Scanning and transmission electron microscopic observations of the cloacal epithelia of the domestic fowl

Summary The epithela of the three divisions (coprodaeum, urodaeum, proctodaeum) of the cloaca of the hen, and of the excretory ducts (colon, ureter, vagina) which join the divisions, are described using light microscopy, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Each region of the cloaca has its typical epithelium. Special attention is focussed in this study on the boundaries between the different epithelia. The coprodaeal epithelium does not differ considerably from that of the colon; a transitional zone is not visible. Distinct border zones, however, are observed between the other regions (ureter — urodaeum; vagina — urodaeum and proctodaeum; urodaeum-proctodaeum; proctodaeum — cutis). Although the vaginal opening is generally thought to lie in the urodaeum, our investigations show that at the vaginal opening into the cloaca the ciliated epithelium changes, on one border to a secretory epithelium characteristic of the urodaeum and on the other border to that characteristic of the proctodaeum. These observations are discussed in relation to functional aspects.     

Bidirectional signaling mediated by ephrin-B2 and EphB2 controls urorectal development

Incomplete urethral tubularization (hypospadias) and anorectal abnormalities are two common and poorly understood birth defects that affect the extreme caudal midline of the human embryo. We now show that cell surface molecules essential for proper axon pathfinding in the developing nervous system, namely ephrin-B2 and the ephrin receptors EphB2 and EphB3, also play major roles in cell adhesion events that tubularize the urethra and partition the urinary and alimentary tracts. Mice carrying mutations which disrupt the bidirectional signals that these molecules transduce develop with variably penetrant severe hypospadias and incomplete midline fusion of the primitive cloaca. We further show that animals completely lacking ephrin-B2 reverse signaling present a fully penetrant failure in cloacal septation. This results in severe anorectal malformations characterized by an absence of the terminal-most hindgut (rectum) and formation of a fistula that aberrantly connects the intestines to the urethra at the base of the bladder. Consistent with an apparent requisite for both forward and reverse signaling in these caudal remodeling events, EphB2 and ephrin-B2 are coexpressed at the midline in the fusing urethral/cloacal endoderm and underlying lateral mesoderm of the urorectal septum that migrates toward the caudal midline as the cloaca septates. Our data thus indicate that B-subclass Eph and ephrin molecules play an important role in these clinically significant midline cell-cell adhesion and fusion events.     

The ventral skin glands, new additional cloacal glands in Proteus anguinus (Caudata, Proteidae). II. Male

Guillaume, O. 2000. The ventral skin glands, new additional cloacal glands in Proteus anguinus (Caudata, Proteidae). II. Male. —Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 81 : 223–234 Cloacae from male Proteus anguinus were examined for the first time by light and electron microscopy. Male P. anguinus possess anterior and posterior ventral glands, dorsal and lateral pelvic glands, vent glands and Kingsbury’s glands as do Necturus males. However, male P. anguinus also possess the new additional cloacal glands found in females and which the author has called the ventral skin glands. Furthermore, the number, the length and the diameter of these tubular glands are higher in males. Therefore the inference is that these glands are sexually dimorphic glands.     

Dkk1 in the peri-cloaca mesenchyme regulates formation of anorectal and genitourinary tracts

Anorectal malformation (ARM) is a common birth defect but the developmental history and the underlying molecular mechanism are poorly understood. Using murine genetic models, we report here that a signaling molecule Dickkopf-1 (Dkk1) is a critical regulator. The anorectal and genitourinary tracts are major derivatives of caudal hindgut, or the cloaca. Dkk1 is highly expressed in the dorsal peri-cloacal mesenchymal (dPCM) progenitors. We show that the deletion of Dkk1 causes the imperforate anus with rectourinary fistula. Mutant genital tubercles exhibit a preputial hypospadias phenotype and premature urethral canalization. Dkk1 mutants have an ectopic expansion of the dPCM tissue, which correlates with an aberrant increase of cell proliferation and survival. This ectopic tissue is detectable before the earliest sign of the anus formation, suggesting that it is most likely the primary or early cause of the defect. Deletion of Dkk1 results in an elevation of the Wnt/ß-catenin activity. Signaling molecules Shh, Fgf8 and Bmp4 are also upregulated. Furthermore, genetic hyperactivation of Wnt/ß-catenin signal pathway in the cloacal mesenchyme partially recapitulates Dkk1 mutant phenotypes. Together, these findings underscore the importance of DKK1 in regulating behavior of dPCM progenitors, and suggest that formation of anus and urethral depends on Dkk1-mediated dynamic inhibition of the canonical Wnt/ß-catenin signal pathway.     

Estrogen target sites in the cloacal region of female and male chick embryos

Summary After intravenous injection of ³H-estradiol in the 12-day old chick embryo, radioactivity is concentrated in nuclei of certain cells in the cloacal area. The nuclear labeling is observed in mesenchymal cells along the different portions of the cloaca, and in an unidentified tissue located laterally to the cloaca. The labeled mesenchymal cells display a definite pattern of distribution along the epithelial wall of the cloaca, identical both in male and in female embryos. In the adjacent bursa of Fabricius, cells do not concentrate labeled hormone in their nuclei. The presence of estrogen receptors in the cloacal area of embryos of either sex adds evidence, at the cellular level, to support the concept of a neutral, or undifferentiated, sex with estradiol inhibiting this neutral male differentiation.Visiting scientistSupported by a Fellowship from the Délégation Générale à la Recherche scientifique et technique, Paris, France     

Cell lineage analysis demonstrates an endodermal origin of the distal urethra and perineum

