Aspectos histológicos e morfométricos dos testículos de gatos domésticos (Felis catus)

Nesta pesquisa foram obtidos dados histológicos e morfométricos comparativos sobre os testículos de gatos, pós-orquiectomia, divididos em dois grupos: Grupo 1, gatos com até 1 ano de idade e Grupo 2, animais acima de 1 ano. Verificou-se que: (1) aos 4 meses de idade os túbulos seminíferos apresentaram-se pouco desenvolvidos e com ausência de luz, epitélio seminífero baixo, células de Sertoli indiferenciadas e tecido intersticial escasso; (2) aos 5 meses os túbulos seminíferos começaram a se diferenciar com aumento do diâmetro e luz tubulares e as demais estruturas permaneceram semelhantes à observação anterior; (3) aos 6-7 meses ocorreu o início da espermatogênese e espermiogênese; as células de Leydig apareceram maiores, poliédricas com citoplasma vacuolizado e núcleo claro, e tecido intersticial esparso com poucos vasos sangüíneos; (4) os animais com 1 ano de idade apresentaram morfologia testicular igual à do animal adulto, com túbulos seminíferos de maior diâmetro, epitélio germinativo alto e luz tubular pequena, as células de Leydig aparecendo poliédricas, com dimensões variadas, citoplasma vacuolizado, núcleo claro e nucléolo evidente, e espaço intertubular seminífero variado com vasos sanguíneos, predominantemente evidentes; (5) no Grupo 1 o diâmetro médio dos túbulos seminíferos foi de 160,58µm e no Grupo 2 foi de 185,94µm, sendo os valores médios significantes entre si; (6) a altura média do epitélio seminífero foi de 49,51µm para o Grupo 1 e de 63,29µm para o Grupo 2, estaticamente significantes; (7) os maiores valores mensurados foram obtidos para os gatos do Grupo 2, por serem gatos adultos e portanto com os órgãos reprodutores funcionais.

Histomorphometric analysis of tissue responses to bioactive glass implants in critical defects in rat calvaria

The aim of this study was to evaluate the osteogenic behavior of two chemically similar bioactive glass products (Biogran (R) and Perioglas (R)) implanted in critical bone defects in rat calvaria. Thirty-six transfixed bone defects of 8 mm diameter were made surgically in adult male Wistar rats. The animals were distributed equally into three groups: Biogran (GI), Perioglas (GII) and without implant material (control; GIII). The morphology and composition of both bioactive glasses were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectrometry. Tissue specimens were analyzed at the biological time points of 15, 30 and 60 days by optical microscopy and morphometry, demonstrating biocompatibility for the tested materials with moderate chronic inflammation involving their particles. Bone neoformation resulted only as a reparative reaction to an intentionally produced defect and was limited to the defect's edges. No statistically significant differences among the groups were observed. At the scar interstice, abundant deposits of collagenous fibers enveloping the particles were noted. The present results indicated that the bioactive glasses, under the experimental conditions analyzed, did not show osteogenic behavior. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Cell death and quantitative reduction of rests of Malassez according to age

Background and Objective: Rests of Malassez are clusters of epithelial cells that remain in the periodontal ligament throughout life. However, it has been reported that the number of these structures decreases with age, and some epithelial cells undergo apoptosis in rests of Malassez of young and adult rats. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the incidence of epithelial cell death and the quantitative changes in the rests of Malassez in rat molars of different ages.Material and Methods: Fragments containing the upper molars of rats aged 29, 45 and 120 d were fixed, decalcified and embedded for analysis by light microscopy. In the sections stained by hematoxylin and eosin, the number of rests of Malassez and the number of nuclei of these epithelial structures were obtained. Moreover, the nuclei exhibiting typical features of cell death were also counted in each rest of Malassez. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method for detection of cell death was also carried out.Results: In all groups examined, some rests of Malassez exhibited epithelial cell nuclei with typical features of apoptosis and some of them were also TUNEL positive. From 29 to 120 d of age in rats, the quantitative analysis showed a significant decrease in the total number of rests of Malassez in the cervical, middle and furcation regions of the periodontal ligament. Moreover, a significant decrease of epithelial cell nuclei was concomitant to an increase in the frequency of cell death in the oldest rats.Conclusion: These results suggest that epithelial cell death by apoptosis may be, at least in part, responsible for the reduction in the number of rests of Malassez according to age.

