Regional Differences in Rat Vaginal Smooth Muscle Contractility and Morphology

PubMed Central

Skoczylas, Laura C.; Jallah, Zegbeh; Sugino, Yoshio; Stein, Suzan E.; Feola, Andrew; Yoshimura, Naoki

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to define the regional differences in rat vaginal smooth muscle contractility and morphology. We evaluated circumferential segments from the proximal, middle, and distal rat vagina (n = 21) in vitro. Contractile responses to carbachol, phenylephrine, potassium chloride, and electrical field stimulation (EFS) were measured. Immunohistochemical analyses were also performed. The dose–response curves for carbachol- and phenylephrine-dependent contractions were different in the distal (P = .05, P = .04) compared to the proximal/middle regions. Adjusted for region-dependent changes in contractility, the distal vagina generated lower force in response to carbachol and higher force in response to phenylephrine. There was less force with increasing EFS frequency in the distal (P = .03), compared to the proximal/middle regions. Cholinergic versus adrenergic nerves were more frequent in the proximal region (P = .03). In summary, the results indicate that functional and morphological differences in smooth muscle and nerve fibers of the distal versus proximal/middle regions of the vagina exist. PMID:23298869

Portable image analysis system for characterizing aggregate morphology.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-01-01

In the last decade, the application of image-based evaluation of particle shape, angularity and texture has been widely researched to characterize aggregate morphology. These efforts have been driven by the knowledge that the morphologic characterist...

Muscle fiber types composition and type identified endplate morphology of forepaw intrinsic muscles in the rat.

PubMed

Pan, Feng; Mi, Jing-Yi; Zhang, Yan; Pan, Xiao-Yun; Rui, Yong-Jun

2016-06-01

The failure to accept reinnervation is considered to be one of the reasons for the poor motor functional recovery of intrinsic hand muscles (IHMs) after nerve injury. Rat could be a suitable model to be used in simulating motor function recovery of the IHMs after nerve injury as to the similarities in function and anatomy of the muscles between human and rat. However, few studies have reported the muscle fiber types composition and endplate morphologic characteristics of intrinsic forepaw muscles (IFMs) in the rat. In this study, the myosin heavy chain isoforms and acetylcholine receptors were stained by immunofluorescence to show the muscle fiber types composition and endplates on type-identified fibers of the lumbrical muscles (LMs), interosseus muscles (IMs), abductor digiti minimi (AM) and flexor pollicis brevis (FM) in rat forepaw. The majority of IFMs fibers were labeled positively for fast-switch fiber. However, the IMs were composed of only slow-switch fiber. With the exception of the IMs, the other IFMs had a part of hybrid fibers. Two-dimensional morphological characteristics of endplates on I and IIa muscle fiber had no significant differences among the IFMs. The LMs is the most suitable IFMs of rat to stimulate reinnervation of the IHMs after nerve injury. Gaining greater insight into the muscle fiber types composition and endplate morphology in the IFMs of rat may help understand the pathological and functional changes of IFMs in rat model stimulating reinnervation of IHMs after peripheral nerve injury.

Rat-strain dependent changes of dendritic and spine morphology in the hippocampus after cocaine self-administration.

PubMed

Selvas, Abraham; Coria, Santiago M; Kastanauskaite, Asta; Fernaud-Espinosa, Isabel; DeFelipe, Javier; Ambrosio, Emilio; Miguéns, Miguel

2017-01-01

We previously showed that cocaine self-administration increases spine density in CA1 hippocampal neurons in Lewis (LEW) but not in Fischer 344 (F344) rats. Dendritic spine morphology is intimately related to its function. Thus, we conducted a 3D morphological analysis of CA1 dendrites and dendritic spines in these two strains of rats. Strain-specific differences were observed prior to cocaine self-administration: LEW rats had significantly larger dendritic diameters but lower spine density than the F344 strain. After cocaine self-administration, proximal dendritic volume, dendritic surface area and spine density were increased in LEW rats, where a higher percentage of larger spines were also observed. In addition, we found a strong positive correlation between dendritic volume and spine morphology, and a moderate correlation between dendritic volume and spine density in cocaine self-administered LEW rats, an effect that was not evident in any other condition. By contrast, after cocaine self-administration, F334 rats showed decreased spine head volumes. Our findings suggest that genetic differences could play a key role in the structural plasticity induced by cocaine in CA1 pyramidal neurons. These cocaine-induced alterations could be related to differences in the memory processing of drug reward cues that could potentially explain differential individual vulnerability to cocaine addiction. © 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Morphological, electrophysiological, and synaptic properties of corticocallosal pyramidal cells in the neonatal rat neocortex.

