Proliferative hemocytic condition in European flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) from Breton coasts: A 6-year survey

During a 6-year (1975–1981) survey of parasitic diseases and the effects of oil pollution on the Breton coasts in France, 45,000 oysters were examined. Among these, 184 cases of hemocytic neoplasms were detected in O. edulis. These tumors were characterized by atypical hemocytes throughout the molluscs' connective tissue, the presence of vascular sheaths, emboli, and gonadal involvement. Atypical cells are not associated with occasional inflammatory reactions to parasitic infestations. They seem to arise from normal hyaline hemocytes, without any direct relation to oil pollution or any known pathological condition. Their incidence appears to be related to aging.     

结缔组织铺片脂肪组织油红染色在组织学实验教学中的应用

目的在传统结缔组织铺片基础上开展脂肪组织油红染色方法在医学本科生组织学实验教学中的应用。方法学生先进行疏松结缔组织铺片,并施行脂肪组织油红o-甲苯胺兰-伊红三重染色,然后镜下观察。结果油红o染色把结缔组织中的脂肪细胞内脂滴保存下来并染上红色。脂肪组织中央的细胞脂滴均匀红染,充满胞浆,周边的脂肪细胞胞浆中油红染色很少,细胞呈空泡状,显示出脂肪细胞亚群存在。甲苯胺兰染色使得疏松结缔组织中肥大细胞染成紫红色,胞核染色浅,细胞数量多、成群分布。伊红可使得结缔组织内除脂肪细胞、肥大细胞意外的其他细胞的胞浆和胶原纤维染成淡红色。结论传统的组织学平铺片技术基础上引入脂肪油红o-甲苯胺兰-伊红三重染色,可增强学生动手能力,并能很好地了解输送结缔组织中细胞的不同表型和分布,丰富组织学内容,把教学、科研连接一起,达到提高实验教学质量的目的。     

A technique for the combination of clearing, staining, and injecting small mammals.

A combined method for clearing soft tissues, staining cartilage and bone, and injecting the vascular system of small mammals was developed using Mus musculus (house mouse). Mammalian muscle tissue remains milky or even opaque after "clearing" by previous techniques due to the relatively high content of intramuscular fat. A method employing chloroform-ethanol successfully renders soft tissues of mammalian specimens translucent without damaging or bleeding color from the latex injected in the circulatory system. Resulting specimens yield an excellent view of the skeletal system and the injected vascular system without obstruction by opaque tissues or disruption by physical removal of connective tissue.     

A combination Verhoeff's elastic and Masson's trichrome stain for routine histology

A method for the combined staining of elastic, muscle and connective tissue for routine use in histopathology is described. The elastica, stained black by Verhoeff's technique, is contrasted with the muscle and connective tissue stained red and green or blue respectively by a modification of Masson's trichrome. Cell nuclei stain blue-black with Weigert's iron hematoxylin. The procedure takes approximately two hours and is most suitable for the study of vascular pathology in surgical and autopsy sections.     

A Combination Verhoeffs Elastic and Masson's Trichrome Stain for Routine Histology

A method for the combined staining of elastic, muscle and connective tissue for routine use in histopathology is described. The elastica, stained black by Verhoeffs technique, is contrasted with the muscle and connective tissue stained red and green or blue respectively by a modification of Masson's trichrome. Cell nuclei stain blue-black with Weigert's iron hematoxylin. The procedure takes approximately two hours and is most suitable for the study of vascular pathology in surgical and autopsy sections.     

A Technique for the Combination of Clearing, Staining, and Injecting Small Mammals

A combined method for clearing soft tissues, staining cartilage and bone, and injecting the vascular system of small mammals was developed using Mus musculus (house mouse). Mammalian muscle tissue remains milky or even opaque after “clearing” by previous techniques due to the relatively high content of intramuscular fat. A method employing chloroform-ethanol successfully renders soft tissues of mammalian specimens translucent without damaging or bleeding color from the latex injected in the circulatory system. Resulting specimens yield an excellent view of the skeletal system and the injected vascular system without obstruction by opaque tissues or disruption by physical removal of connective tissue.     

