Morphological characteristics of the deep layer of articularis genus muscle.

Background: The articularis genus muscle pulls the suprapatellar pouch upwards when the knee joint is extended, preventing mechanical impingement of the joint capsule which theoretically could cause anterior knee pain. However, few anatomical studies have addressed this muscle. Here we present the precise morphology of articularis genus.

The changes of gap junctions between pituitary folliculo-stellate cells during the postnatal development of Zucker fatty and lean rats.

We investigated the effect of leptin on the postnatal development of gap junctions between folliculo-stellate cells by using Zucker fatty (fa/fa) rats that have defects of the functional leptin receptor. Male Zucker fatty rats (fa/fa) and male Zucker lean rats (+/+) were used at each of the following postnatal ages: 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 days, and 1 year. On one of the aforementioned dates, the anterior pituitary glands were prepared for observation by transmission electron microscopy.

Intercellular communications within the rat anterior pituitary. XVI: postnatal changes of distribution of S-100 protein positive cells, connexin 43 and LH-RH positive sites in the pars tuberalis of the rat pituitary gland. An immunohistochemical and electron microscopic study.

The architecture of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) nerve ends and the S-100 protein containing folliculo-stellate cells forming gap junctions in the pars tuberalis is basically important in understanding the regulation of the hormone producing mechanism of anterior pituitary glands. In this study, intact male rats 5-60 days old were prepared for immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. From immunostained sections, the S-100 containing cells in pars tuberalis were first detected on day 30 and increased in number to day 60; this was parallel to the immunohistochemical staining of gap junction protein, connexin 43.

Involvement of the adrenal glands and testis in gap junction formation via testosterone within the male rat anterior pituitary gland.

We investigated the influence of testicular and adrenal androgens on the presence of gap junctions between folliculo-stellate cells in the anterior pituitary glands of 60-day-old Wistar-Imamichi strain male rats. The animals were separated into six groups: Group A served as the controls and had free access to a normal diet and water, Group B was given a normal diet and 0.9% NaCl for their drinking water as the controls of adrenalectomized groups, Group C was castrated, Group D was adrenalectomized, Group E was both castrated and adrenalectomized, and Group F was also both castrated and adrenalectomized.

Intercellular communication within the rat anterior pituitary gland. XV. Properties of spontaneous and LHRH-induced Ca2+ transients in the transitional zone of the rat anterior pituitary in situ.

In the transitional zone of the rat anterior pituitary, spontaneous and LHRH-induced Ca(2+) dynamics were visualized using fluo-4 fluorescence Ca(2+) imaging. A majority of cells exhibited spontaneous Ca(2+) transients, while small populations of cells remained quiescent. Approximately 70% of spontaneously active cells generated fast, oscillatory Ca(2+) transients that were inhibited by cyclopiazonic acid (10 μm) but not nicardipine (1 μm), suggesting that Ca(2+) handling by endoplasmic reticulum, but not Ca(2+) influx through voltage-dependent L-type Ca(2+) channels, plays a fundamental role in their generation.

NADH-generating substrates reduce peroxyl radical toxicity in RL-34 cells.

There is general agreement that oxidative stress may induce apoptotic and necrotic cell death. Recently it has been shown that NADH can be considered an important antioxidant as it reacts with peroxyl and alkoxyl radicals under in vitro conditions. Therefore, in the present study we hypothesized that an increase in intracellular NADH using specific substrates will protect RL-34 cells against cytotoxicity of 2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH), which is a peroxyl radical generating compound.

Ultrastructural changes at the myotendinous junction induced by exercise.

Background: Although exercise is believed to reduce the risk of rupture of the myotendinous junction, exercise-induced structural changes in this region have not been studied. We examined exercise-induced ultrastructural changes in the myotendinous junction of the lower legs in rats.

Methods: Ten adult male LETO rats were used.

Electron microscopic observations of the anterior pituitary gland. Part I. The neurons in the "transitional zone" of the anterior pituitary gland.

Since [Westlud, K.N., Chils, G.

Bilaterally existing sternoclavicularis anticus muscles.