PubMed

Le Bé, Jean-Vincent; Silberberg, Gilad; Wang, Yun; Markram, Henry

2007-09-01

Neocortical pyramidal cells (PCs) project to various cortical and subcortical targets. In layer V, the population of thick tufted PCs (TTCs) projects to subcortical targets such as the tectum, brainstem, and spinal cord. Another population of layer V PCs projects via the corpus callosum to the contralateral neocortical hemisphere mediating information transfer between the hemispheres. This subpopulation (corticocallosally projecting cells [CCPs]) has been previously described in terms of their morphological properties, but less is known about their electrophysiological properties, and their synaptic connectivity is unknown. We studied the morphological, electrophysiological, and synaptic properties of CCPs by retrograde labeling with fluorescent microbeads in P13-P16 Wistar rats. CCPs were characterized by shorter, untufted apical dendrites, which reached only up to layers II/III, confirming previous reports. Synaptic connections between CCPs were different from those observed between TTCs, both in probability of occurrence and dynamic properties. We found that the CCP network is about 4 times less interconnected than the TTC network and the probability of release is 24% smaller, resulting in a more linear synaptic transmission. The study shows that layer V pyramidal neurons projecting to different targets form subnetworks with specialized connectivity profiles, in addition to the specialized morphological and electrophysiological intrinsic properties.

Curcuma treatment prevents cognitive deficit and alteration of neuronal morphology in the limbic system of aging rats.

PubMed

Vidal, Blanca; Vázquez-Roque, Rubén A; Gnecco, Dino; Enríquez, Raúl G; Floran, Benjamin; Díaz, Alfonso; Flores, Gonzalo

2017-03-01

Curcuma is a natural compound that has shown neuroprotective properties, and has been reported to prevent aging and improve memory. While the mechanism(s) underlying these effects are unclear, they may be related to increases in neural plasticity. Morphological changes have been reported in neuronal dendrites in the limbic system in animals and elderly humans with cognitive impairment. In this regard, there is a need to use alternative therapies that delay the onset of morphologies and behavioral characteristics of aging. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of curcuma on cognitive processes and dendritic morphology of neurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), the CA1 and CA3 regions of the dorsal hippocampus, the dentate gyrus, and the basolateral amygdala (BLA) of aged rats. 18-month-old rats were administered curcuma (100 mg/kg) daily for 60 days. After treatment, recognition memory was assessed using the novel object recognition test. Curcuma-treated rats showed a significant increase in the exploration quotient. Dendritic morphology was assessed by Golgi-Cox staining and followed by Sholl analysis. Curcuma-treated rats showed a significant increase in dendritic spine density and dendritic length in pyramidal neurons of the PFC, the CA1 and CA3, and the BLA. The preservation of dendritic morphology was positively correlated with cognitive improvements. Our results suggest that curcuma induces modification of dendritic morphology in the aforementioned regions. These changes may explain how curcuma slows the aging process that has already begun in these animals, preventing deterioration in neuronal morphology of the limbic system and recognition memory. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Functional and morphological characterization of glutamate transporters in the rat locus coeruleus

PubMed Central

Medrano, M C; Gerrikagoitia, I; Martínez-Millán, L; Mendiguren, A; Pineda, J

2013-01-01

Background and Purpose Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) in the CNS contribute to the clearance of glutamate released during neurotransmission. The aim of this study was to explore the role of EAATs in the regulation of locus coeruleus (LC) neurons by glutamate. Experimental Approach We measured the effect of different EAAT subtype inhibitors/enhancers on glutamate- and KCl-induced activation of LC neurons in rat slices. EAAT2–3 expression in the LC was also characterized by immunohistochemistry. Key Results The EAAT2–5 inhibitor DL-threo-β-benzyloxaspartic acid (100 μM), but not the EAAT2, 4, 5 inhibitor L-trans-pyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid (100 μM) or the EAAT2 inhibitor dihydrokainic acid (DHK; 100 μM), enhanced the glutamate- and KCl-induced activation of the firing rate of LC neurons. These effects were blocked by ionotropic, but not metabotrobic, glutamate receptor antagonists. DHK (100 μM) was the only EAAT inhibitor that increased the spontaneous firing rate of LC cells, an effect that was due to inhibition of EAAT2 and subsequent AMPA receptor activation. Chronic treatment with ceftriaxone (200 mg·kg−1 i.p., once daily, 7 days), an EAAT2 expression enhancer, increased the actions of glutamate and DHK, suggesting a functional impact of EAAT2 up-regulation on the glutamatergic system. Immuhistochemical data revealed the presence of EAAT2 and EAAT3 surrounding noradrenergic neurons and EAAT2 on glial cells in the LC. Conclusions and Implications These results remark the importance of EAAT2 and EAAT3 in the regulation of rat LC by glutamate. Neuronal EAAT3 would be responsible for terminating the action of synaptically released glutamate, whereas glial EAAT2 would regulate tonic glutamate concentrations in this nucleus. PMID:23638698

The rat whole embryo culture assay using the Dysmorphology Score system.