The extracranial venous system in the heads of beaked whales,with implications on diving physiology and pathogenesis

Beaked whales are a poorly known but diverse group of whales that have received considerable attention due to strandings that have been temporally and spatially associated with naval sonar deployment. Postmortem studies on stranded carcasses have revealed lesions consistent with decompression sickness, including intravascular gas and fat emboli. These findings have been supported by analyses of intravascular gas emboli showing composition dominated by nitrogen gas. To increase our understanding of the pathophysiology of nitrogen bubble formation and intravascular embolization, we examined the gross and microscopic anatomy of the venous system in the head of beaked whales. Since the potential sources of intravascular fat and gas emboli were of greatest interest, focus was placed on the acoustic fat bodies and pneumatic accessory sinus system. Herein, we describe intimate arteriovenous associations with specialized adipose depots and air sinuses in beaked whales. These vascular structures comprise an extensive network of thin‐walled vessels with a large surface area, which is likely to facilitate exchange of nitrogen gas and may, therefore, form anatomic regions that may be important in physiological management of diving gases. These structures may also be vulnerable to pathologic introduction of emboli into the vascular system. Expansive, thin‐walled venous lakes are found within the pterygoid region, which suggest the potential for nitrogen exchange as well as for compensation of middle‐ear pressures during descent on a dive. These findings warrant further research into the structure and function of this morphology as it relates to normal and pathologic physiology. J. Morphol. 277:34–64, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The Relation of Pancreatic Disease to Weber-Christian Disease

A case of acute Weber-Christian disease is reported, in which pancreatitis was accompanied by evidence of dissemination of pancreatic enzymes causing necrosis of fat and vessels. There is clinical and experimental evidence in the literature to suggest that widespread vascular dissemination of lipase occurs in cases of pancreatitis or pancreatic carcinoma. Review of the autopsy literature of cases of Weber-Christian disease shows that a majority had pancreatitis and systemic involvement of fat. A minority showed lesions confined to the panniculus, which tended to ulcerate; these lesions were in other ways not typical of Weber-Christian disease. In this group none had autopsy evidence of pancreatitis.The opinion is expressed that Weber-Christian disease results from disruption of pancreatic tissue and subsequent vascular dissemination of pancreatic enzymes.     

The vascularisation of the periorbita]

1. The periorbita is extensively vascularised from the side of the bone and the orbita. The vessels are interconnected so that the periost is not vascular boder area. 2. In the periorbita of the adult there is a dense capillary plexus which is less close-meshed on the inside. 3. Meandrian arteries and vascular loops exceptionally as long as 6 mm were found in the inner layers of the periorbita and in the adjacent layers of the fat connective tissue. 4. Flat membranes of fat connective tissue which are connected with the inner layer of the periorbita by long vascular streaks about on the inner surfaces of the periorbita. 5. On the outer surface of the periorbita venules 40 to 60 mum wide were found entering the periorbital bone. In the fissures area further meandering venules and venes were found which open in the cavernous sinus (in addition to the Vv. ophthalmicae) or enter the bordering bone. 6. N. and A. infraorbitalis run outside of the periorbita. 7. The nerves leave the periorbita by special channels and run through near and husk-like processes of the periorbita which accompany them up to the outer periost. In the bone they five off bone vessels.     

The extracranial arterial system in the heads of beaked whales,with implications on diving physiology and pathogenesis

