Acta morphologica Hungarica最新文献

Rat stomachs were studied after intragastrically administered, repeated doses of 0.1 N HCl, 100 mmol/l NaF, 50 mmol/l CaF2 in 0.1 N HCl, respectively. NaF produced extensive desquamation and cell injury, while CaF2 caused some desquamation and a slight decrease in secretory activity as revealed by light microscopic, SEM and TEM examinations.

Histological and histomorphometric examinations were carried out on 88 human femoral heads, 63 from patients with osteoarthrosis and 25 controls. The changes of the tidemark were found to be multiform in the osteoarthrotic process and could be classified into three degrees of severity. Low-grade tidemark changes were characterized by reduplications of the tidemark and discontinuities of the tidemark line, occurring also in about one third of the controls. Vascular invasion into the tidemark as well as incipient calcification of basal hyaline cartilage were observed in middle-grade tidemark alterations. High-grade changes were distinguished by the disappearance of the tide-mark, advanced mineralization and ossification of basal hyaline and calcified cartilage and finally by the "tidemark and bone bald". Measuring the thickness of intact and osteoarthrotic hyaline cartilage, calcified layer and subchondral bone plate, it was possible to determine some correlations between the tidemark state and the structures measured. Variations in subchondral bone volume could also influence the tidemark and cartilage changes. The important role of the intercartilaginous junction in the pathogenesis and progress of osteoarthrosis is stressed.

The ultrastructure of Ito cells was examined in percutaneous needle liver biopsies of 36 patients. In three cases the liver was normal. Four specimens showed mild or moderate fatty degeneration. In the rest of the liver samples various types of fibrosis were seen: in four cases portal, in ten centrilobular, in eight periportal fibrosis and in five cases cirrhosis. In the normal liver Ito cells occurred not only in the Disse spaces but also in the walls of the terminal hepatic venules. In livers showing portal fibrosis the ultrastructure of Ito cells was similar to that seen in the normal liver. In the fibrotic areas of liver samples showing centrilobular or periportal fibrosis or cirrhosis Ito cells localized inside the fibrotic tissue and along the border between the connective tissue and hepatocytes. These interstitial Ito cells contained few lipid, abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum with dilated tubules filled by a flocculant material, well developed Golgi complexes and often bundles of 5 nm thick filaments with densities. These cells also known as activated Ito cells were in places surrounded by immature collagen fibrils and basement membrane fragments. There was a close contact between activated Ito cells and lymphocytes. The ultrastructure of Ito cells localizing in non-fibrotic areas did not differ from that seen in normal liver lobules. These observations suggest that Ito cells are related to fibroblasts and myofibroblasts and play an important role in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis in humans.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible existence of rhythmicity of some morphological structures of the duodenum [correction of jejunum] in man. The height of intestinal villi was found to vary significantly during the 24 h time span, being higher during the day than during the night, when the proportion between small and medium size villi changed (p less than 0.05). The highest mitotic activity was found at 200 and at 600, and the lowest at 1000 and 1400 (p less than 0.01). Both height and width of microvilli did not change during the 24 h span, while thickness of the glycocalyx was slightly higher during the day when compared to the night. There were no significant circadian changes of Paneth cell granularity. We conclude that circadian rhythmicity of duodenum [correction of jejunum] morphology in man is less distinct than in animals, but that significant circadian changes in some parameters do exist.

S-100 protein-containing cells were demonstrated by immunogold silver staining in human islets of Langerhans from patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) with (n = 6) (Group I) or without (n = 6) (Group II) diabetes mellitus, (DM) and from nondiabetic, non-pancreatic controls (n = 6) (Group III). In all three groups S-100 protein containing cells were observed in all islets of Langerhans throughout the pancreas. Quantitative analysis of cell composition of islets did not reveal significant differences in S-100 protein cell content between the three groups. When double immunohistochemical staining was used to demonstrate different endocrine cell types (insulin, glucagon and pancreatic polypeptide) and S-100 protein immunoreactive cells, the latter proved to be a distinct cell type. Somatostatin-producing cells and S-100 protein-containing cells were usually also present as two distinct cell populations, but positive staining for both S-100 protein and somatostatin was occasionally observed within the same cells.