PubMed

Zhang, Cindy; Panzica-Kelly, Julie; Augustine-Rauch, Karen

2013-01-01

The rat whole embryo culture (WEC) system has been used extensively for characterizing teratogenic properties of test chemicals. In this chapter, we describe the methodology for culturing rat embryos as well as a new morphological score system, the Dysmorphology Score (DMS) system for assessing morphology of mid gestation (gestational day 11) rat embryos. In contrast to the developmental stage focused scoring associated with the Brown and Fabro score system, this new score system assesses the respective degree of severity of dysmorphology, which delineates normal from abnormal morphology of specific embryonic structures and organ systems. This score system generates an approach that allows rapid identification and quantification of adverse developmental findings, making it conducive for characterization of compounds for teratogenic properties and screening activities.

Morphology of the non-sensory tissue components in rat aging vomeronasal organ.

PubMed

Eltony, S A; Elgayar, S A

2011-08-01

With 30 figures, 3 histograms and 3 tables The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is a chemosensory organ that detects environmental pheromones. The morphology of the 'non-sensory' epithelium (NSE) of the VNO and its lamina propria, as well as how it relates to ageing has received little attention. Histological, histochemical, morphometric and ultrastructural techniques were used to study the morphological structure of the rat NSE in five adult (3 months old) and five aged (2-2.5 years old) male albino rats. In adult rats, the NSE contained dark and light columnar cells with predominance of the latter. The surface of the epithelial cells was covered with microvilli and/or cilia. The lamina propria contained serous vomeronasal glands (VNGs), smooth muscles with numerous variable-sized mitochondria, vessels including lymphatic capillaries and nerve bundles. The following changes were detected in aged rats. The NSE exhibited an increase in number of dark columnar cells. Some cells revealed a prominent cell coat, dense aggregation of filaments in the luminal cytoplasm and appearance of multinucleated cells. Their surface revealed malformed configuration. Large mitochondria (2 μm), formed by fusion, were frequently observed in the smooth muscle cells of the lamina propria. Lipid droplets were frequently detected both in the VNGs acini and in the lymphatic endothelium. Ageing affected both the cells of the tissues and the extracellular matrix. © 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

[Experiments using rats on Kosmos biosatellites: morphologic and biochemical studies].

PubMed

Il'in, E A; Kaplanskiĭ, A S; Savina, E A

1989-01-01

Results of morphological and biochemical investigations of rats flown on Cosmos biosatellites are discussed. It is emphasized that most changes occurring during exposure to microgravity are directly or indirectly related to lower musculoskeletal loads which in turn produce deconditioning of different physiological systems and organism as a whole. It is concluded that this deconditioning is associated with both metabolic and structural changes.

Effect of simulated transport stress on the rat small intestine: A morphological and gene expression study.

PubMed

Wan, Changrong; Yin, Peng; Xu, Xiaolong; Liu, Mingjiang; He, Shasha; Song, Shixiu; Liu, Fenghua; Xu, Jianqin

2014-04-01

The present study investigated the effects of simulated transport stress on morphology and gene expression in the small intestine of laboratory rats. Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to 35°C and 0.1×g on a constant temperature shaker for physiological, biochemical, morphological and microarray analysis before and after treatment. The treatment induced obvious stress responses with significant decreases in body weight (P<0.01), increases in rectal temperature, serum corticosterone (CORT), serum glucose (GLU), creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels (P<0.01), as well as expression of Hsp27/70/90 mRNA (P<0.05; P<0.01). The rat jejunum was severely damaged and apoptotic after mimicking transport stress, which may mainly be related to cell death, oxidation reduction and hormone imbalance determined by microarray analysis. The bioinformatics analysis from the present study would provide insight into the potential mechanisms underlying transport stress-induced injury in the rat small intestine. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sleep Deprivation Alters Rat Ventral Prostate Morphology, Leading to Glandular Atrophy: A Microscopic Study Contrasted with the Hormonal Assays

PubMed Central

Venâncio, Daniel P.; Andersen, Monica L.; Vilamaior, Patricia S. L.; Santos, Fernanda C.; Zager, Adriano; Tufik, Sérgio; Taboga, Sebastião R.; De Mello, Marco T.

2012-01-01

We investigated the effect of 96 h paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) and 21-day sleep restriction (SR) on prostate morphology using stereological assays in male rats. After euthanasia, the rat ventral prostate was removed, weighed, and prepared for conventional light microscopy. Microscopic analysis of the prostate reveals that morphology of this gland was altered after 96 h of PSD and 21 days of SR, with the most important alterations occurring in the epithelium and stroma in the course of both procedures compared with the control group. Both 96 h PSD and 21-day SR rats showed lower serum testosterone and higher corticosterone levels than control rats. The significance of our result referring to the sleep deprivation was responsible for deep morphological alterations in ventral prostate tissue, like to castration microscopic modifications. This result is due to the marked alterations in hormonal status caused by PSD and SR. PMID:22927719

Cerebral morphology and functional sparing after prenatal frontal cortex lesions in rats.