Congenital malformations of anorectal and genitourinary (collectively, anogenital) organs occur at a high frequency in humans, however the lineage of cells that gives rise to anogenital organs remains poorly understood. The penile urethra has been reported to develop from two cell populations, with the proximal urethra developing from endoderm and the distal urethra forming from an apical ectodermal invagination, however this has never been tested by direct analysis of cell lineage. During gut development, endodermal cells express Sonic hedgehog (Shh), which is required for normal patterning of digestive and genitourinary organs. We have taken advantage of the properties of Shh expression to genetically label and follow the fate of posterior gut endoderm during anogenital development. We report that the entire urethra, including the distal (glandar) region, is derived from endoderm. Cloacal endoderm also gives rise to the epithelial linings of the bladder, rectum and anterior region of the anus. Surprisingly, the lineage map also revealed an endodermal origin of the perineum, which is the first demonstration that endoderm differentiates into skin. In addition, we fate mapped genital tubercle ectoderm and show that it makes no detectable contribution to the urethra. In males, formation of the urethral tube involves septation of the urethral plate by continued growth of the urorectal septum. Analysis of cell lineage following disruption of androgen signaling revealed that the urethral plate of flutamide-treated males does not undergo this septation event. Instead, urethral plate cells persist to the ventral margin of the tubercle, mimicking the pattern seen in females. Based on these spatial and temporal fate maps, we present a new model for anogenital development and suggest that disruptions at specific developmental time points can account for the association between anorectal and genitourinary defects.     

Histological study of the cloacal region and associated structures in the hedgehog tenrec Echinops telfairi

The present investigation is based on several careful dissections and on extensive series of histological sections. It has led us to the conclusion that adult male and female Echinops telfairi are in the possession of a cloaca which represents a primitive feature among mammals. This cloaca is a small, bowl-shaped pouch at the ventro-posterior end of the body. Intestinal, genital and urinary tract open into this cloaca. The opening of the intestinal tract into the cloaca is regulated by a sphincter muscle. In the female the genital and the urinary tract open into the urogenital sinus, a subcompartment of the cloaca. The cloaca of the lesser hedgehog tenrec is lined by a multilayered, non-keratinized squamous epithelium without skin glands. In a small transitory zone between the cloaca and the outer skin the epithelium changes into the keratinized, multilayered squamous epithelium of the epidermis with eccrine and holocrine glands as well as hairs. In addition, there is a distinct circular cloacal sphincter muscle, built up by cross-striated skeletal muscle tissue.

In the terminal parts of intestinal, urinary and genital tracts of male animals the following glandular structures were observed: prostate gland, Cowper's glands and strongly pigmented seminal vesicles; in female animals: the urethral and the Bartholin glands. Both males and females, in addition, possess (a) a cloacal gland, the excretory ducts of which open into the cloaca and (b) a pericloacal gland which is located in the adipose tissue on both sides of the cloaca; it presumably also opens into the cloaca.     

野放前候选扬子鳄泄殖腔的细菌鉴定

扬子鳄(Alligator sinensis)是中国濒危的物种,野生鳄种群已濒临灭绝。通过放归工程,将挑选饲养鳄放养到野外去扩大野生种群。本文的研究目的是通过检测扬子鳄的健康状况为扬子鳄的筛选提供依据。从 25 条准备进行野放的扬子鳄泄殖腔中筛选出 13 种形态不同的菌株。应用细菌学和分子生物学方法,鉴定它们分别属于 6个属的 8 个种和一个未分类的菌;从扬子鳄生活的水体中筛选出 8 种形态不同的菌株,鉴定它们分别属于 1 个属的 4 个种。经分析,除了未分类的菌之外,从扬子鳄泄殖腔中分离得到的菌株都是非致病性的且不同于扬子鳄生活水体中分离的菌株,因此可以认为这些扬子鳄是健康的,可以野放。由于从标记为 AS12 的扬子鳄体内分离到一个分类地位尚未确定的菌,对它的生理生化特征进行了检测,但这种菌的致病性方面特征尚不清楚,建议不考虑野放标记为 AS12 的扬子鳄个体。     

Motile cells in the mucosa of the cloacal urodaeum and proctodaeum of the hen

Summary Motile cells (mast cells, granulocytes, lymphoid cells) are described in the mucosa of the cloacal urodaeum and proctodaeum of the female domestic fowl. Diffuse lymphoid tissue with lymphatic nodules occurs in the urodaeum at the ureteral ostium. Small local aggregations of lymphoid tissue can be observed in the mucosa of the proctodaeum. Cells originating from these sites penetrate the basal lamina of the epithelium and are then found between the epithelial cells.In the subepithelial layers the motile cells sometimes are in contact with each other. Mast cells (tissue basophils) form contact zones, resembling desmosomes or half desmosomes, with smooth muscle cells. In the mast cells three types of granules can be distinguished. Their ultrastructure is discussed in comparison with that in similar cells of the guinea pig.Dedicated to Professor Dr. med. M. Watzka in honor of his 75th birthday     

Pre-copulatory behaviour of captive sandtiger sharks,Carcharias taurus

Synopsis Three bouts of pre-copulatory behaviour were observed in a captive colony of sandtiger sharks,Carcharias taurus, at Oceanworld Manly, Sydney, Australia. The behaviour occurred 14 rather than 12 months apart. Temperature was very similar to that of local coastal conditions where these animals naturally occur. But the photoperiod was artificial and inflexible. The information recorded in all of these cases was almost identical, giving an insight into a very complex social structure in this essentially colonial animal. Dominance displays occurred between both mature and immature males in addition to aggression towards other objects, e.g. small carcharbinid sharks. Most interesting were the interactions between the males and females, especially those which implicate the possible use of chemical stimulants (pheromones). Copulation was observed on two occasions but was not filmed.