Calbindin Has a Potential Spatiotemporal Correlation with Proliferation and Apoptosis in the Postnatal Rat Kidney.

The protein calbindin-D28k modulates calcium reabsorption in the kidney. Here, we aimed to study the influence of proliferation and apoptosis in different compartments of the kidney on the developmental function of calbindin. Using immunohistochemistry, we investigated the postnatal development of rats' kidneys by using calbindin, proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and apoptotic single-stranded DNA (ssDNA).

Osteoblast-activating peptide exhibits a specific distribution pattern in mouse ovary and may regulate ovarian steroids and local calcium levels.

Osteoblast-activating peptide (OBAP) is a novel protein affecting osteoblast proliferation and differentiation, but its ovarian expression is yet to be reported. Osteoporosis is a common disease, caused mainly by low estrogen levels in females. We investigated whether OBAP regulates estrogen synthesis and osteoporosis.

Histopathological changes in tear-secreting tissues and cornea in a mouse model of autoimmune disease.

Cornea, an outermost layer of mammalian eye, is protected by tear film and abnormalities of tear film causes dry eye. Dry eye injures the cornea which results lower vision in patients. Several factors cause dry eye, including altered systemic conditions, environment, and immunological abnormality of the patient in autoimmune disease like Sjögren's syndrome (SS).

Hydronephrosis with ureteritis developed in C57BL/6N mice carrying the congenic region derived from MRL/MpJ-type chromosome 11.

Inbred MRL/MpJ mice show several unique phenotypes in tissue regeneration processes and the urogenital and immune systems. Clarifying the genetic and molecular bases of these phenotypes requires the analysis of their genetic susceptibility locus. Herein, hydronephrosis development was incidentally observed in MRL/MpJ-derived chromosome 11 (D11Mit21-212)-carrying C57BL/6N-based congenic mice, which developed bilateral or unilateral hydronephrosis in both males and females with 23.

Degenerative and regenerative features of myofibers differ among skeletal muscles in a murine model of muscular dystrophy.

Skeletal muscle myofibers constantly undergo degeneration and regeneration. Histopathological features of 6 skeletal muscles (cranial tibial [CT], gastrocnemius, quadriceps femoris, triceps brachii [TB], lumbar longissimus muscles, and costal part of the diaphragm [CPD]) were compared using C57BL/10ScSn-Dmd (mdx) mice, a model for muscular dystrophy versus control, C57BL/10 mice. Body weight and skeletal muscle mass were lower in mdx mice than the control at 4 weeks of age; these results were similar at 6-30 weeks.

Female cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) develop chronic anemia with renal inflammation and cystic changes.

The cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) is a laboratory rodent that has been used for studies on human infectious diseases. In the present study, we observed that female cotton rats, not the male cotton rats, developed chronic anemia characterized by reduced red blood cell, hemoglobin, and hematocrit levels from 5 to 9 months of age without any changes in the mean corpuscular hemoglobin and volume levels. In peripheral blood, the reticulocyte count did not increase in response to anemia in female cotton rats, and no extramedullary hematopoiesis was observed in the liver or spleen.

Spatiotemporal distribution of extracellular matrix changes during mouse duodenojejunal flexure formation.

Although gut flexures characterize gut morphology, the mechanisms underlying flexure formation remain obscure. Previously, we analyzed the mouse duodenojejunal flexure (DJF) as a model for its formation and reported asymmetric morphologies between the inner and outer bending sides of the fetal mouse DJF, implying their contribution to DJF formation. We now present the extracellular matrix (ECM) as an important factor for gut morphogenesis.

Rapid specimen preparation to improve the throughput of electron microscopic volume imaging for three-dimensional analyses of subcellular ultrastructures with serial block-face scanning electron microscopy.

