Regeneration of muscle fibers in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of the aged rat

Regeneration of muscle fibers was observed in the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle of aged (24 and 27 months) Wistar rats. The aged muscles consisted almost exclusively of medium-sized muscle fibers. In addition to degenerating and/or atrophied muscle fibers, very small muscle fibers <10 mum in diameter were observed in some muscle bundles which sporadically distributed in the muscle. In the degenerating muscle fibers, satellite cells mostly appeared to be normal, possibly surviving within the scaffold of basal lamina to form new (regenerating) muscle fibers. However, some of the satellite cells were degenerated and destroyed, suggesting the decrease in number of muscle fibers. On the other hand, very small muscle fibers existed between small and/or medium-sized muscle fibers or in the wide interstitial spaces between them solitarily or in small groups. In addition, immature muscle cells having a centrally located nucleus and sporadically distributed myofilaments were observed among the small and/or medium-sized muscle fibers and partially lacked a layer of basal lamina. These immature muscle cells were often closely apposed to fibroblasts with some slender cytoplasmic processes and/or to each other without an interposing basal lamina. These findings suggest that in addition to satellite cells within the basal lamina tubes, some of the regenerating muscle fibers in the aged EDL muscle may be originated from mesenchymal cells such as fibroblasts in the interstitial spaces.     

Fine structural study of the regeneration of muscle fibers in the rat soleus muscle during aging

We examined the regeneration of muscle fibers in the soleus muscle of mature (12 months) and aged (24 and 27 months) rats by using electron microscopy. In both mature and aged muscles, regenerating muscle fibers were mainly formed within the scaffolds of basal laminae after necrosis. In the aged muscle, however, satellite cells within the scaffolds were occasionally destroyed, and immature muscle cells occurred in and around muscle bundles. These findings suggest that new muscle fibers formed in the interstitial spaces may contribute to the total number of regenerated muscle fibers. The origin of the immature muscle cells is briefly discussed.     

Biological characteristics of the junctional epithelium

This review summarizes the biological properties of the junctional epithelium, focusing on its developmental aspects, wide intercellular spaces and desmosomes, dense granules, permeability barrier, phagocytotic activity, adhesive structures and nerve terminals. It also discusses the morphology and functions of long junctional epithelium and peri-implant epithelium. Junctional epithelium is derived from the reduced enamel epithelium during tooth development. Apoptosis occurs in the border between oral and reduced enamel epithelia during tooth eruption. Junctional epithelium expresses a cytokeratin-19 immunoreaction, suggesting that this protein is a consistent differentiation marker. Wide intercellular spaces, which contain neutrophils and nerve endings, are formed as there are fewer desmosomes than in the oral epithelium. Dense, membrane-bound granules in the epithelium might correspond with membrane-coating granules, as revealed by their shape, components and freeze-fracture images. Junctional epithelium with high permeability contains exogenously expressed alpha-defensins, while stratified epithelia contain endogenously expressed beta-defensins. The phagocytotic activity in this epithelium remains unclear. Integrin-alpha6beta4 and laminin-5 form a complex in the tooth surface internal basal lamina. Long junctional epithelium created experimentally attaches to the cementum surface by hemidesmosomes and basal lamina. The peri-implant epithelium differs in proliferation and in adhesive structure from the normal junctional epithelium. In conclusion, wide intercellular spaces and poorly developed desmosomes are closely correlated with a permeable nature. There is still uncertainty over the phagocytotic activity of the epithelium. Integrin-alpha6beta4 and laminin-5 form a significant complex in the internal basal lamina. Junctional epithelium receives a rich sensory nerve and has a high rate of cell turnover. Long junctional epithelium can be produced rapidly during wound healing, due to high proliferative activity. Peri-implant epithelium might be a poorly adhered and permeable epithelium.     

