Activation of human complement by rat peritoneal mast cells and its inhibition by a rat serum factor.

The effects of normal sera from humans, rats, and guinea pigs on unsensitized rat peritoneal mast cells were studied in vitro. Five to 20% fresh human sera induced mast cell death and substantial histamine release. The factor was heat labile.

Phenotypic changes in mast cells proliferating in the rat lung following infection with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis.

Numerous mast cells appear in rat pulmonary granulomas associated with infection by the nematode Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. The kinetics and histochemical characteristics of these mast cells were studied and compared with those of intestinal mucosal mast cells. The number of lung mast cells showed a distinct increase 2 weeks after injection and then gradually decreased.

Ultrastructural study of neuromuscular junctions in experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) in rabbits.

Experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) was produced in rabbits by the injection of acetylcholine receptor (AChR) protein from electric organ of Narkacion tokyonis with complete Freund's adjuvant, and the ultrastructural alterations of the neuromuscular junctions were studied. A lesion comparable to human myasthenia gravis could be observed in these animals. In acute EAMG, which showed a rapidly progressive severe paralysis 19 to 24 days after the first inoculation, distinct degeneration of the postsynaptic membrane was observed.

Morphometric analysis of human neuromuscular junction in different ages.

Application of morphometric analysis to the study of neuromuscular junction is helpful to the quantitative approach of ultrastructural changes. In this study, twelve autopsied subjects of different ages were examined on the ultrastructure of neuromuscular junctions using morphometric analysis. The postsynaptic area and postsynaptic membrane length were significantly greater in adults than in infants.

[Cytofluorometric analysis of cell kinetics in relation to tumor growth of advanced gastric cancers].

Correlated studies on both cell kinetics in association with nuclear ploidy pattern and pathological morphology of advanced gastric cancers were carried out using DNA-RNA cytofluorometry (NIKON SPM-RF1-D) with AO stain. The results showed that advanced gastric cancers could be divided into two main groups. Group 1 (12 cases) was the diploid cell population, commonly found in Borrmann type 4 showing diffuse infiltration of cancer cells, and group II (14 cases) was characterized by polyploidization, usually found in Borrmann type 2 or 3 showing adenocarcinomas composed of markedly pleomorphic cells.