Testosterone Promotes an Anabolic Increase in the Rat Female Prostate (Skene's Paraurethral Gland) Which Acquires a Male Ventral Prostate Phenotype

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

SMase II, a new sphingomyelinase D from Loxosceles laeta venom gland: Molecular cloning, expression, function and structural analysis

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Morphology of Richards' Gland in the Wasp Metapolybia docilis

Richards gland in the epiponine wasp Metapolybia docilis occurs at the anterior side of the 5(th) abdominal sternite, and is formed by approx. 360 secretory cells. The cells discharge their secretory products through accompanying duct cells into a reservoir that is formed by the invaginated intersegmental membrane between the 4(th) and 5(th) sternites. The ultrastructural characteristics of the secretory cells are indicative for the production of a non-proteinaceous secretion, which is in line with the trail substance that is used by these wasps during their swarm-founding.

Effect of estrogen therapy, soy isoflavones, and the combination therapy on the submandibular gland of ovariectomized rats

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Immunohistochemical study of the expression of fatty acid synthase and Ki-67 in salivary gland tumors

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Expression pattern of claudins 1 and 3-an auxiliary tool in predicting behavior of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of salivary gland origin

Claudins (CLDNs) are a family of membrane proteins important for permeability of tight junctions. They have also been implicated in carcinogenesis and tumor progression. We analyzed patterns of distribution and intensity of expression of CLDNs 1, 3, 4, and 7 in mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) of salivary gland in 39 patients. Correlations between the expression of CLDNs, tumor grade, and survival were explored. In immunohistochemical analysis, high expression of CLDN 1 was seen in low-grade MEC, and it appeared to be a suitable auxiliary marker of good prognosis. It classified MEC similarly to histological grading in 89.7% of cases (p=0.001). High CLDN 3 expression was seen in intermediate-and high-grade MEC, while it was low in low-grade MEC. CLDN 3 intensity correctly categorized tumors into grades in 71.8% of cases (p=0.017). However, in multivariate analysis CLDN 1 and CLDN 3 did not achieve significance over tumor grade in predicting patient behavior. We conclude that analysis of staining intensities of CLDN 1 and 3 is useful as an auxiliary diagnostic and prognostic tool in patients with salivary gland MEC.

Effect of the juvenile hormone on the development of the mandibular gland in workers' pupae of Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Metanotal gland of the genus Eidmanacris (Grylloidea, Phalangopsidae): taxonomic importance

O presente trabalho compara a glândula metanotal de cinco espécies do gênero Eidmanacris por meio de microscopia eletrônica de varredura: E. corumbatai Garcia, 1998, E. alboannulata (Piza, 1960), E. dissimilis Desutter-Grandcolas, 1995, E. larvaeformis (Chopard, 1938) e Eidmanacris sp. A configuração externa da glândula foi determinada pela presença de duas projeções medianas que apresentam abertura em seu ápice e um grupo de cerdas abaixo destas projeções. Apesar de haver um padrão geral semelhante, a configuração da glândula é espécie-específica, que pode ser definida principalmente pela organização de cerdas e pela posição das projeções medianas. Nossos resultados sugerem a importância taxonômica desta estrutura, que deveria ser melhor analisada na descrição de espécies do gênero Eidmanacris. Pela observação do comportamento reprodutivo destas espécies, nós concluímos que a liberação da secreção desta glândula é importante para o sucesso reprodutivo.

Microalterations in the third eyelid gland of dogs with keratoconjunctivits sicca secondary to distemper

Analisaram-se, à microscopia óptica, 28 glândulas da terceira pálpebra de cães, que morreram com cinomose. O diagnóstico de ceratoconjuntivite seca baseou-se nas alterações da superfície ocular e no teste da lágrima de Schirmer. À histologia, visibilizaram-se atrofia tubuloacina, espessamento do tecido conjuntivo e exudação inflamatória de leve a intensa com presença de plasmócitos, de histiócitos e por hipertrofia compensatória de algumas glândulas. O lume das glândulas encontrava-se hipertrofiado contendo células epiteliais descamadas, polimorfonucleares e hemácias, além de muco.

Activity of Delta(9)-desaturase enzyme in mammary gland of lactating buffaloes

The objective of this research was to measure the activity of e-desaturase enzyme in lactating buffaloes. Data from forty lactating Murrah-crossbred buffaloes were collected on five commercial farms located at Sarapui and Pilar do Sul, São Paulo-Brazil. A field survey was done from April to November 2002. In four farms, buffaloes were fed with wet brewers grains (primary concentrate). Only one farm (Farm 4) offered pasture and corn silage. Monthly milk samples were collected and stored at -20 degrees C until analyzed for fatty acid composition. The Delta(9)-desaturase activity was measured using an indirect method (myristoleic and myristic acids ration - C(14:1c9)/C(14:0)). The higher C(14:1c9)/C(14:0) rate was verified on Farm 4 (0.092). The C(14:1c9)/C(14:0) ratio were 0.064 to Farm 1; 0.065 to Farm 2; 0.062 to Farm 3 and 0.065 to Farm 5. The C(17:1)/C(17:0), C(18:1c9)/C(18:0) and C(18:2c9t11)/C(18:1t11) ratios were also affected. The Farm 4 showed higher value for all ratios. Therefore, in lactating buffaloes grazing pasture the Delta(9)-desaturase activity could be enhanced.

A new nucleolar body appears in Drosophila saltans salivary gland cells before histolysis, in programmed cell death

The salivary glands of Drosophila saltans ( saltans group, saltans subgroup) analyzed in an advanced stage of programmed cell death showed the appearance of a single, round, nucleolar corpuscle inside the highly altered nucleus of every gland cell, at a time during which the integrity of the original nucleolus was already lost and the original nucleolar material apparently disappeared. In the same nuclei, which already had also lost the characteristic chromosome structure, some delicate chromosome threads were maintained. In many cells, the new nucleolar corpuscle and these chromosome threads are associated. These findings are novel. However, the hypothesis put forward concerning their meaning remains dependent on other studies.

Ultrastructure of the excretory duct in the silk gland of the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera : Pyralidae)

The excretory duct in the silk gland of the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis consists of two morphologically distinct regions, recognized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The thin posterior region, adjacent to the glandular region, presents a regular surface. Secretory vesicles containing either electron-dense or fibrillar cuticular-like materials are observed in their apical cytoplasm; the same cuticular materials were detected as extracellular deposits among the microvilli. The short anterior region, near the common duct, exhibits surface protrusions; there are no secretory vesicles in their apical cytoplasm. These results show that only the duct cells at the posterior region are involved in the secretion of the cuticular intima elements. Desmosome-like structures were visualized linking together adjacent microvillar membranes only in the cells of anterior duct region, with unknown function. The transition between the duct and the glandular region is abrupt; the cells of the glandular and posterior duct regions present large amounts of microtubules. Nerve fibers can be observed between the duct cells in their two regions, suggesting that control of silk secretion may occur in the excretory duct via neurotransmitter liberation. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.