A 92-year-old Japanese woman was found to have the sternoclavicularis anticus muscles existing bilaterally during the course of educational dissection at Nagoya City University Medical School. It was confirmed that these muscles received the nerve supply from small branches of the lateral pectoral nerves from the brachial plexus. Herein is documented the precise gross anatomical findings with some morphometric measurements.

Intercellular communication within the rat anterior pituitary: XIV electron microscopic and immunohistochemical study on the relationship between the agranular cells and GnRH neurons in the dorsal pars tuberalis of the pituitary gland.

Although numerous investigators in 1970s to 1980s have reported the distribution of LH-RH nerve fibers in the median eminence, a few LH-RH fibers have been shown to be present in the pars tuberalis. The significance of the finding remains to be elucidated, and there are few studies on the distribution of LH-RH neurons in the pars tuberalis, especially in the dorsal pars tuberalis (DPT). Adult male Wistar-Imamichi rats were separated into two groups: one for electron microscopy and the other for immunohistochemistry to observe LH-RH and neurofilaments.

Altered distribution of interstitial cells in the guinea pig bladder following bladder outlet obstruction.

Aims: We investigated the effects of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) on the distribution of interstitial cells (ICs) in the guinea-pig bladder.

Methods: Bladder overactivity of BOO animals was validated with urodynamic studies. Immunohistochemical analyses for Kit and vimentin as markers for ICs were performed on both BOO and control bladders.

Uptake behavior of embryonic chick liver cells.

The capacity of selective uptake by liver cells, focusing particularly on the parenchymal and perisinusoidal stellate cells during chick liver development (8-18 days of incubation), was ultrastructurally examined after injection of 240-nm-diameter lecithin (phosphatidylcholine) -coated or noncoated beads into the extraembryonic circulation. Cytoplasmic projections of both cells as well as extrasinusoidal macrophages reached into the sinusoid-like vascular spaces. The primitive perisinusoidal stellate cells were identified by immunocytochemistry as being rich in desmin-positive cytoplasmic intermediate filaments.

Replication-defective HIV isolated from seronegative individuals at high risk for HIV infection.

We have identified a mutant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) CRF01_AE that contains a single nucleotide mutation in gag gene from 4 HIV-1 seronegative drug users in Thailand. We found A to G mutation at the nucleotide position 75 of gag p17 gene (A75G) not changing the amino acid sequence. The mutant HIV-1 molecular clones were examined for their replication capability.

A single-nucleotide synonymous mutation in the gag gene controlling human immunodeficiency virus type 1 virion production.

Viral factors as well as host ones play major roles in the disease progression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. We have examined cytotoxic T-lymphocyte activity and HIV-1 DNA PCR results of 312 high-risk seronegative drug users in northern Thailand and identified four seronegative cases positive for both assays. Furthermore, we have identified a synonymous mutation in nucleotide position 75 of the gag p17 gene (A426G) of HIV-1 that belongs to the CRF01_AE virus circulating in Thailand.

Distinctive localization of N- and E-cadherins in rat anterior pituitary gland.

In the rat anterior pituitary gland, folliculo-stellate cells aggregate preferably to form pseudofollicles, and each type of hormone-producing cell shows adhesive affinity with particular types of heterologous hormone-producing cells. Distribution of cadherin types in the rat anterior pituitary was examined immunohistochemically to clarify the unique cell arrangements caused by homologous and heterologous affinities among cells. N- and E-cadherins were detected continuously along cell membranes, while P-cadherin was not.

Interaction between spontaneous and neurally mediated regulation of smooth muscle tone in the rabbit corpus cavernosum.

Interaction between spontaneous and neurally mediated regulation of tone in the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle (CCSM) of the rabbit was investigated. Changes in isometric muscle tension, intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and membrane potential were recorded. CCSM developed spontaneous contractions, transient increases in [Ca2+]i (Ca2+ transients) and depolarizations.

The co-existence of an aberrant origin of the right subclavian artery and a coronary myocardial bridge.