PubMed

Kolb, B; Cioe, J; Muirhead, D

1998-03-01

Rats were given suction lesions of the presumptive frontal cortex on embryonic day 18 (E18) and subsequently tested, as adults, on tests of spatial navigation (Morris water task, radial arm maze), motor tasks (Whishaw reaching task, beam walking), and locomotor activity. Frontal cortical lesions at E18 affected cerebral morphogenesis, producing unusual morphological structures including abnormal patches of neurons in the cortex and white matter as well as neuronal bridges between the hemispheres. A small sample of E18 operates also had hydrocephaly. The animals with E18 lesions without hydrocephalus were behaviorally indistinguishable from littermate controls. The results demonstrate that animals with focal lesions of the presumptive frontal cortex have gross abnormalities in cerebral morphology but the lesions leave the functions normally subserved by the frontal cortex in adult rats unaffected. The results are discussed in the context of a hypothesis regarding the optimal times for functional recovery from cortical injury.

The Characterization of Deqi during Moxibustion in Stroke Rats

PubMed Central

Lv, Zhimai; Liu, Zhongyong; Huang, Dandan; Chen, Rixin; Xie, Dingyi

2013-01-01

The efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion is closely related to Deqi phenomenons, which are some subjective feelings. However, no one has reported the objective characterization of Deqi. Our preliminary research has found a phenomenon of tail temperature increasing (TTI) obviously in some stroke rats by suspended moxibustion at the acupoint dà zhuī (DU 14), which is similar to one characterization of Deqi during moxibustion that moxibustion heat is transferred from the original moxibustion acupoint to the other areas of the body. We wonder whether TTI is the objective indicator of Deqi characterization in animals. The present study showed that the stroke rat's recovery was also associated with TTI phenomenon. This suggests that TTI phenomenon is one objective characterization of the Deqi in stroke rats. Application of the TTI phenomenon contributes to explore the physiological mechanism of Deqi. PMID:24194777

The Characterization of Deqi during Moxibustion in Stroke Rats.

PubMed

Lv, Zhimai; Liu, Zhongyong; Huang, Dandan; Chen, Rixin; Xie, Dingyi

2013-01-01

The efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion is closely related to Deqi phenomenons, which are some subjective feelings. However, no one has reported the objective characterization of Deqi. Our preliminary research has found a phenomenon of tail temperature increasing (TTI) obviously in some stroke rats by suspended moxibustion at the acupoint dà zhuī (DU 14), which is similar to one characterization of Deqi during moxibustion that moxibustion heat is transferred from the original moxibustion acupoint to the other areas of the body. We wonder whether TTI is the objective indicator of Deqi characterization in animals. The present study showed that the stroke rat's recovery was also associated with TTI phenomenon. This suggests that TTI phenomenon is one objective characterization of the Deqi in stroke rats. Application of the TTI phenomenon contributes to explore the physiological mechanism of Deqi.

Morphological Characterization of the Frontal and Parietal Bones of the Human Skull

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

ARL-TR- 7962 ● MAR 2017 US Army Research Laboratory Morphological Characterization of the Frontal and Parietal Bones of the...Army Research Laboratory Morphological Characterization of the Frontal and Parietal Bones of the Human Skull by Stephen L Alexander SURVICE...

Effects of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) on the liver of diabetic rats: a morphological and biochemical study.

PubMed

Bolkent, S; Yanardag, R; Ozsoy-Sacan, O; Karabulut-Bulan, O

2004-12-01

Parsley is used by diabetics in Turkey to reduce blood glucose. The present study aims to investigate both the morphological and biochemical effects of parsley on liver tissue. Rat hepatocytes were examined by light and electron microscopy. Degenerative changes were observed in the hepatocytes of diabetic rats. These degenerative changes were significantly reduced or absent in the hepatocytes of diabetic rats treated with parsley. Blood glucose levels, alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase were observed to be raised in diabetic rats. Diabetic rats treated with parsley demonstrated significantly lower levels of blood glucose, alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase. The present study suggests that parsley demonstrates a significant hepatoprotective effect in diabetic rats. 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Decreased serotonin level during pregnancy alters morphological and functional characteristics of tonic nociceptive system in juvenile offspring of the rat.

PubMed

Butkevich, Irina P; Khozhai, Ludmila I; Mikhailenko, Victor A; Otellin, Vladimir A

2003-11-13

Serotonin (5-HT) contributes to the prenatal development of the central nervous system, acting as a morphogen in the young embryo and later as a neurotransmitter. This biologically active agent influences both morphological and biochemical differentiation of raphe neurons, which give rise to the descending serotonergic paths that regulate the processing of acutely evoked nociceptive inputs. The involvement of 5-HT in the prenatal development of tonic nociceptive system has not been studied. In the present study we evaluated the effects of a single injection (400 mg/kg, 2 ml, i.p.) of the 5-HT synthesis inhibitor, para-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA), given to pregnant rats during the critical period fetal serotonin development. The functional integrity of the tonic nociceptive response was investigated in 25 day old rats using the classic formalin test. Morphological analysis of brain structures involved in formalin-induced pain and 5-HT levels in the heads of 12-day embryos were also evaluated. Embryonic levels of 5-HT were significantly lowered by the treatment. The juvenile rats from pCPA-treated females showed altered brain morphology and cell differentiation in the developing cortex, hippocampus, raphe nuclei, and substantia nigra. In the formalin test, there were significant decreases in the intensity and duration of the second phase of the formalin-induced response, characterizing persistent, tonic pain. The extent of impairments in the brain structures correlated positively with the level of decrease in the behavioral responses. The data demonstrate the involvement of 5-HT in the prenatal development of the tonic nociceptive system. The decreased tonic component of the behavioral response can be explained by lower activity of the descending excitatory serotonergic system originating in the raphe nuclei, resulting in decreased tonic pain processing organized at the level of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.