孕期微量染镉对雄性胎鼠性腺分化发育影响的研究

目的：探讨孕期微量染镉对胎鼠睾丸分化发育的影响及作用机制。方法：SD孕鼠16只,随机分为镉组（A组）、己烯雌酚组（B组）、镉加他莫静酚组（C组）和正常对照组（D组）,每组4只。A组于孕期第9、11、13天腹腔注射氯化镉1．5H影（kg．d）,B组于妊娠第9至17天皮下注射已烯雌酚10％g／（kg．d）,C组注射氯化镉的同时给予雌激素受体拮抗剂他莫昔酚50mg／（kg．d）,D组注射与镉等体积生理盐水。妊娠第18天,削商产取雄性胎鼠睾丸作光、电镜观察;免疫组化测定各组胎鼠睾丸间质细胞类固醇激素合成急性调节蛋白（StAR）表达水平;RT—PCR法测定曲勒氏管抑制物（MIS）表达量。结果：光镜下A组和B组睾丸生精小管内支持细胞排列紊乱,间质成分增生,C组未见明显的形态学改变;电镜下A组和B组均可见支持细胞、生殖母细胞及间质细胞线粒体肿胀、内质网扩张以及间质细胞内脂滴堆积,C组超微结构退变轻于A组和B组;A组和B组间质细胞中StAR阳性产物表达均显著低于D组（P〈0．01）,C组StAR阳性产物表达虽低于D组,其差异没有统计学意义（P〉0．05）,但却明明显高于A组（P〈0．05）;各组间MIS表达差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。结论：孕期微量镉暴露可影响雄性胎鼠性腺的分化与发育,且镉具有雌激素样作用．     

Structural changes of microvessels in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of the aged rat

We examined the structural changes of microvessels (arterioles, capillaries, and venules) in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of the aged (27 months) rat. Muscle bundles in the aged muscle almost consisted of medium-sized muscle fibers which were peculiar in the aged EDL muscle. However, microvessels in and around these muscle bundles varied in shape. Degenerating capillaries and scaffolds of basal laminae remaining after necrosis of preexisting capillaries were frequently observed around these medium-sized muscle fibers. In addition, the vascular lumen was often very narrow or irregular slit-like. In terminal and precapillary arterioles, the endothelium and smooth muscle cells showed a constricted appearance and their vascular lumen was often irregular slit-like, probably playing an important role in intercepting the blood flow into the disrupted capillaries. Moreover, some venules had the slit-like vascular lumen, sawtooth-like endothelium and thick or multilayered basal laminae, and occasional erythrocytes were found outside the endothelium, probably indicating that these venules are in the course of regeneration. These findings suggest that in addition to the frequent destruction of capillaries, the structural changes of arterioles and venules may be involved in remodeling the microvasculature of the muscle bundles after maturation of regenerating muscle fibers.     

Discontinuous capillary segments in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of aged BUF/Mna rats

We examined the structural changes of capillaries in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of aged (25 months) male BUF/Mna rats, which caused severe muscle weakness of hind legs during aging. The aged muscle mostly consisted of bundles of muscle fibres 15-35 microm in diameter (type 1). In some small areas, however, muscle bundles contained small muscle fibres mainly 15-25 microm in diameter (type 2), possibly indicating that these small fibres are in the course of regeneration after necrosis. Examination of serial ultrathin sections revealed some remarkable changes of capillaries in the type 2 muscle bundle. In some capillaries, the vascular lumen became discontinuous by several close contacts of opposed endothelial cells in their course, forming plural closed vascular segments. Moreover, a solitary endothelial cell was often observed within a scaffold of basal lamina, which remained after destruction of endothelial cells. The segmentation of capillaries and the occurrence of the scaffolds of basal laminae are considered to indicate the degenerative process of capillaries. In some instances, on the other hand, endothelial cells closely apposed each other with no vascular lumen for distances of up to 100 microm, and some capillaries had a narrow vascular lumen (1-3 microm diameter) for a long distance (approximately 300 microm), probably indicating that these structures are in the course of regenerating capillaries to remodel the capillary networks around the muscle fibres. Pericytic processes circularly arranged outside the endothelium at the slit-like and narrow vascular lumen, like hoops, possibly preventing the rupture of the newly-formed vascular lumen from the increased blood flow and/or blood pressure. In addition, the occasional occurrence of capillaries with fenestrations may participate to increase the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the regenerating muscle fibres. The present findings suggest that the capillary networks in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of aged BUF/Mna rats are remodelled following the regeneration of muscle fibres after necrosis, and that on occasion, neighbouring endothelial cells may closely contact with each other both in the degenerative and regenerative processes of capillaries.     

