Innervation of vibrissa follicles in the marsupial Trichosurus vulpecula

1974 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 263 ◽  
Author(s):  
DE Hollis ◽  
AG Lyne

The innervation of the mystacial vibrissa follicles in the adult brush-tailed possum, T. vulpecula, has been studied by light and electron microscopy. One to five large nerve trunks penetrate the lower part of the follicle capsule and divide many times as they ascend and completely envelop the con- nective tissue sheath of the follicle. As many as 500 myelinated nerves have been observed in the mid region of the largest follicles. Above the mid region, most of the nerves move closer to the centre of the follicle and finally terminate within or near the outer layer of epithelial cells. Four main types of nerve endings have been observed: (1) Sensory receptor cells, called Merkel cells, with their associated neurites are numerous within the outer layer of epithelial cells. (2) Palisade endings, which are less common than the Merkel cell-neurite complexes, surround the upper part of the glassy membrane of the follicle. In transverse section each palisade ending appears as a flattened central neurite partially enveloped on either side by Schwann cell processes. (3) Bulbous endings occur in both the connective tissue sheath and in the outer layer of follicle epithelial cells. They are larger than types (1) and (2) and their ultrastructure varies markedly. (4) Compound endings occur within the connective tissue sheath of the follicle. They are uncommon but large and are composed of a chain of bulbous units joined by nerves; the entire ending may be encapsulated. Within each unit there is a tangle of nerve fibres. The Merkel cell-neurite complexes and the palisade endings in T. vulpecula are remarkably similar to those of eutherian mammals, suggesting that such sensory structures were features of primitive mammals.

Parasitology ◽  
1969 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 449-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Howells

The nephridial system of M. expansa has been studied using light and electron microscopy, and a number of histochemical techniques have been used on sections of the worm. The organization of the nephridial system and the fine structure of the flame cells and the nephridial ducts are described. Pores, which connect the nephridial lumen to the intercellular space of the connective tissue, exist at the junction of a flame cell and a nephridial duct. These pores may be considered nephrostomes and the system therefore is not protonephridial as defined by Hyman (1951).The epithelium lining the nephridial ducts has a structure which suggests that it is metabolically active. It is postulated that the beating of the cilia of the flame cells draws fluid into the ducts via the nephrostomes, with absorption and/or secretion of solutes being carried out by the epithelial cells of the duct walls. The function of the nephridial system is discussed.I am grateful to Professor James Brough for the provision of research facilities at the Department of Zoology, University College, Cardiff, andtoDrD. A. Erasmus for much helpful advice during the course of the work. I wish to thank Professors W. Peters and T. Wilson for critically reading the manuscript and Miss M. Williams and Mr T. Davies for expert technical assistance.I also wish to thank the Veterinary Inspector and his staff at the Roath Abattoir, Cardiff, for their kind co-operation and assistance in obtaining material.The work was carried out under the tenure of an S.R.C. research scholarship.


1977 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 390-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
J P Kraehenbuhl

The mammary gland from midpregnant rabbits has been dissociated into individual cells by enzymatic digestion, divalent cation chelation, and gentle shearing. A heterogeneous cell population is obtained, comprising approximately 60% parenchymal cells, approximately 10% myoepithelial cells, and approximately 30% connective tissue cells, including fibroblasts, plasma cells, and microphages. The epithelial cells are characterized by the presence of fat droplets, which in 65% of the cells form large supranuclear vacuoles. Their buoyant density is less than 1.045, allowing their separation from myoepithelial cells and connective tissue cells by isopycnic centrifugation in a density gradient. The homogeneity of the epithelial cell fraction has been assessed by light and electron microscopy. The cells are viable and functionally active as indicated by their ability to exclude vital dyes, incorporate labeled precursors, consume oxygen, maintain intracellular Na+ and K+ concentrations, and retain their structural integrity. In addition, when cultured in Petri dishes, the cells grow as a monolayer, reestablish junctional complexes and retain cell polarity.