Morphological study of the effects of aqueous leaf extract of Xylopia aethiopica on the pancreas in diabetic rats.

PubMed

Ofusori, David A; Komolafe, Omobola A; Adewole, Olarinde S; Arayombo, Babatunde E; Margolis, Denise; Naicker, Thajasvarie

2016-01-01

To investigate the histological and immunohistochemical effects of aqueous leaf extract of Xylo- pia aethiopica on the pancreas in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, 30 adult Wistar rats were divided into three groups (n=10). Group A was the control (administered with equivalent vol- ume of citrate buffer), group B animals were made diabetic by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin dissolved in citrate buffer (65 mg/kg), group C animals were made diabetic as above and treated with 200mg/kg body weight of aqueous leave extract of Xylopia aethiop- ica for 25 days. Upon animal sacrifice, the pancreas were excised, fixed in 10% formol saline and processed for light microscopy and immunohistochemistry.. The results revealed destruc- tion of the islet cells in the untreated diabetic group as compared with the controls. The extract treated group was characterized by recovery/regenerative processes indicated by improvement in islet morphology. In untreated diabetic rats immunoreactive P-cells were sparse, at variance from the controls. The group treated with aqueous leaf extract of Xylopia aethiopica revealed more intense staining for insulin and significant (p<0.05) increase in the percentage of immuno- labelled surface area when compared with the untreated diabetic group, suggesting the ability of P-cells to secrete insulin in the extract treated rats. We conclude that the aqueous leaf extract of Xylopia aethiopica improves recovery process of P-cells in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and might become useful in the management of diabetes related complications.

Insights into embryo defenses of the invasive apple snail Pomacea canaliculata: egg mass ingestion affects rat intestine morphology and growth.

PubMed

Dreon, Marcos S; Fernández, Patricia E; Gimeno, Eduardo J; Heras, Horacio

2014-06-01

The spread of the invasive snail Pomacea canaliculata is expanding the rat lungworm disease beyond its native range. Their toxic eggs have virtually no predators and unusual defenses including a neurotoxic lectin and a proteinase inhibitor, presumably advertised by a warning coloration. We explored the effect of egg perivitellin fluid (PVF) ingestion on the rat small intestine morphology and physiology. Through a combination of biochemical, histochemical, histopathological, scanning electron microscopy, cell culture and feeding experiments, we analyzed intestinal morphology, growth rate, hemaglutinating activity, cytotoxicity and cell proliferation after oral administration of PVF to rats. PVF adversely affects small intestine metabolism and morphology and consequently the standard growth rate, presumably by lectin-like proteins, as suggested by PVF hemaglutinating activity and its cytotoxic effect on Caco-2 cell culture. Short-term effects of ingested PVF were studied in growing rats. PVF-supplemented diet induced the appearance of shorter and wider villi as well as fused villi. This was associated with changes in glycoconjugate expression, increased cell proliferation at crypt base, and hypertrophic mucosal growth. This resulted in a decreased absorptive surface after 3 days of treatment and a diminished rat growth rate that reverted to normal after the fourth day of treatment. Longer exposure to PVF induced a time-dependent lengthening of the small intestine while switching to a control diet restored intestine length and morphology after 4 days. Ingestion of PVF rapidly limits the ability of potential predators to absorb nutrients by inducing large, reversible changes in intestinal morphology and growth rate. The occurrence of toxins that affect intestinal morphology and absorption is a strategy against predation not recognized among animals before. Remarkably, this defense is rather similar to the toxic effect of plant antipredator strategies. This defense

Morphological evidence for parallel processing of information in rat macula.

PubMed

Ross, M D

1988-01-01

Study of montages, tracings and reconstructions prepared from a series of 570 consecutive ultrathin sections shows that rat maculas are morphologically organized for parallel processing of linear acceleratory information. Type II cells of one terminal field distribute information to neighboring terminals as well. The findings are examined in light of physiological data which indicate that macular receptor fields have a preferred directional vector, and are interpreted by analogy to a computer technology known as an information network.