A further observation of the structural changes of microvessels in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of the aged rat

We further examined the structural changes of microvessels in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of the aged (18 months) rat. Muscle bundles in this aged muscle constantly consisted of numerous large muscle fibers 50-60 mum in diameter and a few small muscle fibers <30 mum in diameter. Neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) in large muscle fibers often showed degenerative figures, thus degenerating muscle fibers. On the other hand, NMJs in small muscle fibers were mainly characterized by sparse and short junctional folds, being possibly in the course of regeneration. In some muscle bundles, the extracellular matrix was a little widened. Microvascular networks from arterioles to venules via capillaries seemed to vary in structural features between muscle bundles. In addition to the normal microvascular network consisting of microvessels with a round or oval vascular lumen during their course, two different types of microvascular networks were found. One type was characterized by the constriction of arterioles, capillaries and venules, probably representing a degenerative process of the microvascular network. In fact, uneven and compressed scaffolds of basal laminae of capillaries were often observed around these constricted microvessels. The other type consisted of arterioles and capillaries with an irregular slit-like vascular lumen and venules with a round or oval vascular lumen, and these capillaries had thick or two-layered basal laminae, being probably in the course of remodeling of the microvascular network. From these findings, it is suggested that the constriction and/or contraction of microvessels by smooth muscle cells and pericytes may be involved in the degeneration and remodeling of the microvascular network in the muscle bundles following degeneration and regeneration of the muscle fibers.     

Acetylcholine-induced activation of the eccrine sweat glands in a case of hypohidrotic congenital ectodermal dysplasia

In a male patient suffering from congenital ectodermal dysplasia with sweating only on the plantar and palmar surface, we found that the anhidrotic eccrine sweat glands became able to produce sweat after repeated local application of acetylcholine. We ultrastructurally examined the sweat glands in skin biopsies before and after acetylcholine treatment. The secretory portion of the sweat glands of the right plantar region was characterized by well-developed basal infoldings and intercellular interdigitations, and also by dilated intercellular spaces and canaliculi. In the flexor region of the right brachium (anhidrotic area), the secretory portion showed hypoplastic features, especially denoted by the presence of few locally distributed basal infoldings and intercellular canaliculi. The secretory cells seemed to be hypofunctional with the nuclei containing much heterochromatin. After treatment, in the flexor region of the left brachium and the right infraclavicular region, where sweating was induced, the secretory portion appeared to be considerably activated, though hypoplastic structures were unchanged: the secretory cell nuclei contained dispersed chromatin, the Golgi apparatus in the dark cells was well developed, and both in the clear cells and the myoepithelial cells micropinocytotic vesicle-like structures increased in number. In ductular cells, mitochondria also increased in number.     

患者增殖体、扁桃体组织内尼曼-匹克细胞的超微结构观察

目的：观察尼曼-匹克病患者增殖体、扁桃体组织中的尼曼-克细胞的超微结构。方法：取增殖体、扁桃体组织做超薄切片,透射电镜下观察尼曼-匹克细胞的超微结构。结果：在透射电镜下,尼曼-匹克细胞呈圆形或椭圆形,细胞质丰富,其中有数量不等的嗜锇板层小体,呈板层状或同心圆状排列。细胞基底部,可查见单层或多层基底膜和细胞表膜下有少数吞饮小泡,具有内皮细胞形态特征。结论：尼曼-匹克细胞的细胞质内可见数量不等的嗜锇板层小体及基底部的单层或多层基底膜,为其特征性的结构,可作为电镜超微结构诊断及鉴别诊断的形态学依据。     

Effects of phalloidin on the epithelial regeneration in the mouse gastric mucosa.

Effects of phalloidin on the early (5-60 min) processes of wound repair were examined in the ethanol-injured mouse gastric mucosa. Within 5 min after ethanol was washed out from the stomach, survived epithelial cells changed their shape and became flat extending both lamellipodia and filopodia. The denuded basal lamina was re-covered by these stretched cells within 30 min. When a low dose of phalloidin (5 micrograms) was applied to the wounded stomach, it took 60 min or more to cover the exposed basal lamina. Epithelial cells at the wound edge of the phalloidin-treated stomach often contained unusually thick layer of microfilaments in their subapical region. This observation suggests that phalloidin induces active microfilament assembly mainly in the apical region of epithelial cell processes.     

