Schwann Cells and Fetal Tectal Tissue Cografted to the Midbrain of Newborn Rats: Fate of Schwann Cells and Their Influence on Host Retinal Innervation of Grafts

Tectal tissue from fetal (E15, E18, E20) and newborn (P0) rats was transplanted to the midbrain of newborn rats. Graft survival and size decreased with increasing donor age. Host retinal input was found in E15, E18 and E20 grafts; the specific pattern of retinal innervation was similar for all fetal donor ages.

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Ultrastructure of Giant Mitochondria and Their Inclusions in Schwann Cells of Bovine Splenic Nerve

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100050986 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

pp. 194-195

Author(s):

Å. Thureson-Klein

Keyword(s):

Schwann Cells ◽

Cell Organelles ◽

Giant Mitochondria ◽

Matrix Density ◽

Physiological Conditions ◽

Unmyelinated Axons ◽

Internal Structures ◽

Structural Abnormalities ◽

Cytotoxic Compounds ◽

Cell Components

Giant mitochondria of various shapes and with different internal structures and matrix density have been observed in a great number of tissues including nerves. In most instances, the presence of giant mitochondria has been associated with a known disease or with abnormal physiological conditions such as anoxia or exposure to cytotoxic compounds. In these cases degenerative changes occurred in other cell organelles and, therefore the giant mitochondria also were believed to be induced structural abnormalities.Schwann cells ensheating unmyelinated axons of bovine splenic nerve regularly contain giant mitochondria in addition to the conventional smaller type (Fig. 1). These nerves come from healthy inspected animals presumed not to have been exposed to noxious agents. As there are no drastic changes in the small mitochondria and because other cell components also appear reasonably well preserved, it is believed that the giant mitochondria are normally present jin vivo and have not formed as a post-mortem artifact.

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Human Neurofibromas in Co-Culture with Mouse Neurons

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100053632 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 40 ◽

pp. 194-195

Author(s):

R.L. Martuza ◽

T. Liszczak ◽

A. Okun ◽

T-Y Wang

Keyword(s):

Schwann Cell ◽

Schwann Cells ◽

Genetic Disorder ◽

Cranial Nerves ◽

Sympathetic Nerves ◽

Acoustic Neuromas ◽

Spinal Roots ◽

Neural Crest Origin ◽

Multiple Abnormalities ◽

Other Neoplasms

Neurofibromatosis (NF) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder with a prevalence of 1/3,000 births. The NF mutation causes multiple abnormalities of various cells of neural crest origin. Schwann cell tumors (neurofibromas, acoustic neuromas) are the most common feature of neurofibromatosis although meningiomas, gliomas, and other neoplasms may be seen. The schwann cell tumors commonly develop from the schwann cells associated with sensory or sympathetic nerves or their ganglia. Schwann cell tumors on ventral spinal roots or motor cranial nerves are much less common. Since the sensory neuron membrane is known to contain a mitogenic factor for schwann cells, we have postulated that neurofibromatosis may be due to an abnormal interaction between the nerve and the schwann cell and that this interaction may be hormonally modulated. To test this possibility a system has been developed in which an enriched schwannoma cell culture can be obtained and co-cultured with pure neurons.

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Application of stereological analysis of cell volume to isolated myocytes in culture with and without adrenergic innervation

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s042482010015962x ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (3) ◽

pp. 416-417

Author(s):

Jane K. Rosenthal ◽

Dianne L. Atkins ◽

William J. Marvin ◽

Penny A. Krumm

Keyword(s):

Cardiac Myocytes ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Adrenergic Innervation ◽

Culture Cell ◽

Serial Sections ◽

Newborn Rats ◽

Primary Culture Cell ◽

Biological Studies ◽

Cell Volumes

To comprehend structural changes in cardiac myocytes accompanying adrenergic innervation, it is essential that a three dimensional analysis be performed. To date, biological studies which utilize stereological methods have been limited to cells in tissue and in organs. Our laboratory has utilized current stereological techniques for measuring absolute volumes of individual myocytes in primary culture. Cell volumes are calculated for two distinct groups of cells at 96 hours in culture: isolated myocytes and myocytes innervated with adrenergic neurons (Figure 1).Cardiac myocytes are cultured from the ventricular apices of newborn rats. Cells are plated directly onto tissue culture dishes with or without preplated explants from the paravertebral thoracolumbar sympathetic chain. On day four cultures are photographed and marked for one-to-one cell location. Following conventional fixation and embeddment in eponate-12, the cells are relocated and mounted for microtomy. The cells are completely sectioned at 120nm in their parallel orientation to the surface of the dish (Figure 2). Serial sections are collected on formvar coated slotted grids and are recorded in sequence.

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