Author(s):  
U.I. Heine ◽  
G.R.F. Krueger ◽  
E. Munoz ◽  
A. Karpinski

Infection of newborn mice with Moloney leukemia virus (M-MuLV) causes a T-cell differentiation block in the thymic cortex accompanied by proliferation and accumulation of prethymic lymphoblasts in the thymus and subsequent spreading of these cells to generate systemic lymphoma. Current evidence shows that thymic reticular epithelial cells (REC) provide a microenvironment necessary for the maturation of prethymic lymphoblasts to mature T-lymphocytes by secretion of various thymic factors. A change in that environment due to infection of REC by virus could be decisive for the failure of lymphoblasts to mature and thus contribute to lymphoma development.We have studied the morphology and distribution of the major thymic cell populations at different stages of tumorigenesis in Balb/c mice infected when newborn with 0.2ml M-MuLV suspension, 6.8 log FFU/ml. Thymic tissue taken at 1-2 weekly intervals up to tumor development was processed for light and electron microscopy, using glutaraldehyde-OsO4fixation and Epon-Araldite embedding.


1994 ◽  
Vol 71 (05) ◽  
pp. 684-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
László Damjanovich ◽  
Csaba Turzó ◽  
Róza Ádány

SummaryThe plasminogen activation system is a delicately balanced assembly of enzymes which seems to have primary influence on tumour progression. The conversion of plasminogen into serine protease plasmin with fibrinolytic activity depends on the actual balance between plasminogen activators (urokinase type; u-PA and tissue type; t-PA) and their inhibitors (type 1 and 2 plasminogen activator inhibitors; PAI-1 and PAI-2). The purpose of this study was to determine the exact histological localization of all the major factors involved in plasminogen activation, and activation inhibition (plasmin system) in benign and malignant breast tumour samples. Our results show that factors of the plasmin system are present both in benign and malignant tumours. Cancer cells strongly labelled for both u-PA and t-PA, but epithelial cells of fibroadenoma samples were also stained for plasminogen activators at least as intensively as tumour cells in cancerous tissues. In fibroadenomas, all the epithelial cells were labelled for PAM. Staining became sporadic in malignant tumours, cells located at the periphery of tumour cell clusters regularly did not show reaction for PAI-1. In the benign tumour samples the perialveolar connective tissue stroma contained a lot of PAI-1 positive cells, showing characteristics of fibroblasts; but their number was strongly decreased in the stroma of malignant tumours. These findings indicate that the higher level of u-PA antigen, detected in malignant breast tumour samples by biochemical techniques, does not necessarily indicate increased u-PA production by tumour cells but it might be owing to the increased number of cells producing u-PA as well. In malignant tumours PAI-1 seems to be decreased in the frontage of malignant cell invasion; i.e. malignant cells at the host/tumour interface do not express PAI-1 in morphologically detectable quantity and in the peritumoural connective tissue the number of fibroblasts containing PAI-1 is also decreased.


2002 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 141-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahida Shahana ◽  
Caroline Kampf ◽  
Godfried M. Roomans

Background: Allergic asthma is associated with an increased number of eosinophils in the airway wall. Eosinophils secrete cationic proteins, particularly major basic protein (MBP).Aim: To investigate the effect of synthetic cationic polypeptides such as poly-L-arginine, which can mimic the effect of MBP, on airway epithelial cells.Methods: Cultured airway epithelial cells were exposed to poly-L-arginine, and effects were determined by light and electron microscopy.Results: Poly-L-arginine induced apoptosis and necrosis. Transmission electron microscopy showed mitochondrial damage and changes in the nucleus. The tight junctions were damaged, as evidenced by penetration of lanthanum. Scanning electron microscopy showed a damaged cell membrane with many pores. Microanalysis showed a significant decrease in the cellular content of magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium and chlorine, and an increase in calcium. Plakoglobin immunoreactivity in the cell membrane was decreased, indicating a decrease in the number of desmosomes.Conclusions: The results point to poly-L-arginine induced membrane damage, resulting in increased permeability, loss of cell-cell contacts and generalized cell damage.


