Structure of the cardial glands of the human esophagus

The inferior and superior cardial glands of the esophageal wall have been studied in 156 mature persons (67 women and 89 men). The inferior cardial glands are represented as glandular brackets with predominance of secretory parts of the tubular form. In the superior cardial glands acini in the alveolar-tubular form are well developed. Glandular epithelium in terminal parts is polymorphic. In most of the acini it is cylindrical and sometimes cuboidal. The ducts of the cardial glands have a peculiar structure. Their simple cylindrical epithelium joins with multilayered esophageal epithelium. In the area of the ducts the multilayered esophageal epithelium often becomes thin and exfoliates, and this area of the mucous membrane is covered with cylindrical glandular epithelium.     

Intraorganic venous bed of the stomach cardia in children during the first 3 years of life

The intraorganic venous bed of the gastric cardial part has been studied in 27 organs, obtained from children corpses of both sex beginning from birth up to three years of life. They died from causes that were not connected with gastric or vascular system pathology. The results of the investigation prove the presence of mucous, submucous, muscular and serous-subserous venous plexuses in the wall of the gastric cardial part in children of the first three years of life. Every membrane of the stomach wall has its specific structure of the venous link in the microcirculatory bed. In the stomach mucous membrane already in a newborn there are complexly built microcirculatory pathways. Age changes are mostly expressed in the venous link of the gastric mucous membrane; this is probably connected with functional activity of the given layer of the organ. The largest venous vessels are situated in the gastric submucous base. By the end of the newborn period and, especially fully, during the successive age periods immune protection of the gastric wall is formed as an accumulation of lymphoid tissue to an antigenic effect of food. In these age groups certain structural mechanisms of blood outflow from the gastric wall appear.     

Relation between the passive transport of calcium into vesicles of the myocardial sarcolemma and membrane potential

The effect of membrane potential on the passive 45Ca2+ uptake by cardial sarcolemmal vesicles was investigated. Membrane potentials were generated by the K+ gradient in the presence of valinomycin and were measured using fluorescent dye diS-C3-(5). It was shown that the 45Ca2+ influx into vesicles increased twice after membrane depolarization. Evaluation of the 45Ca2+ influx over a wide range of membrane potentials produced a profile similar to that of current-voltage relationships for single calcium channels in isolated cardiomyocytes. Passive 45Ca2+ transport was inhibited by 1 mM Cd2+ and Co2+. It is suggested that the voltage-dependent Ca2+ influx into vesicles occurs through Ca2+-channels.     

Endocrine cells of the esophageal glands]

Distribution of endocrine cells in the human oesophagus was studied histochemically. Large amount of endocrine cells was discovered in terminal parts and excretory ducts of the cardial glands. Endocrine cells of the oesophageal cardial glands are represented, at least, by three types: argentaffine, argyrophil in the reactions of Grimelius and Sevier, Munger and argyrophil in the reaction of Grimelius only. The amount of argentaffine cells in the oesophageal cardial glands was observed to be 5 times as large as that of in the gastric cardial glands. The reason is evidently in functional difference of the oesophageal and gastric cardial glands. The endocrine cells were absent in the mucous glands of the oesophagus.     

Quantitative microscopic characteristics of cardial glands in in the human esophagus in postnatal ontogenesis

Microscopical investigation of oesophagus, obtained from corpses of 33 men and 33 women has been carried out (staining with hematoxylin and eosin, van Gieson). The cardial glands have been revealed in 92.4% of cases in the inferior and in 4.6% of cases in the superior third of the oesophageal wall. They have not been revealed in the superior third of the oesophageal wall. They have not been revealed in its medial third. Amount of acini in the section is essentially changeable. In elderly and old persons the ducts of the glands often form ampullar dilatations. The acinar areas on the section remain stable during the greatest++ period of the postnatal ontogenesis and only during old age they decrease slightly. The proper plate of the mucous membrane in the inferior part of the oesophagus in the zone, where the cardial glands are situated, is always thicker than in the area free from the acini. Close interrelations have been revealed between the cardial glands and lymphoid tissue of the oesophageal wall. The intensity of the glandular-lymphoid interrelations is insignificant in newborns and in children of suckling age. It is maximal in persons of mature and elderly age. Remaining at a sufficiently high level, the glandular-lymphoid associations in old persons are manifested in a less degree than in the previous age groups. No difference in organization of the cardial glands has been revealed in the superior and inferior parts of the oesophageal wall, as well as any sex peculiarities.     

Differentiation of embryonic stem cells into cardiomyocytes with the help of cytokine LIF (leukemia inhibitory factor)

An experimental model of differentiated mouse embryonic stem cells with retractive activity similar to that of cardiomyocytes without preliminary formation of embryoid bodies was obtained. The basic factor that induced in vitro embryonic cell differentiation into cardial type is the recombinant cytokine LIF under prolonged cultivation. The positive reaction of the cells with retractive activity to isoproterenol indicates the presence of the beta-adrenergic receptor activity characteristic only for terminal differentiated mammalian cardiomyocytes.     