Beaked whales are medium‐sized toothed whales that inhabit depths beyond the continental shelf; thus beaked whale strandings are relatively infrequent compared to those of other cetaceans. Beaked whales have been catapulted into the spotlight by their tendency to strand in association with naval sonar deployment. Studies have shown the presence of gas and fat emboli within the tissues and analysis of gas emboli is suggestive of nitrogen as the primary component. These findings are consistent with human decompression sickness (DCS) previously not thought possible in cetaceans. Because, tissue loading with nitrogen gas is paramount for the manifestation of DCS and nitrogen loading depends largely on the vascular perfusion of the tissues, we examined the anatomy of the extracranial arterial system using stranded carcasses of 16 beaked whales from five different species. Anatomic regions containing lipid and/or air spaces were prioritized as potential locations of nitrogen gas absorption due to the known solubility of nitrogen in adipose tissue and the nitrogen content of air, respectively. Attention was focused on the acoustic fat bodies and accessory sinus system on the ventral head. We found much of the arterial system of the head to contain arteries homologous to those found in domestic mammals. Robust arterial associations with lipid depots and air spaces occurred within the acoustic fat bodies of the lower jaw and pterygoid air sacs of the ventral head, respectively. Both regions contained extensive trabecular geometry with small arteries investing the trabeculae. Our findings suggest the presence of considerable surface area between the arterial system, and the intramandibular fat bodies and pterygoid air sacs. Our observations may provide support for the hypothesis that these structures play an important role in the exchange of nitrogen gas during diving. J. Morphol. 277:5–33, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The Relationship between Cortical Blood Flow and Sub-Cortical White-Matter Health across the Adult Age Span

Degeneration of cerebral white matter is commonly observed in aging, and the associated degradation in neural connectivity contributes to cognitive decline in older adults. Vascular dysfunction has been implicated as a potential mechanism for general age-related neural tissue deterioration; however, no prior study has examined the direct relationship between cortical vascular health and subcortical white-matter integrity. In this work, we aimed to determine whether blood supply to the brain is associated with microstructural integrity of connective tissue, and whether such associations are regionally specific and mainly accounted for by aging. We examined the association between cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the cortical mantle, measured using arterial spin labeling (ASL), and subcortical white-matter integrity, measured using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), in a group of healthy adults spanning early to late adulthood. We found cortical CBF to be significantly associated with white-matter integrity throughout the brain. In addition, these associations were only partially tied to aging, as they remained even when statistically controlling for age, and when restricting the analyses to a young subset of the sample. Furthermore, vascular risk was not a prominent determinant of these effects. These findings suggest that the overall blood supply to the brain is an important indicator of white-matter health in the normal range of variations amongst adults, and that the decline in CBF with advancing age may potentially exacerbate deterioration of the connective anatomy of the brain.     

A note on adhesion of bacteria to chicken muscle connective tissue

Laboratory cultures of bacteria were tested for the ability to attach to collagen fibres of intact chicken muscle connective tissue. All salmonellas, fimbriate strains of Escherichia coli and a strain of Campylobacter coli were able to attach to tissue only when suspended in distilled water. Prior immersion of tissue in sterile water for 20 min or extended immersion in these bacterial suspensions was a prerequisite for adhesion. Attachment could be prevented by the addition of physiological levels of sodium chloride to the attachment medium. Furthermore, attached bacteria could be removed by rinsing tissues in saline media.     

Ascorbate inhibits edema in brain slices

Ascorbate is an essential antioxidant in the CNS, localized predominantly in neuronal cytosol. Slices of mammalian brain rapidly lose ascorbate, however, when incubated in ascorbate-free media; brain slices also take up water and swell. Here we investigated water gain in coronal slices of rat forebrain incubated with and without ascorbate for 1-3 h at 34 degrees C. Slices progressively gained water in ascorbate-free media, with a significant 12% water increase after 3 h at 34 degrees C, compared with the water content of slices after a 1-h recovery period at 24 degrees C, immediately following slice preparation. Inclusion of 400 micro M ascorbate in the medium led to an increase in tissue ascorbate content and prevented water gain at 34 degrees C. By contrast, water gain was not inhibited by isoascorbate or thiourea, which are antioxidants that are not accumulated in brain cells. The oxidant H2O2 enhanced water gain, whereas a cocktail of NMDA and non-NMDA receptor blockers inhibited edema formation to the same extent as ascorbate. These data demonstrate that brain edema, linked to glutamate-receptor activation, can result from intracellular oxidative stress and that this can be prevented by ascorbate.     