1968 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 770-784 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. T. Gatzy ◽  
W. O. Berndt

Epithelial cells of the toad bladder were disaggregated with EDTA, trypsin, hyaluronidase, or collagenase and were then scraped free of the underlying connective tissue. In most experiments EDTA was complexed with a divalent cation before the tissue was scraped. QOO2, sucrose and inulin spaces, and electrolytes of the isolated cells were measured. Cells disaggregated by collagenase or hyaluronidase consumed O2 at a rate of 4 µl hr-1 dry wt-1. QOO2 was increased 50% by ADH (100 U/liter) or by cyclic 3',5'-AMP (10 mM/liter). Na+-free Ringer's depressed the QOO2 by 40%. The QOO2 of cells prepared by trypsin treatment or by two EDTA methods was depressed by Na+-free Ringer's but was stimulated relatively little by ADH. Two other EDTA protocols produced cells that did not respond to Na+ lack or ADH. The intracellular Na+ and K+ concentrations of collagenase-disaggregated cells were 32 and 117 mEq/kg cell H2O, respectively. Cation concentrations of hyaluronidase cells were similar, but cells that did not respond to ADH had higher intracellular Na+ concentrations. Cells unresponsive to ADH and Na+ lack had high sucrose spaces and low transcellular membrane gradients of Na+, K+, and Cl-. The results suggest that trypsin and EDTA disaggregation damage the active Na+ transport system of the isolated cell. Certain EDTA techniques may also produce a general increase in permeability. Collagenase and hyaluronidase cells appear to function normally.


1998 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 2235-2239 ◽  
Author(s):  
John S. Oghalai ◽  
Jeffrey R. Holt ◽  
Takashi Nakagawa ◽  
Thomas M. Jung ◽  
Newton J. Coker ◽  
...  

Oghalai, John S., Jeffrey R. Holt, Takashi Nakagawa, Thomas M. Jung, Newton J. Coker, Herman A. Jenkins, Ruth Anne Eatock, and William E. Brownell. Ionic currents and electromotility in inner ear hair cells from humans. J. Neurophysiol. 79: 2235–2239, 1998. The upright posture and rich vocalizations of primates place demands on their senses of balance and hearing that differ from those of other animals. There is a wealth of behavioral, psychophysical, and CNS measures characterizing these senses in primates, but no prior recordings from their inner ear sensory receptor cells. We harvested human hair cells from patients undergoing surgical removal of life-threatening brain stem tumors and measured their ionic currents and electromotile responses. The hair cells were either isolated or left in situ in their sensory epithelium and investigated using the tight-seal, whole cell technique. We recorded from both type I and type II vestibular hair cells under voltage clamp and found four voltage-dependent currents, each of which has been reported in hair cells of other animals. Cochlear outer hair cells demonstrated electromotility in response to voltage steps like that seen in rodent animal models. Our results reveal many qualitative similarities to hair cells obtained from other animals and justify continued investigations to explore quantitative differences that may be associated with normal or pathological human sensation.


1967 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-128
Author(s):  
S. H. P. MADDRELL ◽  
J. E. TREHERNE

The organization of the perineurium in two insect species (Carausius morosus and Periplaneta americana) has been examined with the electron microscope. In both species this cellular layer has been found to possess an extensive system of tortuous channels between the lateral cell walls. These channels are open at the outer margin adjacent to the fibrous connective-tissue sheath, but appear to be closed at the inner margin by regions of septate desmosomes and/or ‘tight’ junctions. There is an increased surface area at the inner margin of the perineurial cells produced by the presence of long inwardly directed flanges. An electron-dense coat has also been identified on the cytoplasmic side of the type II perineurial cell membranes at points of contact with the underlying extracellular system and at the outer surface adjacent to the connective-tissue sheath. This organization of the perineurium is strikingly similar to that observed in a variety of fluid-secreting epithelia and its possible function in fluid transport is discussed in relation to the available evidence on the physiology of the insect central nervous system. It is suggested, contrary to some earlier suppositions, that the perineurium may not be primarily involved in the control of the extracellular sodium level and that this regulation may be effected at a deeper level in the central nervous tissues.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-21
Author(s):  
Raghavendra Rao ◽  
Srilatha Parampalli Srinivas ◽  
Varsha M. Shetty

AbstractPerifollicular fibroma (PFF) is a rare proliferative lesion originating from the perifollicular connective tissue sheath. It may be congenital or acquired manifesting as skin colored to pink, asymptomatic papules of 1-5 mm in size. They are commonly distributed in the head and neck region. Multiple PFFs may be associated with internal malignancy or as a part of Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome. Histopathology serves as an essential tool in clinching the diagnosis. Herein we report a case of giant congenital PFF.


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