Neuroendocrine epithelial cells in the broncho-parabronchial transition of embryonic, immature and mature quail (Coturnix coturnix).

The main objective of this integrated light microscopic, transmission and scanning electron microscopic study was to describe in greater detail the structural pattern and developmental stages of pulmonary neuroendocrine epithelial cells (PNECs) in the broncho-parabronchial transition (BPT) of both developing and mature quail. In mature quail the BPT appeared as a diaphragm opening into the parabronchial vestibulum. Perpendicular sections revealed two bilayered crest-like entrance folds invested by a uniform population of granular cells with lamellar bodies and a brush border of blunt microvilli.

Lamellar inclusions and trilaminar substance in the parabronchial epithelium of the quail (Coturnix coturnix).

The fine structure of the epithelial cells of the parabronchus and their secretory products have been the subject of many studies and have given rise to considerable controversy about their configuration and ultrastructure. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mode of formation and discharge of lamellar bodies of granular cells and the trilaminar substance produced and discharged by the embryologically related squamous atrial and respiratory epithelial cells. The material for light and transmission electron microscopic analysis was collected from 10 mature quail and 3 individuals aged 2 days.

A scanning and transmission electron microscopy study of the parabronchial unit in quail (Coturnix coturnix) and town pigeons (Columba livia).

A combined scanning electron (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigation was undertaken to gain insight into the complex structural pattern of the atrial compartment and the gas exchange tissue of parabronchial units in quail and town pigeons. The aim was also to depict the changes taking place in the parabronchial unit in the late prehatching and early posthatching periods in quail. The standard SEM and TEM investigation was carried out in 13 mature quail and 8 town pigeons.

The development and differentiation of the parabronchial unit in quail (Coturnix coturnix).

The present study has been inspired by the conflicting data in the relevant literature concerning the embryogenesis of cell types of the parabronchial epithelium and the formation, discharge and distribution of trilaminar substance and lamellar bodies. Lung tissue from embryonic, newly hatched, immature and mature quail was subjected to standard processing for light and transmission electron microscopy. The parabronchial rudiments form shallow primitive atria on embryonic day 13.

An SEM and TEM study of the transition of the bronchus to the parabronchus in quail (Coturnix coturnix).

The main objective was to analyse the transition of the bronchus to the parabronchus in birds and to describe its specific structure in an integrated light microscopic, transmission electron microscopic (TEM) and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) study. Lung tissue from immature and mature quail was subjected to standard processing for paraffin light microscopy, TEM and SEM after intratracheal inflation with fixative. In transverse paraffin and Durcupan semithin sections, the partition incompletely closing the broncho-parabronchial transition has the appearance of a crest-like fold delineating the entrance to the underlying parabronchial vestibulum.

Lymphatics in the lung of a precocial bird before and after hatching.

A light and electron microscopic study of pulmonary lymphatics was carried out in quail embryos (embryonic day; ED 13-17), completed with samples of lungs of quail 90 min, 24 h after hatching and two 2-day-old and three adult quail. The aim of the study was to depict the morphology of pulmonary lymphatics by determining the dynamics in ontogeny and to establish the rules of their distribution. The primitive lymphatics appear on ED 13 and 14 as closed thin-walled tubes in abundant interparabronchial mesenchyme.

An electron microscopic study of the parabronchial epithelium in the mature lung of four bird species.

Background: No integrated comprehensive description of the ultrastructure of the parabronchial epithelium is available. The origin, discharge, and occurrence of the trilaminar substance have not yet been sufficiently studied. Therefore, the main objectives were to classify the cell types of the parabronchial epithelium and to describe their role in manufacturing the trilaminar substance.

Anchoring and support system of pulmonary gas-exchange tissue in four bird species.

Avian air capillaries are delicate structures compared to the mammalian pulmonary alveolus. A transmission and scanning electron microscopic study was carried out on several species of birds with the aim of determining the support structures of the avian gas-exchange mantle. Lung tissue of two bird species belonging to strong flying birds (pigeon and barn owl) and two relatively flightless species (domestic fowl and quail) was subjected to standard processing for transmission and scanning electron microscopy after intratracheal inflation.

Pulmonary macrophages in birds (barn owl, Tyto tyto alba), domestic fowl (Gallus gallus f. domestica), quail (Coturnix coturnix), and pigeons (Columbia livia).

Background: Birds have a limited number of resident macrophages in the normal steady-state respiratory tract. The discovery of phagocytes in lavages of lung from birds contrasts with findings that phagocytes are seldom seen in investigations in situ. An electron microscopic study was performed in the respiratory units, the parabronchi, and air capillaries in particular in several adult bird species to localize the seat of respiratory macrophages.