Soybean Oil Supplementation Improves Growth and Prevents Docosapentaenoic Acid (22: 5n–6) Accumulation in Tissues of Rats Fed on Palm Oil Diet

Effects of soybean oil supplementation as a source of linoleic and α-linolenic acids in a palm oil diet on growth and docosapentaenoic acid (22: 5n–6) levels in tissue lipids in male Sprague–Dawley rats were studied. The rats fed for two months with the diets containing soybean oil (10–50%) in palm oil showed significantly higher weight gain than that in rats fed a diet containing only palm oil as a fat source. The highest weight gain was observed in rats fed 50% soybean oil blended in palm oil. Such performance was also better than those observed in rats received diets containing soybean oil alone or canola oil alone. Addition of soybean oil to the palm oil diet prevented 22: 5n–6 accumulation in plasma, red blood cells, liver, heart, and retinal lipids with a compensative increase of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n–3). Poly-unsaturated fatty acid profiles of brain were not affected by the addition of soybean oil. Changes in arachidonic acid contents in organs were not observed. The results indicated that soybean oil supplementation increases the weight gain and prevents the accumulation of 22: 5n–6 in the tissues which were observed in the rats fed a diet containing palm oil alone.     

Heat-producing organ of the swordfish (Xiphias gladius): A modified eye muscle

In swordfish (Xiphias gladius), the dorsal rectus muscle of the eye (M. rectus dorsalis) is partly differentiated for heat production similar to brown adipocytes. Other parts of the dorsal rectus show a typical muscular structure. This modified muscle and its anatomical relationships to neighboring organs were investigated using macroscopic dissections, light and transmission electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance tomography, and scanning electron microscopy of vascular corrosion casts. The ophthalmic artery off the efferent pseudobranchial artery supplies the dorsal rectus muscle. The ophthalmic artery branches in a brush-like manner as it enters the origin of the muscle. In this region, numerous arterioles and venules are arranged in parallel, suggesting a countercurrent heat exchange mechanism. Thermogenic cells, morphologically similar to brown adipocytes, surround small vascular branches in the middle of the muscle. Muscular cells also extend into this area. The vessels then divide into a tree-like pattern, forming an extensively capillarized area near the surface of the muscle at the basisphenoid bone. The basisphenoid is reduced to a thin connective tissue layer in this area, hence facilitating thermal transfer between the blood in the muscle and the brain base. The Tela lymph-adiposa surrounds the brain with large masses of fat. Additionally, voluminous masses of periocular fat provide thermal insulation lateral to the lateral rectus muscle of the eye. It is suggested that this system for raising the temperature of areas of the brain a few degrees above ambient temperature allows an optically oriented predator such as the swordfish to respond to optical input in cold water more efficiently. J. Morphol. 234:89–96, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Influence of dietary fatty acids on endocannabinoid and N-acylethanolamine levels in rat brain, liver and small intestine

Endocannabinoids and N-acylethanolamines are lipid mediators regulating a wide range of biological functions including food intake. We investigated short-term effects of feeding rats five different dietary fats (palm oil (PO), olive oil (OA), safflower oil (LA), fish oil (FO) and arachidonic acid (AA)) on tissue levels of 2-arachidonoylglycerol, anandamide, oleoylethanolamide, palmitoylethanolamide, stearoylethanolamide, linoleoylethanolamide, eicosapentaenoylethanolamide, docosahexaenoylethanolamide and tissue fatty acid composition. The LA-diet increased linoleoylethanolamide and linoleic acid in brain, jejunum and liver. The OA-diet increased brain levels of anandamide and oleoylethanolamide (not 2-arachidonoylglycerol) without changing tissue fatty acid composition. The same diet increased oleoylethanolamide in liver. All five dietary fats decreased oleoylethanolamide in jejunum without changing levels of anandamide, suggesting that dietary fat may have an orexigenic effect. The AA-diet increased anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol in jejunum without effect on liver. The FO-diet decreased liver levels of all N-acylethanolamines (except eicosapentaenoylethanolamide and docosahexaenoylethanolamide) with similar changes in precursor lipids. The AA-diet and FO-diet had no effect on N-acylethanolamines, endocannabinoids or precursor lipids in brain. All N-acylethanolamines activated PPAR-alpha. In conclusion, short-term feeding of diets resembling human diets (Mediterranean diet high in monounsaturated fat, diet high in saturated fat, or diet high in polyunsaturated fat) can affect tissue levels of endocannabinoids and N-acylethanolamines.     