We encountered the co-existence of an aberrant origin of the right subclavian artery and a myocardial bridge on the left anterior descending coronary artery in the cadaver of an 80-year-old Japanese woman during the course of educational dissection at Nagoya City University Medical School. We document the precise gross anatomical findings with some morphometric measurements. Neither an aberrant origin of the right subclavian artery nor the cardial myocardial bridge is a very rare anomaly, but a case of both anomalies being found in the same body is very rare.

[Anatomy education in medical and dental schools in Japan].

We studied the anatomy education and the view of anatomy professors on it in medical and dental schools in Japan. In most schools anatomy is taught in the second year. In medical schools, the systematic education separating macroscopic and microscopic anatomy is prevalent.

Intercellular communications within the rat anterior pituitary XII: immunohistochemical and physiological evidences for the gap junctional coupling of the folliculo-stellate cells in the rat anterior pituitary.

Since Farquhar [1957. "Corticotrophs" of the rat adenohypophysis as revealed by electron microscopy. Anat.

Intercellular communications within the rat anterior pituitary XI: an immunohistochemical study of distributions of S-100 positive cells in the anterior pituitary of the rat.

The distribution of the S-100 protein cell (folliculo-stellate cell) is very important to our understanding of the regulation of the anterior pituitary. In this study, 10 intact 60-day-old male Wistar-Imamichi rats, were separated equally into two groups. One was used for immunohistochemical study, and the other for electron microscopic analysis.

A rare anomaly of the extensor digitorum longus.

We encountered the absence of the tendon to the fourth toe of the extensor digitorum longus muscle of the right leg in the body of a 73-year-old Japanese woman during the course of educational dissection at Nagoya City University Medical School. The tendon to the fourth toe of the extensor digitorum longus muscle was solely absent. To our knowledge, this anatomical variation has never been cited in the medical literature.

Changes in physicochemical properties of microtubules lead to the formation of a single spherical structure of mitochondrial assembly enveloping nuclear chromatins.

Treatment of 143B cells with microtubule-active drugs (MADs) including taxol, nocodazole and colchicine induced distinct structural changes, such as rounding of the cells with perinuclear clustering of mitochondria, when the cells were treated for up to 10 h. When the incubation time with MADs was longer than 10 h, multinuclear cells appeared, and their population increased with time. In this study perinuclear clustering of mitochondria i.

Modification of physicochemical properties of actin filaments suppresses cell fragmentation in the execution phase of staurosporine-induced apoptotic processes.

Effects of jasplakinolide (JSP), a stabilizer of F-actin, and latrunculin A (LTA), a destabilizer of F-actin, on a series of events occurring in the execution phase of staurosporine (STS)-induced apoptotic processes were studied using human osteosarcoma 143B cells. Time-dependent apparent increases of the population of cells with collapsed membrane potential of mitochondria (Delta Psi(m)) caused by STS treatment were not due to actual decreases in the Delta Psi(m) per cell, but due to the fragmentation of cells resulting in decreases in the number of active mitochondria per cell. Decreases in the Delta Psi(m) in fragmented cells occurred late in the execution phase.

Intercellular communication within the rat anterior pituitary: relationship between LH-RH neurons and folliculo-stellate cells in the pars tuberalis.

The distribution of LH-RH-positive nerve fibers in the median eminence was demonstrated in the 1970s and 1980s. A few LH-RH fibers have been reported to be present in the adjacent pars tuberalis of the pituitary, but their functional significance has not been clarified and still remains enigmatic. Adult male Wistar-Imamichi rats were separated into two groups: one for immunohistochemistry of LH-RH and S-100 protein (for the identification of folliculo-stellate cells) and the other for electron microscopy.

Intercellular communication within the rat anterior pituitary gland: X. Immunohistocytochemistry of S-100 and connexin 43 of folliculo-stellate cells in the rat anterior pituitary gland.

Since Rinehart and Farquhar reported the presence of agranulated cells in the anterior pituitary gland in 1953, the functions of the folliculo-stellate cell remain to be clarified. Intercellular junctions have been described in the monkey, rat, and teleost anterior pituitary glands, indicating the existence of cell-to-cell communication within the organ. We pointed to their possible role in the rapid dissemination of information through a complex interconnecting system of follicles involving gap junctions.