Serial block-face imaging using scanning electron microscopy enables rapid observations of three-dimensional ultrastructures in a large volume of biological specimens. However, such imaging usually requires days for sample preparation to reduce charging and increase image contrast. In this study, we report a rapid procedure to acquire serial electron microscopic images within 1 day for three-dimensional analyses of subcellular ultrastructures.

Comparative analysis of mediastinal fat-associated lymphoid cluster development and lung cellular infiltration in murine autoimmune disease models and the corresponding normal control strains.

We previously discovered mediastinal fat-associated lymphoid clusters (MFALCs) as novel lymphoid clusters associated with mediastinal fat tissue in healthy mice. However, no data about their morphology in immune-associated disease conditions, and their relationship with lung infiltration, is available to date. In the present study, we compared the morphological features of MFALCs in 4-month-old male murine autoimmune disease models (MRL/MpJ-lpr mice and BXSB/MpJ-Yaa mice) with those of the corresponding control strains (MRL/MpJ and BXSB/MpJ, respectively).

MRL/MpJ mice show unique pathological features after experimental kidney injury.

Clarification of the renal repair process is crucial for developing novel therapeutic strategies for kidney injury. MRL/MpJ mice have a unique repair process characterized by low scar formation. The pathological features of experimentally injured MRL/MpJ and C57BL/6 mouse kidneys were compared to examine the renal repair process.

Comparative protective effects of royal jelly and cod liver oil against neurotoxic impact of tartrazine on male rat pups brain.

This study is aimed to evaluate the possible neurotoxic effect of tartrazine (T), an extensively used synthetic azo dye, as well as to determine the potential modulatory role of cod liver oil (CLO) or royal jelly (RJ) against such effects. For this purpose, thirty-six male rat pups were allocated into six groups. The 1st group received distilled water (control group), the 2nd group was given 300 mg RJ/kg bw (RJ group), the 3rd group was given 0.

Characterization of mouse mediastinal fat-associated lymphoid clusters.

The association between adipose tissue and immunity has been established and fat-associated lymphoid clusters (FALCs) are considered as a source of immune cells. We discovered lymphoid clusters (LCs) in mouse mediastinal fat tissues (MFTs). In Th1-biased C57BL/6N (B6), Th2-biased DBA/2Cr (DBA) and autoimmune-prone MRL/MpJ (MRL) mice strains, LCs without a fibrous capsule and germinal center were observed in white-colored MFTs extending from the diaphragm to the heart.

Ovarian cysts in MRL / MpJ mice are derived from the extraovarian rete: a developmental study.

MRL/MpJ (MRL) mice, commonly used as a model for autoimmune disease, have a high frequency of ovarian cysts originating from the rete ovarii. In the present study, to clarify how the rete ovarii, which are remnants of mesonephric tubules during embryogenesis, progress to cystic formation with aging, the morphology of MRL rete ovarii was analyzed and compared with that of normal C57BL/6N (B6) mice. In B6 mice, the rete ovarii consisted of a series of tubules, including the extraovarian rete (ER), the connecting rete (CR), and the intraovarian rete (IR), based on their location.

Structural characteristics of goat (Capra hircus) parotid salivary glands.

The structural characteristics of the parotid glands in small ruminants (goat, sheep) were observed and compared to those of a major laboratory animal, the mouse. Their parotid glands consist of the purely serous type. Ultrastructurally, the serous acini of goats and sheep were characterized by the presence of well-developed basolateral expansions of folds, which are characteristics of electrolyte- and water-transporting epithelium.

Cytoarchitectural differences of myoepithelial cells among goat major salivary glands.

Previously, the distribution of myoepithelial cells (mecs) in the salivary glands was studied by both immunohistochemistry, and transmission electron microscopy; however, little was elucidated concerning their morphological features, especially in goats. This study was performed to investigate the correlation between the cytoarchitecture of the mecs in goat major salivary glands (parotid, mandibular, and sublingual glands) and the nature of the saliva secretion. The cytoarchitectural features of the mecs were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy as well as immunohistochemically.