The heterotrimeric protein Go is required for the formation of heart epithelium in Drosophila.

The gene encoding the alpha subunit of the Drosophila Go protein is expressed early in embryogenesis in the precursor cells of the heart tube, of the visceral muscles, and of the nervous system. This early expression coincides with the onset of the mesenchymal-epithelial transition to which are subjected the cardial cells and the precursor cells of the visceral musculature. This gene constitutes an appropriate marker to follow this transition. In addition, a detailed analysis of its expression suggests that the cardioblasts originate from two subpopulations of cells in each parasegment of the dorsal mesoderm that might depend on the wingless and hedgehog signaling pathways for both their determination and specification. In the nervous system, the expression of Goalpha shortly precedes the beginning of axonogenesis. Mutants produced in the Goalpha gene harbor abnormalities in the three tissues in which the gene is expressed. In particular, the heart does not form properly and interruptions in the heart epithelium are repeatedly observed, henceforth the brokenheart (bkh) name. Furthermore, in the bkh mutant embryos, the epithelial polarity of cardial cells was not acquired (or maintained) in various places of the cardiac tube. We predict that bkh might be involved in vesicular traffic of membrane proteins that is responsible for the acquisition of polarity.     

Specificity of histological interrelations of cardial glands of the esophagus with its multi-layer lining]

Bioptates obtained from 163 mature persons have been studied, using spiral sections. When the conditions of functioning are altered (at the gastro-esophageal reflux) the organ's integument can destroy, but the defects formed in the lining are covered with a simple cylinder epithelium of the cardial glands. A connection between Barrett's syndrome in the esophagus with its cardial gland is demonstrated. The most widely distributed histological forms of Barrett's esophagus are described.     

Development of heart innervation in Xenopux tadpole and relationship with organ function]

Cardial innervation is studied through specific techniques. It is set up in 9 to 18 mm tadpoles. The rhythm of the aneural heart progressively increases. The initial automatic working is of ventricular type. The ventricular action potential acquires its typical form after the establishment of innervation. At the same time, cardial rhythm settles down at 110 beatings/minute.     

Gastric lipase and pepsinogen during the ontogenesis of rabbit gastric glands

In rabbit stomach, gastric lipase activity level was found to increase from birth to 30 days old (weaning), and then decreased. In contrast, pepsin activity only appeared between 30 to 45 days old, and increased till to the adult level. It was observed that maturation of gastric glands in cardial mucosa was a downward elongation process from the mitotic cell pool. These mitotic cells were always found in the neck of the gastric glands, corresponding to the bottom of the gland at 6 days old and to the mid-zone of the gland in adult. Location of rabbit gastric lipase (RGL) cells in cardial glands varied with age and was found along the pit of the gastric glands at 6 days old. The extent of this cellular location decreased with age, whereas a second RGL cell zone appeared below the mitotic cell area at 18 and 30 days old. At 45 days old, the pepsinogen cells appeared in the bottom of the gland, and consequently the RGL cells were located in the mid-zone of the gastric glands, between mitotic cells (neck of the gland) and pepsinogen cells (lower part of the gland). Ultrastructural study of cardial gastric glands revealed different morphologies of the secretion granules in the cells along the gastric glands. In 6-day-old rabbits, secretory granules were found uniformly electron dense in the bottom of the glands and were RGL-labeled by the immunogold technique. In the medium part of the glands, granules appeared biphasic, with a clear and a dense part, and RGL labeling was confined to the electron-dense part.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Endocrine glands of Chironomus thummi Kief. during larval development and metamorphosis]

The general morphology of the complex of endocrine glands in Chironomus thummi is described (corpora allata, peritracheal glands, cardial bodies). Each of these glands is characterized during the 3rd, 4th larval instars and metamorphosis by specific developmental features. Enlargement of corpora allata is due, mainly, to more than 10-fold increase in cell number. The process of growth in the peritracheal gland is realized mainly at the expense of increase in cell size and formation of polytene nuclei; the latter is witnessed both by nuclear morphology and increase of DNA content per nucleus. It was shown by cytophotometric measurements that DNA content per nucleus in the peritracheal gland of a just moulted larva of the 4th instar amounts to 0.202 +/- 0.02 relative units, in prepupa to 2.98+/-0.01, whereas the corresponding values for nuclei of corpora allata equal 0.107+/-0.01 and 0.212+/-0.1. The number of cells and the morphology of nuclei suffer no significant changes in cardial bodies but 2 giant cells intimately connected with cardial bodies increase in volume from 18 to 200,000 mu3 and typical polytene chromosomes form in them.     

