Mitotic activity and nuclear/cytoplasmatic ratio of the lachrymal and Harderian glands of the rat during postnatal life.

The authors performed a study of the mitotic activity and the nuclear/cytoplasmic (N/C) ratio during postnatal life of the lachrymal and Harderian glands of the rat. Based on the results, they concluded: (1) during the first days of postnatal life the development of lachrymal and Harderian glands was characterized by an intense mitotic activity and a low N/C ratio; (2) the period prior to eyelid disjunction was characterized by a diminished mitotic activity and a progressive and slow increase of the N/C ratio; (3) after eyelid disjunction, mitotic activity was reduced and an abrupt increase of the N/C ratio occurred, more evident in the Harderian gland; (4) during the final period of postnatal life studied mitotic activity was absent and the N/C ratio presented a higher, more constant level, which was always higher for the Harderian gland.     

Histological and histochemical study of rat salivary glands during their postnatal development

The postnatal development of the three major salivary glands (parotid, submaxillary and sublingual) was comparatively followed up from the histological viewpoint and in relation with some histochemical reactions. The sublingual gland presented a well developed cytomorphological structure at birth, whereas the parotid and the submaxillary one, immature at birth, gradually reached the overall appearance of adult glands, the former at 5 - 6 weeks, the latter at 8 weeks. In relation with the product secreted, it is already from birth that the parotid and the submaxillary glands presented negative reactions for mucosubstances and positive ones for revealing the protein-bound groups. The sublingual gland exhibited from the first postnatal 24 hrs positive reactions for revealing mucosubstances at the level of glandular secretory glands.     

Androgen receptor in rat Harderian and submandibular glands

Summary Androgens regulate the development and sexual dimorphism of rodent Harderian and submandibular glands. This effect is believed to be mediated by the androgen receptor. Immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting were carried out to study the receptor in normal, castrated and dihydrotestosterone-supplemented rat Harderian and submandibular glands. Immunohistochemically, the most intense nuclear staining was observed in the acinar cells of the submandibular glands, followed by intercalated duct cells. The granular convoluted tubules showed weak immunostaining and the striated ducts were negative. In the Harderian gland, nuclear staining was seen in both type I and II secretory cells. Castration and treatment had no effect on the expression of the androgen receptor protein in either gland. A 110 K androgen receptor signal was detected by immunoblotting in the Harderian gland but not in the submandibular gland. An experiment was designed to explore the possible effect of proteinases on the receptor protein in the homogenate of submandibular gland. Our results demonstrate the cell-specific location of the receptor in Harderian and submandibular glands, and show that the expression of the receptor protein is androgen-independent.     

Lectin receptors in the salivary glands of the rat during postnatal ontogenesis

Distribution of lectin-binding sites in rat submandibular and sublingual salivary glands during postnatal development has been investigated. Lectin preparations include con A, lentin lectin, castor beans agglutinin, peanut, soybean and Sophora japonica agglutinins, wheat germ agglutinin and lectin from the bark of Laburnum anagyroides. The direct and indirect peroxidase techniques are used. According to the similarities of histochemical patterns, all lectins are divided into four groups. Besides the general patterns of lectin binding sites, some details are noted. Lectins of peanut and Sophora japonica possess an extremely high affinity to mast cells, con A, lens lectin, castor beans and wheat germ agglutinins--to serous demilunes cells. Laburnum lectin--to salivary ducts epithelia in adult rat salivary glands. Lentin lectin, con A and Laburnum lectin preferentially stain cells with specific granularity in granular ducts at early stages of postnatal development. Considering the character of staining, we propose for further histochemical investigations of the salivary glands lentin lectin, peanut agglutinin, wheat germ agglutinin and Laburum anagyroides lectin.     

