Ultrastructural Examination of

Author(s):  
LC Lucas ◽  
LJ Bearden ◽  
JE Lemons
Author(s):  
Lawrence M. Roth

The female reproductive tract may be the site of a wide variety of benign and malignant tumors, as well as non-neoplastic tumor-like conditions, most of which can be diagnosed by light microscopic examination including special stains and more recently immunoperoxidase techniques. Nevertheless there are situations where ultrastructural examination can contribute substantially to an accurate and specific diagnosis. It is my opinion that electron microscopy can be of greatest benefit and is most cost effective when applied in conjunction with other methodologies. Thus, I have developed an approach which has proved useful for me and may have benefit for others. In cases where it is deemed of potential value, glutaraldehyde-fixed material is obtained at the time of frozen section or otherwise at operation. Coordination with the gynecologic oncologist is required in the latter situation. This material is processed and blocked and is available if a future need arises.


Author(s):  
Carole Vogler ◽  
Harvey S. Rosenberg

Diagnostic procedures for evaluation of patients with lysosomal storage diseases (LSD) seek to identify a deficiency of a responsible lysosomal enzyme or accumulation of a substance that requires the missing enzyme for degradation. Most patients with LSD have progressive neurological degeneration and may have a variety of musculoskeletal and visceral abnormalities. In the LSD, the abnormally diminished lysosomal enzyme results in accumulation of unmetabolized catabolites in distended lysosomes. Because of the subcellular morphology and size of lysosomes, electron microscopy is an ideal tool to study tissue from patients with suspected LSD. In patients with LSD all cells lack the specific lysosomal enzyme but the distribution of storage material is dependent on the extent of catabolism of the substrate in each cell type under normal circumstances. Lysosmal storages diseases affect many cell types and tissues. Storage material though does not accumulate in all tissues and cell types and may be different biochemically and morphologically in different tissues.Conjunctiva, skin, rectal mucosa and peripheral blood leukocytes may show ultrastructural evidence of lysosomal storage even in the absence of clinical findings and thus any of these tissues can be used for ultrastructural examination in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with suspected LSD. Biopsy of skin and conjunctiva are easily obtained and provide multiple cell types including endothelium, epithelium, fibroblasts and nerves for ultrastructural study. Fibroblasts from skin and conjunctiva can also be utilized for the initiation of tissue cultures for chemical assays. Brain biopsy has been largely replaced by biopsy of more readily obtained tissue and by biochemical assays. Such assays though may give equivical or nondiagnostic results and in some lysosomal storage diseases an enzyme defect has not yet been identified and diagnoses can be made only by ultrastructural examination.


1984 ◽  
Vol 62 (6) ◽  
pp. 1101-1107 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. M. Pueschel ◽  
J. P. van der Meer

Ultrastructural examination of a green-pigmented mutant of the red alga Palmaria palmata (L.) O. Kuntze revealed unusual features of the chloroplasts. Encircling peripheral thylakoids, characteristic of the wild-type plastids and florideophyte plastids generally, were lacking. Parallel evenly spaced thylakoids occurred in groups, leaving large volumes of thylakoid-free stroma. Irregularly shaped, electron-dense inclusions with an amorphous substructure and diameters up to 3 μm occurred in some plastids. Cells of the sporeling holdfasts contained structures resembling prolamellar bodies. Attempts to induce formation of prolamellar bodies in blades by dark treatment for 5 weeks were unsuccessful. However, some plastids did develop highly corrugated thylakoids with the crests of one thylakoid apposed to the troughs of the adjacent thylakoid. Thylakoid morphology of the wild-type control was not altered by the absence of light.


2001 ◽  
Vol 125 (3) ◽  
pp. 400-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuen Hsueh ◽  
Swei Hsueh ◽  
Frank Gonzalez-Crussi ◽  
Ta-jen Lee ◽  
Jen-liang Su

Abstract Hamartoma in the nasal cavity of children is especially rare. Most documented cases occurred in infants, with characteristic histologic features of a mixture of various mesenchymal tissues. McDermott et al designated it nasal chondromesenchymal hamartoma in 1998, and it has since been considered a distinct clinicopathological entity. We report 2 such examples in a full-term male newborn and a 9-month-old boy, respectively. Histologically, both cases were characterized by a mixture of various mesenchymal elements, including spindle cells, collagen fibers, and irregular islands of osseous and chondroid tissue. Immunohistochemical study showed positivity to vimentin and S100 protein. Ultrastructural examination of case 1 demonstrated fibroblastic and myofibroblastic differentiation in tumor cells. There were 11 cases of nasal chondromesenchymal hamartoma in children published to date. The tumor has a benign biological behavior, and complete resection is the treatment of choice. It is apt to be misdiagnosed because of overlapping histologic features shared with a number of benign and malignant soft tissue tumors. Awareness of this entity is essential for correct diagnosis and adequate therapy.


1997 ◽  
Vol 273 (3) ◽  
pp. H1595-H1605 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. G. Fewell ◽  
H. Osinska ◽  
R. Klevitsky ◽  
W. Ng ◽  
G. Sfyris ◽  
...  

Cardiovascular stress in response to treadmill exercise is frequently used to detect cardiac abnormalities that are not readily apparent at rest. Herein we describe a treadmill exercise protocol for mice that allows for quantitation of the performance of an animal and the ability to gather metabolic information in a nonrestraining manner using telemetry implant devices. Transgenic (TG) mice overexpressing ventricular myosin regulatory light chain (MLC2v) were subjected to a 5-wk exercise regimen. The TG mice had significant decreases in their capacity for exercise at relatively high treadmill speeds compared with their nontransgenic (NTG) littermates. There was no indication of a hypertrophic response occurring in TG or NTG animals in response to the exercise protocol, and exercise had no effect on MLC2v phosphorylation. Ultrastructural examination of TG atria showed overtly normal myofibrillar organization but a proliferation of the transverse-axial tubular system. This exercise protocol should prove useful in detecting subtle phenotypes that occur in mice as a result of genetic manipulation of the cardiac compartment.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document