Initiation and regulation of oöcyte growth by the brain and corpora allata of the cockroach,Nauphoeta cinerea

Oöcytes of Nauphoeta cinerea begin to grow about 2 days after adult ecdysis. This growth can be totally prevented by surgical ablation of the corpora allata (CA) before day 2 and restored in a dose-related manner by injection of juvenile hormone (JH). Ovarian maturation can also be prevented in some animals by brain extirpation within a day of adult ecdysis but proceeds normally in others, indicating that the brain acts to promote oöcyte lengthening very soon after emergence. Wounding (mouthparts removal) blocks ovarian maturation in a similar percentage of animals, indicating that the ‘wounding effect’ is mediated by the brain. However, those wounded animals which do develop oöcytes do not reach normal values by autopsy on day 7, suggesting a temporary inhibition of the CA. Because the effects of head ligation, which effectively removes the brain as well as the CA, can be reversed by only a little more JH than the effects of allatectomy, we conclude that the primary rôle of the brain is to control the CA. We suggest that both stimulatory neurohumoral material and inhibitory nervous transmission may be utilized for this control.     

A note on adhesion of bacteria to chicken muscle connective tissue

Laboratory cultures of bacteria were tested for the ability to attach to collagen fibres of intact chicken muscle connective tissue. All salmonellas, fimbriate strains of Escherichia coli and a strain of Campylobacter coli were able to attach to tissue only when suspended in distilled water. Prior immersion of tissue in sterile water for 20 min or extended immersion in these bacterial suspensions was a prerequisite for adhesion. Attachment could be prevented by the addition of physiological levels of sodium chloride to the attachment medium.     

Regeneration of vascular tissue in wounded pea roots

Severance of the stele of young main roots of pea (Pisum sativum L.) results in formation of a bridge of vascular tissue in the remaining cortex. Cell divisions occur close to the severed vascular tissues on both the proximal and distal sides of the cut within 24 h. Differentiation of new vascular strands subsequently begins in the same locations and progresses from both sides of the wound into the remaining cortex and also back along the original vascular strands. Most of the vascular tissue which forms the bridge through the cortex differentiates in the acropetal direction. Continuous strands composed of single sieve elements bypass the wound somewhat sooner than the first complete xylem strands; the latter in 60–70% of the cases, are present by 3 d. Cambial activity subsequently adds more xylem and phloem. Vascular regeneration is not affected by removal of the epicotyl or the root tip; it is greatly reduced but not prevented by removal of the cotyledons.     

脂肪干细胞的诱导分化及其来源的研究

目的:通过组织块培养法得到脂肪干细胞(adipose-derived stem cells,ADSCs),探讨其诱导分化潜能,并初步研究ADSCs的来源。方法:用脂肪组织块培养法培养原代人ADSCs。第三代ADSCs进行成脂和成骨诱导分化,分别用油红O和茜素红S染色进行鉴定。脂肪组织块培养七天后取脂肪组织进行Hematoxylin-eosin Staining(HE)染色观察ADSCs组织分布。结果:用脂肪组织块培养法成功培养出原代人ADSCs。ADSCs传代到第8代,依然保持着良好的增殖能力和细胞形态。ADSCs能成功诱导成脂肪细胞和骨细胞。通过对培养七天后的脂肪组织块进行HE染色,发现ADSCs主要分布在脂肪组织的间质血管和结缔组织周围。结论:用脂肪组织块培养出来的ADSCs具有成脂和成骨分化的潜能。ADSCs主要定位于间质血管和结缔组织周围。