Archives d'anatomie, d'histologie et d'embryologie normales et experimentales最新文献

The acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE) in the human subfornical organ (SFO) was detected by the method of Koelle and Friedenwald in 16 human brains collected between 6 and 12 hrs postmortem. The only AchE-positive structures found were neuronal cell bodies and processes, morphologically classified as stellate and fusiform neurons of large, medium and small size. Large ones prevailed in the dorsal zone. The neurons were homogeneously distributed in the rostral area of the SFO. The penetration and ramification of large blood vessels produced a decreasing neuronal density in the medium-caudal area. The architecture of the SFO in sagittal sections comprised a central zone with neurons juxtaposed to the walls of the vascular plexus, whose dendritic and axonal processes showed an intricate pattern without a special arrangement. This neuronal zone of the SFO was surrounded by a peripheral layer of neurons with axonal projections to the rostral area. This layer was thicker in the dorsal zone of the SFO, where axonal fibers "climbing-up" from the central perivascular neurons could be demonstrated. In coronal sections some neurons with prolongations of arcuate distribution connected the dorsal and ventral zones.

Six non-metrical variants has been studied in a series of 500 human atlases. A bipartition of the superior articular facet has been observed in 20.8% of cases, a posterior ponticulus in 14.2% of cases, a retrotransverse ponticulus in 14.2% of cases, an anterior dehiscence of the foramen tranversarium in 10.2% of cases, a dehiscence of the posterior arch in 2.8% of cases, and a lateral ponticulus in 1.8% of cases. Bilateral occurrence has been noted in 42.2 to 46.2% of cases for the anterior dehiscence of the foramen transversarium, the posterior ponticulus, and the bipartition of the superior articular facet. Bilateral occurrence is less frequent for the retrotransverse ponticulus (29.6%), and particularly for the lateral ponticulus (11.1%). The incidence of a given lateral character according to the side has been found identical or similar on the left and on the right sides. In the present series, 51.6% of the atlases showed none of the six variants studied; 46.8% of the atlases showed one or two variants; and only 1.6% of the atlases showed more than two variants; any cases with more than four variants were observed. The most interesting association observed is the association of the lateral ponticulus with the posterior ponticulus.

The relative growth of the skull was studied in 300 human foetuses by using of the allometric equation Y = aXb. The skull growth was correlated to the crown-rump length and to the fetal weight. The relative growth of the skull presented positive allometry. Masculine foetus presented greater index than feminine foetus.

The relationships of the external pterygoid plate with the other components of the craniofacial building has hardly been explored because of recording difficulties. A method to accurately identify in a reproducible way the main axis of the pterygoid process with the help of two small iron balls was contrasted with other methods seen in the literature. The iron balls technique was shown to be the method of choice with regard to biostatistical consistency.

The infrarenal part of the vena cava inferior running at the left side of the abdominal aorta has been observed in a 70 years old caucasian man without any other anomaly in the position of the abdominal viscera. This atypical vascular pattern was associated with the persistence of a rudimentary right inferior vena cava corresponding to the right supracardinal vein. The embryonic origin of this anatomical variation and its clinical importance are discussed.

The floor of the fourth ventricle is generally believed to show basically adult morphological characteristics in man by the perinatal period. This descriptive study and statistical analysis of 163 brainstems from human fetuses and neonates demonstrates that in this period, the floor of the fourth ventricle presents a series of folds and grooves of variable size and sequence, which during the perinatal period clearly increase the surface area of the germinal layer overlying them. These features are not seen in adults.

The relative growth of the cerebellum was studied in 300 human foetuses by using of the equation Y = bxk. The cerebellum weight was correlated to the cephalic perimeter and to the fetal weight. The relative growth of the cerebellum presented positive allometry (k = 3.3; k = 1.3 respectively). Masculine foetus presented greater index than feminine foetus.

The nerve sensitive endings or receptors of the thyroid gland have been studied in twenty adult male rats. Their morphology, their acetyl-cholinesterase specific activity, their mono-amino-oxidase activity and VIP were investigated. Few but constant nerve sensitive endings were observed in the thyroid gland. These receptors were subdivided by their morphology in the next groups: pear-shaped receptors with capsule; capsuled spherical receptors located near vascular walls; ovoidal receptors with capsule and glomerular structure; simple or complex mace-shaped receptors without capsule. The acetyl-cholinesterase technique could just show a unique type or receptor, which corresponds with last one described. The mono-amino-oxidase technique can not show any type of receptors. VIP was not localized immunohistochemically in the sensitive endings of the thyroid gland.

The variability of the human pronator teres muscle is studied in 60 upper limbs. The humeral head was present in all cases and was double in 3 cases (5.0%). The ulnar head was present in 47 cases (78.3%). The ulnar head was muscular in 11 cases, tendinous in 6 cases, and mixed in 30 cases. The collateral branches of the median nerve destined to the pronator teres muscle were found to be arranged in three main patterns: arising directly from the median nerve, arising from the superficial flexor antebrachial muscles nerve, and mixed type. Special reference is made to the influence of variations in the pronator teres muscle on the compression or the entrapment of the median nerve (pronator syndrome). The proposed determinant variations are: short and tendinous ulnar head, ulnar head joined to the arch of the flexor digitorum superficialis muscle, ulnar head with triple origin slips, and humeral head perforated by the median nerve.

We have studied the morphological, macroscopic and structural characteristics of the intervenous tubercle (of Lower) in 100 human hearts, relating these to age and to the thickness of the epicardial fat. The morphological characteristics vary depending on age, these changes being attributable to a deposition of fat following the deposit of adipose tissue occurring in the epicardium.