Longitudinal Analysis of Calorie Restriction on Rat Taste Bud Morphology and Expression of Sweet Taste Modulators

PubMed Central

Cai, Huan; Daimon, Caitlin M.; Cong, Wei-na; Wang, Rui; Chirdon, Patrick; de Cabo, Rafael; Sévigny, Jean; Maudsley, Stuart; Martin, Bronwen

2014-01-01

Calorie restriction (CR) is a lifestyle intervention employed to reduce body weight and improve metabolic functions primarily via reduction of ingested carbohydrates and fats. Taste perception is highly related to functional metabolic status and body adiposity. We have previously shown that sweet taste perception diminishes with age; however, relatively little is known about the effects of various lengths of CR upon taste cell morphology and function. We investigated the effects of CR on taste bud morphology and expression of sweet taste–related modulators in 5-, 17-, and 30-month-old rats. In ad libitum (AL) and CR rats, we consistently found the following parameters altered significantly with advancing age: reduction of taste bud size and taste cell numbers per taste bud and reduced expression of sonic hedgehog, type 1 taste receptor 3 (T1r3), α-gustducin, and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). In the oldest rats, CR affected a significant reduction of tongue T1r3, GLP-1, and α-gustducin expression compared with age-matched AL rats. Leptin receptor immunopositive cells were elevated in 17- and 30-month-old CR rats compared with age-matched AL rats. These alterations of sweet taste–related modulators, specifically during advanced aging, suggest that sweet taste perception may be altered in response to different lengths of CR. PMID:24077597

Longitudinal analysis of calorie restriction on rat taste bud morphology and expression of sweet taste modulators.

PubMed

Cai, Huan; Daimon, Caitlin M; Cong, Wei-Na; Wang, Rui; Chirdon, Patrick; de Cabo, Rafael; Sévigny, Jean; Maudsley, Stuart; Martin, Bronwen

2014-05-01

Calorie restriction (CR) is a lifestyle intervention employed to reduce body weight and improve metabolic functions primarily via reduction of ingested carbohydrates and fats. Taste perception is highly related to functional metabolic status and body adiposity. We have previously shown that sweet taste perception diminishes with age; however, relatively little is known about the effects of various lengths of CR upon taste cell morphology and function. We investigated the effects of CR on taste bud morphology and expression of sweet taste-related modulators in 5-, 17-, and 30-month-old rats. In ad libitum (AL) and CR rats, we consistently found the following parameters altered significantly with advancing age: reduction of taste bud size and taste cell numbers per taste bud and reduced expression of sonic hedgehog, type 1 taste receptor 3 (T1r3), α-gustducin, and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). In the oldest rats, CR affected a significant reduction of tongue T1r3, GLP-1, and α-gustducin expression compared with age-matched AL rats. Leptin receptor immunopositive cells were elevated in 17- and 30-month-old CR rats compared with age-matched AL rats. These alterations of sweet taste-related modulators, specifically during advanced aging, suggest that sweet taste perception may be altered in response to different lengths of CR.

HemoHIM improves ovarian morphology and decreases expression of nerve growth factor in rats with steroid-induced polycystic ovaries.

PubMed

Kim, Sung Ho; Lee, Hae June; Kim, Joong Sun; Moon, Changjong; Kim, Jong Choon; Bae, Chun Sik; Park, Hae Ran; Jung, Uhee; Jo, Sung Kee

2009-12-01

Estradiol valerate (EV)-induced polycystic ovaries (PCOs) in rats cause the anovulation and cystic ovarian morphology. We investigated whether treatment with HemoHIM influences the ovarian morphology and the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) in an EV-induced PCO rat model. PCO was induced by a single intramuscular injection of EV (4 mg, dissolved in sesame oil) in adult cycling rats. HemoHIM was either administered orally (100 mg/kg of body weight/day) for 35 consecutive days or injected intraperitoneally (50 mg/kg of body weight) every other day after EV injection. Ovarian morphology was almost normalized, and NGF was normalized in the PCO + HemoHIM group. HemoHIM lowered the high numbers of antral follicles and increased the number of corpora lutea in PCOs. The results are consistent with a beneficial effect of HemoHIM in the prevention and treatment of PCO syndrome.

[Effects of warm needling moxibustion on knee cartilage and morphology in rats with knee osteoarthritis].

PubMed

Zhang, Yongliang; Mi, Yiqun; Gang, Jiahong; Wang, Huamin

2016-02-01

To observe the effects of warm needling moxibustion on body mass, knee cartilage andmorphology in rats with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Forty SD rats were randomly divided into a normalgroup, a model group, a medication group and a warm needling group, 10 rats in each one. Except the normalgroup, the rats in the remaining three groups were injected with papain to establish the model of KOA. After themodeling, rats in the model group did not receive any treatment; rats in the warm needling group were treated withwarm needling moxibustion at bilateral "Xiqian"; rats in the medication group were treated with intragastric administration of meloxicam; rats in the normal group were treated with 0. 9% NaCl solution (identical dose as medication group) and immobilized as the warm needling group. The treatment was given once a day for consecutive20 days. The body mass, scale of knee cartilage and morphological changes were observed in each group after'treatment. The increasing of body mass in the medication group and warm needling group was faster than!that in the model group, but slower than that in the normal group (all P<0. 05); the difference between medication group and warm needling group was not statistically significant (P>0. 05). The scale of knee cartilage in thewarm needling group and medication group was significantly lower than that in the model group (both P<0. 05),while the scale in the warm needling group was lower than that in the medication group (P<. 05). Regarding theknee morphology under micro-CT, the relief of knee degeneration and improvement of knee recovery in the warm needlinggroup were superior to those in the medication group. The warm needling moxibustion could effectively reduce the knee pain, improve the recovery of knee cartilage, which is a safe and effective treatment.