Projections of neurochemically specified neurons in the porcine colon.

The intramural projections of nerve cells containing serotonin (5-HT), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and nitric oxide synthase or reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NOS/NADPHd) were studied in the ascending colon of 5- to 6-week-old pigs by means of immunocytochemistry and histochemistry in combination with myectomy experiments. In control tissue of untreated animals, positive nerve cells and fibres were common in the myenteric and outer submucous plexus and, except for 5-HT-positive perikarya, immunoreactive cell bodies and fibres were also observed in the inner submucous plexus. VIP- and NOS/NADPHd-positive nerve fibres occurred in the ciruclar muscle layer while VIP was also abundant in nerve fibres of the mucosal layer.

Immunocytochemical survey of the neuroepithelial endocrine system in the respiratory tract of the Tokyo salamander, Hynobius nebulosus tokyoensis TAgo.

The epithelial lining of the respiratory tract of urodeles has been shown to harbor an innervated system of neuroepithelial endocrine (NEE) cells. Even between phylogenetically closely related species, large differences have been reported in the appearance and chemical coding of the NEE system. Although urodeles are well suited for the purpose, none of the prior studies have provided an immunocytochemical survey of the NEE system in all parts of the respiratory tract.

Distribution pattern, neurochemical features and projections of nitrergic neurons in the pig small intestine.

The presence and topographical distribution of nitrergic neurons in the enteric nervous system (ENS) of the pig small intestine have been investigated by means of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) immunocytochemistry and nicotinamide dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPHd) histochemistry. Both techniques yielded similar results, thus confirming that within the pig ENS the neuronal isoform of NOS corresponds to NADPHd. Intrinsic nitrergic neurons were not confined to the myenteric plexus; considerable numbers were also present in the outer submucous plexus.

Neuroepithelial endocrine and nervous system in the respiratory tract of Cynops pyrrhogaster with special reference to the distribution of nitric oxide synthase and serotonin.

The respiratory tract of urodeles harbours an intramural nerve network comprising an innervated system of neuroepithelial endocrine (NEE) cells. However, striking differences have been noted between phylogenetically closely related species. Zamboni- or formaldehyde-fixed whole-mount preparations and sections of the saclike lungs of a Japanese salamander, Cynops salamander, Cynops pyrrhogaster, have been investigated for the immunocytochemical detection of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), serotonin (5-HT), VIP, somatostatin, calcitonin, and bombesin; for the enzyme-cytochemical demonstration of NADPH diaphorase (NADPHd); and for formaldehyde-induced fluorescence.

Nitric oxide synthase-containing neurons in the pig large intestine: topography, morphology, and viscerofugal projections.

The distribution of neurons that are capable of synthesizing nitric oxide (NO) has been demonstrated in the porcine large intestine by means of NO synthase (NOS) immunocytochemistry and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPHd) histochemistry. An overall colocalization of NOS immunoreactivity and NADPHd staining was observed. Nitrergic neurons were abundant in the myenteric and outer submucous plexus of the caecum, colon, and rectum.

Stages in the development of the rat lung: morphometric, light and electron microscopic studies.

Ontogenic changes of the pulmonary epithelium of the rat, ranging from fetal day 15 to 1 hour after birth (21st day), were observed using light and electron microscopy as well as morphometric analysis on the area occupied by terminal segments of epithelial tubes or by alveolar sacs (ATETAS) in the terminal region of the lung. The development of the lung was classified into four stages. In the pseudoglandular period (fetal days 15 and 16), epithelial tubes lined by columnar epithelium were not yet associated with blood capillaries.

The pulmonary neuroepithelial endocrine system in the quail, Coturnix coturnix. Light- and electron-microscopical immunocytochemistry and morphology.

Despite extensive knowledge of the neuroepithelial endocrine (NEE) system in the lungs of species of various vertebrate classes, data on avians are limited. The present investigation deals with the light- and electron-microscopical immunocytochemistry and morphology of pulmonary NEE cells in the quail, Coturnix coturnix. Light-microscopically, serotonin immunoreactivity was detected in numerous solitary and clustered NEE cells located in the cilio-mucous epithelium of primary and secondary bronchi in adult as well as in newly hatched quails.

Nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivity in the enteric nervous system of the developing human digestive tract.