Area of Rests of Malassez in Young and Adult Rat Molars: Evidences in the Formation of Large Rests

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

Vitamin B-12 Supplement Exerts a Beneficial Effect on the Seminiferous Epithelium of Cimetidine-Treated Rats

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

Morphological features of the epididymal epithelium of gerbil, Meriones unguiculatus

Principal cells of the ducts epididymis of the Mongolian gerbil showed ultrastructural characteristics of lining epithelium cells close related to processes of protein secretion, and transcytosis occurring between adjacent principal cells which were mainly verified in the initial segment. Principal cells also presented roles of fluid phase and adsorptive endocytoses, as well as autophagic and heterophagic lysosomal activities mainly observed in the caput epididymis. Columnar (principal) cells of the corpus epididymidis presented great number of variable vesicles and vacuoles distributed in all the cytoplasmic levels occurring a progressive coalescence pattern among them, which help to guarantee formation of cytoplasmic channels for fluid phase transport between the tubular lumen and epididymal interstitium. Clear cells were presented in the initial segment and predominately in the cauda epididymis epithelium of the gerbil and showed marked ultrastructural characteristics of endocytosis activities occurrence, perhaps directly related to the turnover of fluid phase of spermatozoa stored into the lumen of the distal tail. Other epididymal epithelium cells were verified and described such as basal, halo, apical and dark cells, but they did not presented special ultrastructural features. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prevention of experimental diabetes by Uncaria tomentosa extract: Th2 polarization, regulatory T cell preservation or both?

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Uncaria tomentosa (Willd.) DC (Rubiaceae) is a species native to the Amazon rainforest and surrounding tropical areas that is endowed with immunomodulatory properties and widely used around the world. In this study we investigated the immunomodulatory potential of Uncaria tomentosa (UT) aqueous-ethanol extract on the progression of immune-mediated diabetes.Materials and methods: C57BL/6 male mice were injected with MLDS (40 mg/kg) and orally treated with UT at 10-400 mg/kg during 21 days. Control groups received MLDS alone or the respective dilution vehicle. Pancreatic mononuclear infiltrate and beta-cell insulin content were analyzed by HE and immunohistochemical staining, respectively, and measured by digital morphometry. Lymphocyte immunophenotyping and cytokine production were determined by flow cytometry analysis.Results: Treating the animals with 50-400 mg/kg of UT caused a significant reduction in the glycemic levels, as well as in the incidence of diabetes. The morphometric analysis of insulitis revealed a clear protective effect. Animals treated with UT at 400 mg/kg presented a higher number of intact islets and a significant inhibition of destructive insulitis. Furthermore, a significant protection against the loss of insulin-secreting presented beta-cells was achieved, as observed by a careful immunohistochemical evaluation. The phenotypic analysis indicated that the groups treated with higher doses (100-400 mg/kg) presented CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell values similar to those observed in healthy animals. These same higher doses also increased the number of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T-cells. Moreover, the extract modulated the production of Th1 and Th2, with increased levels of IL-4 and IL-5.Conclusions: The extract was effective to prevent the progression of immune-mediated diabetes by distinct pathways. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Follicular diameter range based on morphological features in Synbranchus marmoratus (Bloch, 1795) (Teleostei, Synbranchiformes, Synbranchidae) from the South-central region of Brazil

The morphological characteristics of Synbranchus marmoratus female germ cells in various development stages were described in details; then measurements of ovarian follicle diameters were taken from primary and secondary growth as during these development stages the oocyte size varied considerably along the fish growth. The results were correlated to total fish length, using the individuals division in six size classes. It was possible to group oocytes by stages according to histological characteristics but not according to morphometric diameter, as there was a wide variation in diameter in each stage and overlap between different maturation stages. These data make available new information on the reproductive biology of Synbranchidae. (c) 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Differential proliferative response of the ventral prostate and seminal vesicle to testosterone replacement