Morphologic and biomechanical changes of rat oesophagus in experimental diabetes

PubMed Central

Zeng, Yan-Jun; Yang, Jian; Zhao, Jing-Bo; Liao, Dong-Hua; Zhang, En-Ping; Gregersen, Hans; Xu, Xiao-Hu; Xu, Hong; Xu, Chuan-Qing

2004-01-01

AIM: To study morphologic and biomechanical changes of oesophagus in diabetes rats. METHODS: Diabetes was induced by a single injection of streptozotocin (STZ). The type of diabetes mellitus induced by parenteral STZ administration in rats was insulin-dependent (type I). The samples were excised and studied in vitro using a self-developed biomaterial test machine. RESULTS: The body mass was decreased after 4 d with STZ treatment. The length of esophagus shortened after 4, 7, 14 d. The opening angle increased after 14 d. The shear, longitudinal and circumferential stiffness were obviously raised after 28 d of STZ treatment. CONCLUSION: The changes of passive biomechanical properties reflect intra-structural alteration of tissue to a certain extent. This alteration will lead to some dysfunction of movement. For example, tension of esophageal wall will change due to some obstructive disease. PMID:15300896

Microglia Morphological Categorization in a Rat Model of Neuroinflammation by Hierarchical Cluster and Principal Components Analysis

PubMed Central

Fernández-Arjona, María del Mar; Grondona, Jesús M.; Granados-Durán, Pablo; Fernández-Llebrez, Pedro; López-Ávalos, María D.

2017-01-01

It is known that microglia morphology and function are closely related, but only few studies have objectively described different morphological subtypes. To address this issue, morphological parameters of microglial cells were analyzed in a rat model of aseptic neuroinflammation. After the injection of a single dose of the enzyme neuraminidase (NA) within the lateral ventricle (LV) an acute inflammatory process occurs. Sections from NA-injected animals and sham controls were immunolabeled with the microglial marker IBA1, which highlights ramifications and features of the cell shape. Using images obtained by section scanning, individual microglial cells were sampled from various regions (septofimbrial nucleus, hippocampus and hypothalamus) at different times post-injection (2, 4 and 12 h). Each cell yielded a set of 15 morphological parameters by means of image analysis software. Five initial parameters (including fractal measures) were statistically different in cells from NA-injected rats (most of them IL-1β positive, i.e., M1-state) compared to those from control animals (none of them IL-1β positive, i.e., surveillant state). However, additional multimodal parameters were revealed more suitable for hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). This method pointed out the classification of microglia population in four clusters. Furthermore, a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) suggested three specific parameters to objectively classify any microglia by a decision tree. In addition, a principal components analysis (PCA) revealed two extra valuable variables that allowed to further classifying microglia in a total of eight sub-clusters or types. The spatio-temporal distribution of these different morphotypes in our rat inflammation model allowed to relate specific morphotypes with microglial activation status and brain location. An objective method for microglia classification based on morphological parameters is proposed. Main points Microglia undergo a quantifiable

Microglia Morphological Categorization in a Rat Model of Neuroinflammation by Hierarchical Cluster and Principal Components Analysis.

PubMed

Fernández-Arjona, María Del Mar; Grondona, Jesús M; Granados-Durán, Pablo; Fernández-Llebrez, Pedro; López-Ávalos, María D

2017-01-01

It is known that microglia morphology and function are closely related, but only few studies have objectively described different morphological subtypes. To address this issue, morphological parameters of microglial cells were analyzed in a rat model of aseptic neuroinflammation. After the injection of a single dose of the enzyme neuraminidase (NA) within the lateral ventricle (LV) an acute inflammatory process occurs. Sections from NA-injected animals and sham controls were immunolabeled with the microglial marker IBA1, which highlights ramifications and features of the cell shape. Using images obtained by section scanning, individual microglial cells were sampled from various regions (septofimbrial nucleus, hippocampus and hypothalamus) at different times post-injection (2, 4 and 12 h). Each cell yielded a set of 15 morphological parameters by means of image analysis software. Five initial parameters (including fractal measures) were statistically different in cells from NA-injected rats (most of them IL-1β positive, i.e., M1-state) compared to those from control animals (none of them IL-1β positive, i.e., surveillant state). However, additional multimodal parameters were revealed more suitable for hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). This method pointed out the classification of microglia population in four clusters. Furthermore, a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) suggested three specific parameters to objectively classify any microglia by a decision tree. In addition, a principal components analysis (PCA) revealed two extra valuable variables that allowed to further classifying microglia in a total of eight sub-clusters or types. The spatio-temporal distribution of these different morphotypes in our rat inflammation model allowed to relate specific morphotypes with microglial activation status and brain location. An objective method for microglia classification based on morphological parameters is proposed. Main points Microglia undergo a quantifiable