脑胶质瘤的血瘤屏障超微结构观察

目的：探讨脑部胶质瘤中血瘤屏障的超微结构改变与胶质瘤细胞生物学特性之间的关系。方法：应用电镜观察13例胶质瘤患者瘤组织中血瘤屏障的超微结构改变。结果：脑胶质瘤组织中的血瘤屏障发生的一系列改造和重建：1、多数血瘤屏障中毛细血管基膜呈限局性或广泛性增厚,基板多层化,胶原纤维增生;2、多数毛细血管基膜的胶质膜侧常见大小不等,多少不一的虫蚀状空洞或血管外间隙扩大;3、毛细血管胶质膜则脚板外侧基板常不完整;4、内此细胞间紧密连接延长,偶见内皮细胞出现窗孔,内此细胞增生出芽。结论：脑胶质瘤组织中的血瘤屏障发生的一系列改造和重建的超微结构改变,可能是导致脑部胶质瘤低转移率和高侵袭性的形态学依据。     

Electron-Microscopy Studies of the Structure of Thin Epitaxial Ge2Sb2Te5 Layers Grown on Si(111) Substrates

Semiconductors - For the creation of memory cells of new generation, structurally perfect epitaxial Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) layers and multilayered crystalline structures based on GeTe/Sb2Te3 superlattices...     

The lamina suprachoroidocapillaris of the guinea pig choroid confirmed by the rapid freezing and freeze-substitution method

There is a compact layer (the lamina suprachoroidocapillaris) between the vascular and the choroidocapillaris layer of the guinea pig and rat choroids. The specimens were treated with the rapid freezing and freeze-substitution method. The choroidal melanocytes and their processes were exclusively built up of several layers, and the arterioles and venules passed through this layer. Numerous nerve terminals were seen throughout this layer, which contained small or large-size synaptic vesicles with dense or light core. These results may facilitate further understanding of the microcirculation in the choroidal architecture.     

The capillary of the organum vasculosum laminae terminalis (OVLT) in rabbits is more permeable to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) than that in rats

The distribution of the tracer, horseradish peroxidase (HRP), in the organum vasculosum laminae terminalis (OVLT) of rabbits and rats was examined by electron microscopy. In rabbits, the HRP-diaminobenzidine reaction products were heavily distributed in the OVLT and surrounding brain tissues 10 and 60 min after the injection of HRP (50 mg kg(-1), i.v.), and were retained in the parenchymal tissues at 24 h post-injection. The majority was found in numerous large phagosomes of macrophages located in the perivascular spaces of the vascular beds and in ependymal cells (tanycytes) in the parenchyma. A large amount of reaction product was also localized in the intercellular clefts of the parenchyma. HRP-incorporation was seen in both nerve cells and ependymal cells in the OVLT at 10 min post-injection, but only in nerve cells in the preoptic area at 60 min post-injection. In rats, however, a small amount of the reaction products was observed in the OVLT 10 min after the injection of HRP (50 and 70 mg kg(-1), i.v.), and the levels were markedly reduced at 60 min post-injection. No HRP-incorporation by nerve cells was seen. From these findings, we concluded that the capillary of the OVLT of the rabbit is more permeable to HRP than that of the rat.     

General analytical solutions of static Green's functions forshielded and open arbitrarily multilayered media

In this paper, we present for the first time general analytical solutions of the static Green's functions for shielded and open arbitrarily multilayered media. The analytical formulas for the static Green's functions, which are expressed in the form of the Fourier series or the Fourier integrals, have simple form and are applicable to arbitrary number of the dielectric layers. The derivation of the formulas is primarily based on a technique by which a recurrence relation between L layers and L+1 layers is developed. Green's functions for a three-layered dielectric structure are given as an example of the general formulas. These general analytical solutions will provide a new and efficient tool to the analysis of the multilayered medium structures     

A Ka-band narrow bandpass filter using LTCC technology

A Ka-band low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) narrow bandpass filter (BPF) is presented first. This BPF shows a very narrow 3 dB fractional bandwidth of 4.5% centered at 28.7 GHz. The advantages of multilayered LTCC technology such as high integration and vertical stacking capabilities were employed to design a three-dimensional interdigital end-coupled embedded microstrip narrow BPF. The difficulties in controlling the precise distance between two adjacent resonators in LTCC end-coupled BPF were overcome by locating the resonators on different layers. The measured insertion loss is 3 dB at 28.7 GHz.     

