Comparative anatomy and phylogenetic distribution of the mammalian cecal appendix

A recently improved understanding of gut immunity has merged with current thinking in biological and medical science, pointing to an apparent function of the mammalian cecal appendix as a safe‐house for symbiotic gut microbes, preserving the flora during times of gastrointestinal infection in societies without modern medicine. This function is potentially a selective force for the evolution and maintenance of the appendix, and provides an impetus for reassessment of the evolution of the appendix. A comparative anatomical approach reveals three apparent morphotypes of the cecal appendix, as well as appendix‐like structures in some species that lack a true cecal appendix. Cladistic analyses indicate that the appendix has evolved independently at least twice (at least once in diprotodont marsupials and at least once in Euarchontoglires), shows a highly significant (P < 0.0001) phylogenetic signal in its distribution, and has been maintained in mammalian evolution for 80 million years or longer.     

溃疡性结肠炎小鼠肠道黏膜和盲肠内容物菌群差异比较

了解溃疡性结肠炎(UC)小鼠肠道黏膜菌群的构成及其与盲肠内容物菌群的差异, 探讨肠道菌群在UC小鼠发病中的作用。

12只C57BL/6N雄性小鼠随机分为正常组、治疗组和模型组, 每组4只。采用葡聚糖硫酸钠盐(DSS)进行造模, 采用柳氮磺胺吡啶灌胃进行治疗, 造模第8天处死全部小鼠。采用16S rRNA基因高通量测序法对肠道黏膜和盲肠内容物菌群进行测序分析。

UC小鼠肠道黏膜菌群与盲肠内容物菌群相比, OTU数量和多样性均降低; Beta多样性分析显示其黏膜和盲肠内容物菌群差异较正常小鼠更大。在门和属的分类水平上, UC小鼠黏膜菌群中变形菌门、疣微菌门、魏斯菌属和肠球菌属丰度较正常小鼠升高, 厚壁菌门和拟杆菌门丰度降低; 阿克曼菌属在UC小鼠黏膜和盲肠内容物菌群中增多, 颤螺菌属在治疗组小鼠黏膜和盲肠内容物菌群中均减少。此外, 黏膜菌群中脱铁杆菌门Mucispirillum菌属丰度较高; 盲肠内容物中拟杆菌属丰度较高。物种组成分析中, 颤螺菌属、Mucispirillum、志贺菌属、魏斯菌属和肠球菌属聚类在一起。

UC小鼠黏膜菌群与盲肠内容物菌群在群落组成、多样性、优势菌群等方面存在明显差异, 黏膜菌群在UC发病机制中可能发挥着主要的作用。

     

Further studies of the glandular tissue of the Sauromatum guttatum (Araceae) appendix

Electron microscopic studies showed that the trans-Golgi network (trans indicates the polarity of cisternae within the Golgi apparatus; it is opposite to the cis-face that is adjacent to the rough endoplasmic reticulum) was involved in the processing of the osmiophilic material present in the appendix of the inflorescence of Sauromatum guttatum. This material accumulated in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and in special pockets of the plasma membrane prior to heat production. Associations between the endoplasmic reticulum and trans-Golgi network were observed. The Golgi apparatus was composed of 5–6 dictyosomes on one side and one or two somewhat detached cisternae on the other side. Various nonosmiophilic Golgi-derived vesicles were observed: small ones covered with spike-like material, large ones with a smooth surface, and irregularly shaped ones. These electron-translucent vesicles seemed to accumulate in specific localities at the plasma membrane surface in the vicinity of the osmiophilic material; they were not found when the aroma was released. During heat production, the Golgi structures shrank and the activity of the trans-Golgi network seemed to be reduced. At the same time, coated pits were seen at the plasma membrane surface. In some cells, hypertrophic Golgi apparatuses were seen with only 2–3 dictyosomes that contained granulated material in their lumens. Finally, the osmiophilic material was also found in the plasmodesmata.     

