment

The aim of this study was to investigate a potential technique for image-guided minimally invasive neurosurgical interventions. Focused ultrasound (FUS) delivers thermal energy without an invasive probe, penetrating the dura mater, entering through the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) space, or harming intervening brain tissue. We applied continuous on-line monitoring by MRI to demonstrate the effect of the thermal intervention on the brain tissue. For this, seven rabbits had a part of their skull removed to create access for the FUS beam into the brain through an acoustic window of 11 mm in diameter. Dura was left intact and skin was sutured. One week later, the rabbits were sonicated for 3 seconds with 21 W acoustic power, and the FUS focus was visualized with a temperature-sensitive T1-weighted MRI pulse sequence. The tissue reaction was documented over 7 days with T2-weighted images of the brain. The initial area of the central low signal intensity in the axial plane was .4 ± .3 mm², and for the bright hyperintensity surrounding the lesion, it was 2.3 ± .6 mm² (n = 7). In the coronal plane, the corresponding values were .4 ± .1 mm² and 3.4 ± .9 mm² (n = 5). The developing brain edema culminated 48 hours later and thereafter diminished during the next 5 days. Histology revealed a central necrosis in the white matter surrounded by edematous tissue with inflammatory cells. In summary, the image-guided thermal ablation technique described here produced a relatively small lesion in the white matter at the targeted location. This was accomplished without opening the dura or the need for a stereotactical device. MRI allowed on-line monitoring of the lesion setting and the deposition of thermal energy and demonstrated the tissue damage after the thermal injury.     

Localization of tissue plasminogen activator mRNA in adult rat brain

The distribution of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) messenger RNA in rat brain was studied using in situ hybridization with ³⁵S UTP-labeled RNA probes derived from a fulllength tPA cDNA. Sense strand controls produced low, even backgrounds, with small elevations in the hippocampus. Full-length antisense probes produced strong signals over cerebral ventricular ependyma (including ependyma of the subcommissural organ), meninges, blood vessels, and Purkinje cell layer of the cerebellum, as well as strong signals over scattered cells throughout the brain. Some of these scattered labeled cells were large with lightly stained nuclei, while others were small with darkly stained nuclei. The large labeled cells, which were probably neurons, constituted 8% and 8% of cells in the brain stem and neocortex, respectively, and 100% of Purkinje cells. The small cells, which were present in all areas of the brain, constituted 3–11 % of cells in individual brain areas.     

Tumor genes and their proteins in cytologic and surgical specimens: Relevance and detection systems

Oncogenesis is the consequence of a series of genetic alterations that allow unrestrained cellular growth, tissue invasion, and eventual metastases. Tumor-related genes can be classified into functional categories. Proto-oncogenes/oncogenes have a stimulatory role in cell growth, and the inactivation of cancer-suppressor genes/antioncogenes results in the loss of cell cycle regulation. More recently, three other groups of tumor-related genes have been recognized. They include the antiapoptosis genes which protect from programmed cell death, the antimetastasis genes, and multidrug resistance genes. Besides aiding in tumor diagnosis, the detection of such tumor-associated genes and their products allows the identification of individuals with an inherited predisposition to neoplastic growths, and the overexpression of many of these oncogene products has been shown to be a potential marker of tumor behavior and a predictor of treatment outcome and response. The ability to utilize DNA and RNA probes for nucleic acid hybridization and polymerase chain reaction procedures in cell and tissue preparations of solid tumors and lymphoid proliferations expands and complements the information provided by immunohistochemical techniques. These probes allow direct visualization and correlation of specific genes and their protein products with cytomorphologic features, and form a powerful addition to the armamentarium of the cytopathologist and surgical pathologist. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.