Cross bonding and stiffening of the red cell membrane

Cross bonding and stiffening of the human red cell membrane was studied using treatments with SH, amino, and carboxyl reagents, oxidizing and denaturing treatments and acidification. Membrane cross bonding was initiated when, after red cell treatment, opposite areas of the cytoplasmic face of the red cell membrane were brought into contact by cell shrinking. Membrane cross bonding was detected by light microscopy when this contact persisted upon swelling the cells in a hypotonic medium. Membrane stiffening was recorded as a decrease in elongation of red cells in the shear field of a viscous dextran solution. No correlation was found between membrane cross bonding and membrane stiffening. The results are explained by the existence of two modifications of spectrin, type I causing solely membrane stiffening, type II causing membrane cross bonding as well as membrane stiffening. The amino and carboxyl reagents caused only type I modification. The other treatments caused both types of modification although with varying proportions. The results support the previously suggested mechanism of membrane cross bonding which involves a rearrangement of spectrin similar to denaturation by heat or urea, a decrease in associations within the membrane skeletal network, and a lateral aggregation of membrane proteins. These changes are proposed to occur by the type II modification. The data further substantiate the membrane stiffening effect of inter- and intra-molecular cross linking of spectrin which is identified with the type I modification. Finally, hypotheses are presented concerning the mechanism of membrane stiffening due to type II modifications of spectrin.     

The spatial organization of Descemet''s membrane-associated type IV collagen in the avian cornea

The organization of type IV collagen in the unconventional basement membrane of the corneal endothelium (Descemet's membrane) was investigated in developing chicken embryos using anti-collagen mAbs. Both immunofluorescence histochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy were performed. In mature embryos (greater than 15 d of development), the type IV collagen of Descemet's membrane was present as an array of discrete aggregates of amorphous material at the interface between Descemet's membrane and the posterior corneal stroma. Immunoreactivity for type IV collagen was also observed in the posterior corneal stroma as irregular plaques of material with a morphology similar to that of the Descemet's membrane-associated aggregates. This arrangement of Descemet's membrane-associated type IV collagen developed from a subendothelial mat of type IV collagen-containing material. This mat, in which type IV collagen-specific immunoreactivity was always discontinuous, first appeared at the time a confluent endothelium was established, well before the onset of Descemet's membrane formation. Immunoelectron microscopy of mature corneas revealed that the characteristic nodal matrix of Descemet's membrane itself was unreactive for type IV collagen, but was penetrated at intervals by projections of type IV collagen-containing material. These projections frequently appeared to contact cell processes from the underlying corneal endothelium. This spatial arrangement of type IV collagen suggests that it serves to suture the corneal endothelium/Descemet's membrane to the dense interfacial matrix of the posterior stroma.     

Interaction of the inotropic effect of norepinephrine and acetylcholine on the guinea pig's myocardium]

The experiments on guinea pig myocardium slices have been carried out to study the interaction of inotropic effects of different doses of norepinephrine (NE, from 10(-7) to 10(-5) mol/l) and acetylcholine (AC, from 10(-8) to 10(-6) mol/l). With an increase of NE concentration the negative influence of AC on the inotropic action is replaced by positive one. It is shown that there are optimal concentrations of NE and AC to exert a negative influence of AC on adrenergic inotropic effect (in these experiments--3 x 10(-7) mol/l for both influences). A decrease in frequency of contractions of AC on NE effect and positive influence of adrenergic myocardium stimulation on inotropic effect of AC, respectively. Such a type of relation of cardial effects of choline- and adrenergic influences is suggested to be designated by term "negatively accentuative antagonism" unlike the opposite type of choline-adrenergic interaction--"positive accentuative antagonism", under which AC increases inotropic effect of adrenergic myocardium stimulation, while adrenergic positive inotropic influences decrease AC effect.     

Endocrine cells in the cardial glands of the esophagus in man

Distribution of endocrine cells in composition of the secretory epithelium of the cardial glands of the human esophagus in both sex and at various age has been investigated. In spiral paraffin slices the endocrine cells have been revealed by means of different silver impregnation methods (after Grimelius, Masson--Hamperl, Sevier--Munger), Sevke technique, ferry-ferrocyanide method. Some cells have been revealed, which according to the specific signs of their granule staining resemble very much G-, EC-, ECL-cells of the stomach. They can be triangular, flatten or polygonal and are stained in the cardial gland epithelium as single diffuse cells, or as groups of cells. Staining of the slices with aldehyde-fuchsin in various modifications reveals dark cells with dark-violet granules and lighter cells with acidophilic granules. Sometimes among these cells certain cells with light-violet cytoplasm are revealed. All these cells can be arranged both in composition of the secretory epithelium of the glands and in conglomerates of cells, resembling pancreatic islands. According to their tinctorial properties they resemble A-, B-, D-cells of these islands.     

La chronologie du Néolithique ancien cardial du nord-est de la péninsule Ibérique. Datations, problématique et méthodologie

In this work, we make a compilation of all radiocarbonical data existing for the cardial Neolithic culture in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula with the aim to delimit as much as possible the chronological range attributed for this period. For this reason calibration of all data is presented on the same curve, taking into account the critical process for all of them based on stratigraphical, taphonomical and radiometrical concepts. Finally, is shown that chronological range of cardial Neolithic culture could be focused on the 2nd half of the VI millennium cal. BC.