GLYCOSYLATION PATTERN IN THE APPENDIX TESTIS IN CHILDREN WITH CRYPTORCHIDISM

In humans, at about week 6, sex cords develop within the forming testes. Testes normally descend to the scrotum; cryptorchidism occurs when one or two testes do not descend to scrotum and in some case are accompanied by the appendix testis. The appendix testis is a small sessile or polypoid structure located at the antero superior pole of the testis, adjacent to the head of the epididymis. Glycans can be involved in development of the appendix testis and cryptorchidism. In this work, lectin histochemistry was used to evaluate glycans expression in appendix testis in children with cryptorchidism. Our results showed that lectin from Lens culinaris, Ulex europaeus I., Canavalia ensiformis, Artocarpus integrifolia, Glycine max, and Griffonia simplicifolia recognizes epithelial and estromal cells. Not interaction was observed with lectin from Amaranthus leucocarpus, while lectin from Dolichus biflorus lectin only recognizes epithelial cells. Our results suggest that O-glycans linked in some glycoproteins represent important elements in appendix testis development.     

Comparative gastrointestinal morphology of Tachyoryctes splendens (Rüppell, 1835) and Heliophobius emini, (Noack, 1894) two species of East African mole‐rats

Tachyoryctes splendens (Northeast African mole‐rat) and Heliophobius emini (Emin's mole‐rat) are two African mole‐rats that represent separate allopatric rodent families namely Spalacidae and Bathyergidae respectively. While these species consume a similar diet of underground plant storage organs such as roots and tubers, T. splendens has been reported to additionally consume small amounts of aerial foliage. This study aims to provide detailed gross morphological and histological morphometric analyses of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of these two subterranean species. The formalin fixed gastrointestinal tracts of T. splendens (n = 9) and H. emini (n = 6) were photographed, weighed and measured. The length and basal surface areas were calculated for each anatomically distinct region. Representative histological samples were prepared and stained using Hematoxylin and Eosin. Microscopic luminal measurements were used to calculate a surface enlargement factor and the luminal surface area of each region. Tachyoryctes splendens had a large double chambered hemi‐glandular stomach with a macroscopically visible transition from keratinized stratified squamous epithelium to glandular epithelium. The cecum was large and the luminal surface revealed a single spiral fold. The ascending colon of T. splendens was arranged in a spiral, with two centripetal and two centrifugal windings. The descending colon was arranged in a single parallel loop, similar to H. emini . A narrow colonic groove was accompanied by V‐shaped folds on either side. Heliophobius emini had a simple glandular stomach, a large, haustrated cecum that displayed a cecal appendix and the descending colon was arranged in a single parallel loop. The internal aspect of the colon revealed a wide colonic groove extending from the ceco‐colic junction to distal colon. As both species originate from a similar geographical region and ingest very similar diets, it is likely that the differences in the GIT morphology are attributed to phylogeny as the species represent two different families of mole‐rats.     

Maturation of tight junctions in guinea-pig cecal epithelium

Summary By means of the freeze-fracture technique and in tracer studies it is demonstrated that the structure of tight junctions and the permeability to lanthanum of the guinea-pig cecal epithelium change during maturation of cells. Height and strand number of tight junctions in the apical-basal direction increase as crypt cells migrate to the surface of the epithelium. Likewise, the interlacing of continuous strands was greater in surface than in crypt junctions. The numerous free-ends, isolated individual freestrands and maculae occludentes found in crypt cells were absent in surface epithelial cells. Goblet cells, located at the bottom of crypts, displayed tight junctions similar in characteristics to those of cells located in the middle region of crypts. Cells at the surface and in middle regions of crypts possess tight junctions impermeable to lanthanum, whereas junctions between cells located at the bottom of crypts often were permeable to the tracer, indicating that permeability decreases as the epithelial cells mature. Genesis and maturation mechanisms related to structural configuration of tight junctions are discussed.