We have investigated epithelial cell proliferation and the rate of glandular recovery of the ventral prostate (VP) and seminal vesicle (SV) promoted by testosterone replacement (TR) in castration-induced regressed glands. Adult male Wistar rats were castrated and, after 21 days, they were treated with testosterone propionate (4 mg/kg/day). Intact (CT) and castrated rats without TR (CS) were also analysed. VP and SV were processed for histochemistry, morphometric-stereological analysis and immunocytochemistry to determine the PCNA index (PI). After 10 days of TR, the VP weight reached similar to 72% of the CT values, while the SV weight exceeded similar to 17% of the CT values. By the third day of TR, VP and SV presented a mean P1 of 34% and 94% for distal region and 14% and 22% for proximal region, respectively. SV also had more luminal cells PCNA-positive than VP, mainly in the distal region. The PI values fell on days 5, 7 and 10, but were still higher than CT. These findings indicate that epithelial cells from involuted SV are more responsive to TR than those from VP when Stimulated to proliferate and replace the luminal cell population, suggesting a different mechanism regulating cell proliferation in response to androgenic stimuli. (c) 2006 International Federation for Cell Biology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Morphometric study of the midgut epithelium in larvae of Diatraea saccharalis Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

A larva de Diatraea saccharalis Fabricius (broca-da-cana) tem grande interesse econômico, pois afeta o cultivo e aproveitamento industrial da cana-de-açúcar. Entretanto, poucos são os estudos sobre a morfologia interna desse inseto. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar, morfometricamente, o seu epitélio intestinal, ao longo de seu comprimento, visando caracterizar regiões estruturalmente diferentes. O intestino médio de larvas no último instar foi subdividido em três regiões: proximal, mediana e distal e os fragmentos foram processados para observação em microscopia de luz. Os cortes histológicos foram analisados em sistema computadorizado de análise de imagens para medir comprimento, largura e área do epitélio, das diferentes células epiteliais, dos seus respectivos núcleos e do lúmen intestinal. Os dados obtidos foram submetidos ao teste estatístico de Kruskal-Wallis e à análise multivariada. Nossos resultados mostraram que o intestino médio apresentou-se constituído, morfometricamente, por duas diferentes regiões, proximal e distal; a região mediana apresentou valores coincidentes tanto com a região proximal quanto com a distal, sugerindo ser região intermediária. As células epiteliais (colunares, caliciformes e regenerativas), quando avaliadas pela análise estatística multivariada, não apresentaram diferença morfométrica nas diferentes regiões do intestino médio. Entretanto, a análise de variância, realizada para variáveis isoladas, mostrou que as células regenerativas apresentaram maior variabilidade morfométrica.

Calcaneal Tendon Regions Exhibit Different MMP-2 Activation After Vertical Jumping and Treadmill Running

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

Description of gamontogonic and sporogonic stages of Hepatozoon spp. (Apicomplexa, Hepatozoidae) from Caudisoma durissa terrifica (Serpentes, Viperidae)

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

A morphometric study of the midgut in resistant and non-resistant Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae to its nucleopolyhedrovirus (AgMNPV)

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

Morphological and morphometric comparisons of the first zoea of four species of purse crabs (Decapoda: Brachyura: Leucosiidae) from the Brazilian South Atlantic

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

Morphometric analysis of the venom gland in worker bees of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera : Apidae) from the pantanal region of Mato Grosso do Sul

In Apis mellifera the acid or venom gland is composed of secretory cells that surround a channel that opens into a reservoir devoid of musculature. This gland can at times present apical branching. In this study we recorded the frequency of branched venom glands in workers of Africanized bees (Apis mellifera Linnaeus) from six localities in the Pantanal region of Mato Grosso do Sul, and analyzed the relation among the length of the main duct, the length of the duct from the reservoir to the beginning of branching, the length of the branched segment (when present) and the total length of the gland. We sought to determine the probable genotypes of the bees from each population by using the model proposed by Alves-Junior. The frequency of branched glands varied from 50% to 83% in the worker bees coming from those places, indicating that this characteristic is primitive in these bees. The results of the Analysis of Discriminant Functions indicated significant differences in the morphometrical segments of the venom gland (Wilk's Lambda = 0.065; F-(27,F-30) = 4.507; P < 0.001), and permitted a differentiation of the populations studied. The genotypes inferred for the bees of each locality agree with the results obtained in the Analysis of Discriminant Functions and form three distinct groups, with some overlapping areas among them. In all of the populations considered the phenotype largevenom gland was predominant. It is inferred that bees with this phenotype (venom gland larger than S. 15 mm) have Gm(1) Gm(1) genotype, being therefore homozygotes for the major alleles and also for the modifier genes that codify this morphological trait. The high frequency of worker bees with large venom gland in all the places considered makes viable the development of a selection program in order to obtain bees with longer venom glands, aimed at the commercial production of venom by the beekeepers of the Pantanal region of Mato Grosso do Sul.