Neuroprotective effect of oral choline administration after global brain ischemia in rats.

Choline - now recognized as an essential nutrient - is the most common polar group found in the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane bilayer. Brain ischemia-reperfusion causes lipid peroxidation triggering multiple cell death pathways involving necrosis and apoptosis. Membrane breakdown is, therefore, a major pathophysiologic event in brain ischemia.

Intestine of dystrophic mice presents enhanced contractile resistance to stretching despite morphological impairment.

Protein dystrophin is a component of the dystrophin-associated protein complex, which links the contractile machinery to the plasma membrane and to the extracellular matrix. Its absence leads to a condition known as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a disease characterized by progressive skeletal muscle degeneration, motor disability, and early death. In mdx mice, the most common DMD animal model, loss of muscle cells is observed, but the overall disease alterations are less intense than in DMD patients.

Tridimensional ultrastructure and glycolipid pattern studies of Trypanosoma dionisii.

Trypanosoma (Schizotrypanum) dionisii is a non-pathogenic bat trypanosome closely related to Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chaga's disease. Both kinetoplastids present similar morphological stages and are able to infect mammalian cells in culture. In the present study we examined 3D ultrastructure aspects of the two species by serial sectioning epimastigote and trypomastigote forms, and identified common carbohydrate epitopes expressed in T.

Evaluation of the ultrastructure of the small intestine of hiv infected children by transmission and scanning electronic microscopy.

Objectives: To describe HIV children's small intestinal ultrastructural findings.

Methods: Descriptive, observational study of small intestine biopsies performed between August 1994 and May 1995 at São Paulo, SP, Brazil. This material pertained to 11 HIV infected children and was stored in a laboratory in paraffin blocks.

Ultrastructural transneuronal degeneration study of axonal elements within the paratrigeminal nucleus in sinoaortic deafferented rats.

Objective: Morphological study that searched to authenticate the presence of sinoaortic baroreceptor inputs within the dorsolateral medullary nucleus under electron microscopy analysis.

Methods: After a 5-day survival period, 9 baroreceptor-denervated rats deeply anaesthetized with equithesin were transcardially perfused and their brains were histologically processed.

Results: The neuronal cytoarchitecture of the paratrigeminal nucleus comprehends afferent projections from other nuclei that have a distributive character regarding visceral and nociceptive functions in the cardiovascular reflex integration response.

[Comparison between amniotic membrane with and without epithelium as a support for human limbal epithelial cells cultured ex vivo].

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and ultrastructural aspects of human limbal epithelial cells cultured on amniotic membrane (AM) with and without epithelium.

Methods: Limbal epithelial cell cultures were established from cadaveric cor neo-scleral rim explants derived from 6 different donors. The explants from each donor were placed under 3 different groups: on human preserved AM with epithelium (Group 1), AM deepithelialized with trypsin (Group 2) and control (Group 3).

Three-dimensional reconstruction of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes and organelle distribution along the cell division cycle.

Trypanosoma cruzi is the protozoan that causes Chagas disease. It divides in the insect vector gut or in the cytosol of an infected mammalian cell. T.

The pathogenic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis exports extracellular vesicles containing highly immunogenic α-Galactosyl epitopes.

Exosome-like vesicles containing virulence factors, enzymes, and antigens have recently been characterized in fungal pathogens, such as Cryptococcus neoformans and Histoplasma capsulatum. Here, we describe extracellular vesicles carrying highly immunogenic α-linked galactopyranosyl (α-Gal) epitopes in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. P.

Unique behavior of Trypanosoma dionisii interacting with mammalian cells: invasion, intracellular growth, and nuclear localization.

The phylogenetic proximity between Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma (Schizotrypanum) dionisii suggests that these parasites might explore similar strategies to complete their life cycles. T. cruzi is the etiological agent of the life-threatening Chagas' disease, whereas T.

Assessment of the use of cryopreserved x freeze-dried amniotic membrane (AM) for reconstruction of ocular surface in rabbit model.

Purpose: To determine the efficacy of freeze-dried amniotic membrane (AM) for reconstruction of the ocular surface in rabbit eyes.

Methods: The sterilized, freeze-dried amniotic membrane (lyophilized or FD-AM) is a preservative method that uses the drying by freezing process to maintain the AM well preserved for a long time even at room temperature. This paper is an experimental animal interventional study.

Effects of prostaglandin E(1) in the genesis of blood capillaries in the ischemic skeletal muscle of rats: ultrastructural analysis.

Our aim was to study the ultrastructural aspects in the genesis of blood capillaries in the lower limb skeletal muscle of rats submitted to ischemia under the action of intramuscular or endovenous prostaglandin E(1) (PGE(1)). Twelve Wistar-UEM rats were used, randomly distributed into three groups of four animals each, equally redistributed into two subgroups, observed at 7 and 14 days as follows: group only with ischemia was considered as control (I), group with ischemia and intramuscular injection of PGE(1) (IM), and group with ischemia and endovenous injection of PGE(1) (EV). Results were analyzed by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM).

[Ultrastructural and growth factor analysis of amniotic membrane preserved by different methods for ocular surgery].

Purpose: To compare the anatomical structure and the presence of growth factors and cytokines of amniotic membrane preserved in glycerol/MEM (1:1) or undiluted dimethyl sulfoxide through electron microscopy.

Methods: Amniotic membrane preserved in glycerol/MEM (1:1) or undiluted dimethyl sulfoxide were processed for transmission and scanning electron microscopy. As control, freshly collected amniotic membrane was fixed and processed for electron microscopy.

[Morphological assessment of different amniotic membrane epithelial denuding techniques].

Purpose: To evaluate the morphological features of the amniotic membrane denuded by different techniques.

Methods: Human amniotic membrane was collected at the time of delivery, fixed in increasing concentrations of glycerol (0-50% in DMEM) and preserved at -80 degrees C until the time of use. The study consisted of 4 groups: intact epithelium (control) and denuded by trypsin (2 mg/mL at 1:250), dispase (1.

Metoclopramide-induced hyperprolactinaemia caused marked decline in pinopodes and pregnancy rates in mice.

Background: The impact of hyperprolactinaemia on endometrial function, along with embryo implantation, has been the subject of discussion. This article examines whether experimental hyperprolactinaemia can affect mouse ovarian function, endometrial pinopodes and embryo implantation.

Methods: For pinopode analysis, 60 female mice were randomly divided into two groups: control (vehicle) and experimental [metoclopramide (MCP) 200 microg per day].

Ultrastructural and cytochemical identification of megasome in Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi.

The present work showed the presence of a megasome in Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi amastigotes. Transmission electron microscopy analysis of ultrathin serial sections and three-dimensional reconstruction allowed visualization of large structures in amastigote forms of L. (L.