The myenteric plexus of the frog large intestine was studied by means of silver impregnation, NADH-diaphorase histochemistry and electron microscopy. The main fiber bundles of the myenteric plexus are situated between the longitudinal and circular smooth muscle layers. Most of the branches of this main plexus could be followed into the circular muscle layer. The diameter of the large nerve bundles was demonstrated by impregnation to be 7-8 microns. NADH-diaphorase histochemistry revealed a random distribution of the nerve cells; the nerve cells did not form ganglia. The maximal profile of these mostly multipolar cells was 75-100 microns 2. The packing density of nerve cells was 710 +/- 23 per cm2. At the electron microscopic level, the plexus consisted of a number of unmyelinated nerve profiles, a few myelinated axons, Schwann cells and neurons. The proportion of myelinated fibers did not exceed 1%. The nerve profiles contained vesicles, small agranular vesicles or mixed vesicle populations. Synapses were extremely rare in the neuropil. The possibility and importance of non-synaptic transmitter release and presumed transmitter substances are discussed.

Cerebellar glomeruli of simple type were studied by quantitative morphological and stereological methods. It has been found that in one glomerulus the centrally located mossy terminal forms synaptic contacts with about 50 granule cell dendrites, all deriving from distinct granule cells. The three-dimensional reconstruction of the glomeruli revealed that the terminal portion of the dendrites, the so called digits, are elongated, thin processes. Synaptic contacts by mossy terminals are established exclusively on the dendritic digits. Although these digits are the main postsynaptic targets for the Golgi axon terminals as well, these inhibitory endings might also synapse with the proximal portion of the granule cell dendrites.

Authors report on 359 patient's endocervical smears taken by cytobrush. Stromby's endocervical brush did not cause bleeding disturbance or preventing colposcopic examination. The smears contained numerous, well evaluable squamous and endocervical cells. Out of seven cytologically positive cases three proved to be negative by colposcopy. Histology, however, confirmed the cytological diagnosis. Cytology was followed by histology in 42 cases. Cytological and histological diagnoses were compared, there was one false negative. For the more precise characterization of endocervical cells 13 features were measured by a Robotron type image analyzer and the results were statistically analyzed. The respective cell groups can be separated from each other by morphometric and densitometric parameters. Results of this study have produced a data base that can be extended further on. It may give help in case of differential diagnostic problems since it is capable of distinguishing certain cell groups, consequently these data can be incorporated into a diagnostic program.

Vibratome sections of perfusion-fixed rat and monkey cerebella were incubated with an antiserum to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Immunolabelled elements showed in both species a principally similar distribution but the presence of long, transverse branches of Bergmann fibres was found to be characteristic to the monkey cerebellum. It is concluded that current methods enable fine interspecies differences of GFAP-localization to be demonstrated. This bears a relevance to the use of GFAP-immunostaining as a diagnostic tool in neuropathology.

Renal complications were studied in 81 autopsied patients suffering from multiple myeloma (47 male, 34 female, mean age 66.3 years). Kidney samples were examined for the presence of Bence Jones cast nephropathy, light chain deposition disease, amyloidosis, nephrocalcinosis, chronic urate nephropathy, acute renal failure, renal vein thrombosis, acute and chronic pyelonephritis, and tumorous infiltration of the kidney tissue. Lesions were graded under the light microscope as minimal, mild, moderate or severe. This grading and the corresponding serum creatinine levels were used to distinguish four groups: 1. morphologically and functionally intact kidney (40 cases); 2. kidney involvement with good renal function (10 cases); 3. kidney involvement with moderate chronic renal insufficiency (16 cases); 4. kidney involvement with chronic uraemia (15 cases). In patients with an impaired renal function (groups 3 and 4), Bence Jones cast nephropathy occurred most frequently (27 cases, 33%); all other complications were seen much less frequently. Among the 81 patients, two cases of kappa light chain deposition disease and three cases of amyloidosis were found. Although the semiquantitative morphology and serum creatinine levels displayed a good correlation, there were cases with marked histological changes but only a moderate impairment in renal function, suggesting that the drawing of functional conclusions from morphological changes of the kidney requires caution.