Novel muscle spindles containing muscle fibers devoid of sensory innervation in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of aged rats

We examined the structural features of muscle spindles at the equatorial and juxtaequatorial regions in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of adult (12 months) and aged (25 months) rats. In aged muscle spindles, the lamellated layers of the spindle capsule were a little increased in number compared to those in the adult ones. Two novel muscle spindles were observed in the aged muscle. In one muscle spindle, the spindle capsule contained four thin intrafusal muscle fibers invested by the inner capsule and two muscle fibers between the layers of the spindle capsule. Serial semithin sections revealed that the latter lacked the investment of the spindle capsule at the polar region. The other muscle spindle contained four intrafusal muscle fibers: two thin sensory-innervated muscle fibers invested by the inner capsule and two thick muscle fibers similar in structural features to neighboring extrafusal muscle fibers and lacking sensory innervation within the wide periaxial space. These findings suggest that two muscle fibers between the layers of the spindle capsule may be invested by the newly formed capsular cells during aging, while two thick fibers within the periaxial space may fail to receive the sensory innervation during the early development and follow the course of extrafusal fiber differentiation.     

微波照射对小白鼠睾丸发育和精子发生过程损伤效应的研究

40只小白鼠分4组,3组小白鼠受到波长为12.2毫米、频率为21～22GHz的微波照射,照射时间分别为30分钟、60分钟和110分钟,在照射后1、5、14、21、30、45、60天处死取材,称取睾丸重量,并制备石腊切片做光学显微镜观察,制备超薄切片和冷冻蚀刻复型膜进行电子显微镜观察.结果表明功率密度为30～40 毫瓦/平方厘米的微波照射对睾丸生精细胞有明显的破坏作用,睾丸发育迟缓,曲细精管的细胞层次减少,精子发生过程障碍,精母细胞和精子细胞的膜结构,特别是核膜更为敏感.膜结构的破坏是细胞功能障碍和死亡的重要原因.波长为12.2毫米的照射穿透深度低于波长为12厘米的情况,但照射后损伤效应与厘米波相似,这表明生物机体对微波的反应是个复杂的过程.另外,在实验中观察到睾丸受照射后升温2℃左右,热作用研究结果表明不会产生细胞结构损伤,我们认为本实验中观察到的细胞结构破坏是非热效应引起的.     

Cytochemical and electron probe X-ray microanalysis studies on the distribution change of intracellular calcium in columella cells of soybean roots under simulated microgravity

The columella cells of soybean roots grown under gravity and simulated microgravity induced by a clinostat were examined using potassium pyroantimonate (PA) and quantitative X-ray microanalysis of cryosections to determine the role of Ca in the regulation of the gravitropic response. Amyloplasts in the columella cells were localized exclusively at the bottom under gravity, but diffusely distributed in the cytoplasmic matrix under simulated microgravity, thus supporting the statolith theory. In the columella cells, PA precipitates containing Ca were diffusely distributed in the cytoplasmic matrix under gravity. Under simulated microgravity, however, they decreased in number and size in the cytoplasmic matrix, whereas increased only in number in the vacuole, indicating that Ca moved from the cytoplasmic matrix into the vacuole. The vacuole of columella cells contained mostly electron-dense granular structures localized along the inner surface of tonoplasts, which closely resembled the tannin vacuole reported in Mimosa pulvinar motor cells. Under simulated microgravity, their configuration changed dramatically from a granular shape to a flat plate. The quantitative X-ray microanalysis of cryosections showed that the vacuolar electron-dense structures contained a large amount of Ca. Under simulated microgravity, the concentration of Ca increased conspicuously in these vacuolar electron-dense structures, concomitantly with a marked decrease of K in the vacuoles and an increase of K in the cell walls. These results suggest that the release of Ca(2+) from, and uptake by, the vacuolar electron-dense structures is closely related to the signal transmission in the gravitropic response and that Ca movement occurs opposite to that of K.     

Propagation and coupling characteristics of microstrip lines withlaminated ground plane

In this paper, we analyze the effect of laminated ground plane on the propagation and coupling characteristics of microstrip lines. Each lamina is modeled as an anisotropic layer, and transition matrix is used to relate the tangential field components in different laminae. An integral equation is formulated in the spectral domain, and the Galerkin's method is applied to solve the integral equation for the phase and the attenuation constants of several microstrip line structures. The effects of substrate dielectric are also studied. The attenuation constant variation thus obtained will be useful in circuit board design and in studying signal transmission in lamina environment