We have investigated indirectly the presence of nitric oxide in the enteric nervous system of the digestive tract of human fetuses and newborns by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) immunocytochemistry and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPHd) histochemistry. In the stomach, NOS immunoactivity was confined to the myenteric plexus and nerve fibres in the outer smooth musculature; few immunoreactive nerve cell bodies were found in ganglia of the outer submucous plexus. In the pyloric region, a few nitrergic perikarya were seen in the inner submucous plexus and some immunoreactive fibers were found in the muscularis mucosae.

Topographical distribution and immunocytochemical features of colonic neurons that project to the cranial mesenteric ganglion in the pig.

Using the retrograde neuronal tracers Fast blue and Fluorogold, the topographical distribution and morphological features of porcine colonic neurons projecting to the cranial (superior) mesenteric ganglion have been investigated. Two to four weeks after injection of the tracer into the cranial mesenteric ganglion of immature pigs, labelled neurons were found throughout the colon. In the myenteric and outer submucous plexuses, they were present in ganglia situated to the side of the mesenteric attachment.

Distribution and morphological features of nitrergic neurons in the porcine large intestine.

The distribution of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), an enzyme involved in the synthesis of the presumed non-adrenergic noncholinergic inhibitory neurotransmitter nitric oxide (NO), was demonstrated in the enteric nervous system of the porcine caecum, colon and rectum. Techniques used were NOS-immunocytochemistry and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPHd)-histochemistry. Throughout the entire large intestine, NOS-immunoreactive (IR) and NADPHd-positive neurons were abundant in the myenteric and outer submucous plexus.

Occurrence, distribution and neurochemical features of small intestinal neurons projecting to the cranial mesenteric ganglion in the pig.

The small intestine of the pig has been investigated for its topographical distribution of enteric neurons projecting to the cranial mesenteric ganglion, by using Fast Blue or Fluorogold as a retrogradely transported neuronal tracer. Contrary to the situation in small laboratory animals such as rat and guinea-pig, the intestinofugally projecting neurons in the porcine small intestine were not restricted to the myenteric plexus, but were observed in greater numbers in ganglia of the outer submucous plexus. The inner submucous plexus was devoid of labelled neurons.

Microspectrofluorimetric study of monoamines in the hypothalamus of Scyliorhinus stellaris L.

In a combined fluorescence histochemical and microspectrofluorimetrical study, the distribution, morphology and amino content of the hypothalamic circumventricular organs of an elasmobranch (Scyliorhinus stellaris) have been investigated. In the walls of the third ventricle, two aminergic circumventricular organs, viz. the preoptic recess organ and organon vasculosum hypothalami, were found to display an intense blue-green fluorescence.

Morphological features of the myenteric plexus of the stomach of the axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum, revealed by immunocytochemistry.

The general morphology of the intramural innervation of the myenteric plexus of the axolotl stomach has been investigated using antisera raised against neuron-specific enolase and a microtubule-associated protein. Additionally, the occurrence of serotonin and several peptidergic neurotransmitter/neuromodulator substances was studied. Immunoreactivity for galanin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, substance P and neuromedin U was found in both fibres and intrinsic perikarya, whereas the serotonin and calcitonin gene-related peptide-like-substance-containing nerve fibres seemed to be of extrinsic origin.

Calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivity in the human small intestine.

Calcitonin-gene-related-peptide (CGRP)-like immunoreactivity was localized in nerve fibres, neuronal somata and in mucosal endocrine cells of the human small intestine. Immunoreactive enteric neurons were more numerous in the submucous plexuses than in the myenteric plexus. Morphologically, they predominantly had the appearance of type II neurons.

Functional morphology of the enteric nervous system with special reference to large mammals.

This short review reports the latest insights into the structural organization of the enteric nervous system, with special emphasis on the intrinsic innervation of the intestinal tract of large omnivorous mammals such as the pig. Using various techniques, including lesion experiments, morphological and neurochemical features of distinct neuronal populations as well as the direction of the axonal processes within the different nerve networks could be revealed. Special attention was paid to the considerable species differences in this respect between large omnivorous animals and humans on the one hand and small laboratory animals on the other hand.

Comparative histological overview of the chemical coding of the pulmonary neuroepithelial endocrine system in health and disease.

Pulmonary neuroepithelial endocrine cells have been shown to contain serotonin-immunoreactivity in almost every species studied. Regulatory peptides, of which at least ten have been reported so far, were mostly only demonstrated in a number of the investigated species or in a subpopulation of neuroepithelial endocrine cells. Calcitonin gene-related peptide, calcitonin, bombesin/gastrin-releasing peptide, enkephalin, somatostatin, substance P, cholecystokinin and polypeptide YY were found in normal lung tissues, whereas ACTH and several other bioactive substances should be regarded as ectopic.