Morphometric and fine-structural studies of rat pancreatic acinar cells during early postnatal life

Summary Pancreatic acinar cells of rats obtained at 1,2, 3, 5, 7 and 14 days of age were examined using fine structural and morphometric techniques. From 5 days of age onwards, the acinar cells were analysed twice per day, at 20.00 h and 08.00 h.The present study demonstrates changes in the average volume of the cell, nucleus and cytoplasm, and volume densities of various cytoplasmic organelles during the first two weeks after birth. During early postnatal life, the volume density of rER increases, whereas that of zymogen granules decreases. From 5 days of age onwards, the volume densities of these two organelles differ significantly at 20.00 h and 08.00 h. During the first 2–3 days after birth, inclusion body-like structures appear in the cytoplasm of acinar cells; they contain aggregated zymogen granules and, sometimes, amorphous structures or cytoplasmic organelles. These structures also occur in interstitial cells and cells located in the intercalated region between acinar and ductal epithelial cells. Serum level of -amylase activity is high at birth, compared with other stages during the first three weeks. Degenerating acinar cells and cell debris can be seen in the acinar and ductal lumina during these stages, a feature suggesting holocrine secretion. Cellular polarity appears to be incomplete during the first two or three days after birth.     

Cholesterogenesis and related enzymes in isolated rat hepatocytes during pre- and postnatal life

Cholesterogenesis pathway during pre- and postnatal development was studied in isolated rat hepatocytes. No modified activity of cytosol acetoacetyl coenzyme A (CoA), thiolase, or 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA (HMGCoA) synthase was detectable at the different stages examined. Minimal levels of 1(14)C-acetate incorporation into cholesterol and HMGCoA reductase activity were present at 16 days of fetal development in newborn and suckling rats, whereas both parameters increased rapidly before birth. The pattern of NaF nonsuppressible reductase activity showed a different activation state of the enzyme, suggesting the appearance of a modulation state, probably related to the development of some short-term regulatory mechanisms.     

N-Acetyltransferase activity of the rat Harderian gland.

Harderian gland extracts from male rats catalyze the conversion of serotonin to N-acetylserotonin and of tryptamine to N-acetyltryptamine. The reaction is linear up to 14 mg tissue and departs from linearity after 10 min. The pH otpimum with tryptamine as substrate is between 8 and 9. Enzymic activity of the gland in vivo does not show diurnal variations. Enzymic activity of tissue in organ culture is not stimulated by 10 micrometer isoproterenol or 100 micrometer dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Harderian gland tissue in culture can acetylate tryptamine and serotonin and can O-methylate the N-acetylserotonin to form melatonin.     

Effects of diazepam and its metabolites on nocturnal melatonin secretion in the rat pineal and Harderian glands. A comparative in vivo and in vitro study

We investigated the effects of diazepam (DZP) and its three metabolites: nordiazepam (NZP), oxazepam (OZP), and temazepam (TZP) on pineal gland nocturnal melatonin secretion. We looked at the effects of benzodiazepines on pineal gland melatonin secretion both in vitro (using organ perifusion) and in vivo in male Wistar rats sacrificed in the middle of the dark phase. We also examined the effects of these benzodiazepines on in vivo melatonin secretion in the Harderian glands. Neither DZP (10^-5-10^-6 M) nor its metabolites (10^-4-10^-5 M) affected melatonin secretion by perifused rat pineal glands in vitro. In contrast, a 10^-4 M suprapharmacological concentration of DZP increased melatonin secretion of perifused pineal glands by 70%. In vivo, a single acute subcutaneous administration of DZP (3 mg/kg body weight) significantly affected pineal melatonin synthesis and plasma melatonin levels, while administration of the metabolites under the same conditions did not. DZP reduced pineal melatonin content (-40%), N-acetyltransferase activity (-70%), and plasma melatonin levels (-40%), but had no affects on pineal hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase activity. Neither DZP nor its metabolites affected Harderian gland melatonin content. Our results indicate that the in vivo inhibitory effect of DZP on melatonin synthesis is not due to the metabolism of DZP. The results also show that the control of melatonin production in the Harderian glands differs from that observed in the pineal gland.     

Lack of effect of ghrelin treatment on melatonin production in rat pineal and Harderian glands

The effects of ghrelin, a peptide hormone secreted from the stomach, on melatonin remain unknown. The aim of the study was to investigate possible ghrelin-melatonin interactions by studying the effect of ghrelin treatment on melatonin production in rat pineal and Harderian glands. Young (9 weeks) and old (20 months) male Wistar rats, maintained under a light:dark cycle regimen of 12:12, were assigned randomly to either a single subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of saline or ghrelin (1 microg/rat or 15 microg/rat) 1 h before sacrifice in the middle of the dark phase, or repeated s.c. saline or ghrelin injections (15 microg/rat), 3, 2 and 1 h before sacrificed in the middle of the dark phase. Neither ghrelin doses (1 microg/rat or 15 microg/rat) nor type of treatment (acute or repeated) influenced melatonin levels or the melatonin synthesizing enzymes N-acetyltransferase and hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase activities, either in pineal gland or in Harderian glands. At the concentrations used, ghrelin does not influence melatonin production in rat pineal and Harderian glands, and therefore is not involved in the regulation of melatonin secretion, at least under our experimental conditions.     

Morphometric study of the mandibular condyle of the rat during postnatal development

A morphometric technique for the use of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of the rat as an experimental model was developed to study TMJ growth from birth to 120 days of age. Experimental conditions for the reduction and embedding of the specimen, as well as for data collection were standardized. Morphometric data were obtained from projected drawings and the areas occupied by the various structures were determined by counting points with a specially constructed integration grid. The areas occupied by the layers making up the mandibular condyle remained relatively constant, forming an architectural pattern from the 30th postnatal day on. Between the 10th and 30th day they underwent modifications interpreted to be functional adaptations conditioned by changes in the animal's feeding habits.     

Influence of stress and phenobarbital on corticosterone metabolism during early postnatal life of rat

Postnatal changes in liver corticosterone metabolism in vitro were investigated in male rats pretreated for three days twice daily by physiological saline i.p./stress/ or by phenobarbital /20 mg/kg/. Perinatally, both stress and phenobarbital decrease corticosterone side chain metabolism while no change was observed in A ring reduction rate. In older animals no effect of the stress on corticosterone metabolism was observed. The inhibitory influence of phenobarbital on the side chain metabolism was still apparent at age of 14 days, but not in adult animals. The A ring reduction rate was increased by phenobarbital at age of 14 days and in adult animals.Measurements of serum corticosterone and corticosterone production by adrenal glands in vitro confirmed earlier reports showing that during perinatal period increased level of circulating corticosterone can be associated with minor or transient changes in adrenal cortex activity.It is concluded that changes in liver corticosterone metabolism are likely to play an important role in regulation of glucocorticoid activity perinatally when the responsiveness of pituitary-adrenal system to environmental stimuli is decreased.     

Cyto- and synaptogenesis in the arcuate nucleus of the rat hypothalamus during fetal and early postnatal life

Summary Morphogenesis of the arcuate nucleus of the rat from the 15th fetal day to the 6th postnatal day was investigated light and electron microscopically. The arcuate neurons exhibit a gradual development after the 15th fetal day. All cytoplasmic constituents are present in these nerve cells already during the last days of gestation. Nevertheless, they are not fully differentiated at birth. The first synapse-like structures (presynapses) were observed in 17 day-old, the first synapses in 18 day-old fetuses. During the early postnatal period the number of presynapses decreases, but at the same time there is a gradual increase in the number of the relatively mature synapses. This process starts already during the last days of prenatal life. Although all structural elements of the arcuate nucleus of the adult rat appear to be present at birth, the extent of the neuropil area and the number of the presynapses indicate that the arcuate nucleus is still in a fairly undeveloped stage during the first postnatal days.