Influence of thyroid state on cardiac and renal capillary density and glomerular morphology in rats.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Gómez, Isabel; Banegas, Inmaculada; Wangensteen, Rosemary; Quesada, Andrés; Jiménez, Rosario; Gómez-Morales, Mercedes; O'Valle, Francisco; Duarte, Juan; Vargas, Félix

2013-01-01

The purpose was to analyse the cardiac and renal capillary density and glomerular morphology resulting from a chronic excess or deficiency of thyroid hormones (THs) in rats. We performed histopathological, morphometrical and immunohistochemical analyses in hypothyroid and hyperthyroid rats to evaluate the density of mesenteric, renal and cardiac vessels at 4 weeks after induction of thyroid disorders. The main angiogenic factors in plasma, heart and kidney were measured as possible mediators of vascular changes. Mesenteric vessel branching was augmented and decreased in hyper- and hypothyroid rats respectively. The numerical density of CD31-positive capillaries was higher in left and right ventricles and in cortical and medullary kidney from both hyper- and hypothyroid rats vs controls. Numbers of podocytes and glomeruli per square millimetre were similar among groups. Glomerular area and percentage mesangium were greater in the hyperthyroid vs control or hypothyroid groups. No morphological renal lesions were observed in any group. Vascularisation of the mesenteric bed is related to TH levels, but an increased capillarity was observed in heart and kidney in both thyroid disorders. This increase may be produced by higher tissue levels of angiogenic factors in hypothyroid rats, whereas haemodynamic factors would predominate in hyperthyroid rats. Our results also indicate that the renal dysfunctions of thyroid disorders are not related to cortical or medullary microvascular rarefaction and that the proteinuria of hyperthyroidism is not secondary to a podocyte deficit. Finally, TH or its analogues may be useful to increase capillarity in renal diseases associated with microvascular rarefaction.

Effects of Fixatives and Buffers upon the Morphology of Heart and Skeletal Muscle Mitochondria from Exhausted Rats.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gale, James B.

This study describes the effects of several fixatives and buffers on the morphology of mitochondria from resting and exhausted rats. Rats were run to exhaustion and adjacent portions from the left ventricle or from the soleus were treated with the following fixation procedures: (a) glutaraldehyde buffered with cacodylate, S-collidine, or phosphate…

Distinct alterations in colonic morphology and physiology in two rat models of enhanced stress-induced anxiety and depression-like behaviour.

PubMed

O'Malley, Dervla; Julio-Pieper, Marcela; Gibney, Sinead M; Dinan, Timothy G; Cryan, John F

2010-03-01

Stress and anxiety are important causal and exacerbating factors in functional gastro-intestinal (GI) disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome. Stress affects GI motility, faecal transit and visceral pain sensitivity. Additionally, permeability and function of the gut epithelium, which acts as a barrier between the external environment and the body's internal milieu is altered by stress. However, the effects of an enhanced stress response on colonic morphology require further investigation. We have used two animal models of stress and anxiety, the maternally separated (MS) and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats to examine colonic morphology. These rats exhibit increased anxiety behaviours, visceral hypersensitivity and increased stress-induced defecation in the open field arena. At a morphological level, increased mucus secretion and an associated elevation in the number of mucosal goblet cells was observed in the high anxiety rats. Additionally, the mucosal layer was flattened in MS and WKY rats, a finding indicative of mild mucosal damage. Furthermore, the muscular layer of the distal colon in these animals was thickened, an observation that may have implications for faecal transit and visceral pain perception. This study provides evidence of altered colonic function and morphology in two animal models with a heightened response to stress.

Chronic administration of resveratrol prevents morphological changes in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of aged rats.

PubMed

Monserrat Hernández-Hernández, Elizabeth; Serrano-García, Carolina; Antonio Vázquez-Roque, Rubén; Díaz, Alfonso; Monroy, Elibeth; Rodríguez-Moreno, Antonio; Florán, Benjamin; Flores, Gonzalo

2016-05-01

Resveratrol may induce its neuroprotective effects by reducing oxidative damage and chronic inflammation apart from improving vascular function and activating longevity genes, it also has the ability to promote the activity of neurotrophic factors. Morphological changes in dendrites of the pyramidal neurons of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus have been reported in the brain of aging humans, or in humans with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. These changes are reflected particularly in the decrement of both the dendritic tree and spine density. Here we evaluated the effect of resveratrol on the dendrites of pyramidal neurons of the PFC (Layers 3 and 5), CA1- and CA3-dorsal hippocampus (DH) as well as CA1-ventral hippocampus, dentate gyrus (DG), and medium spiny neurons of the nucleus accumbens of aged rats. 18-month-old rats were administered resveratrol (20 mg/kg, orally) daily for 60 days. Dendritic morphology was studied by the Golgi-Cox stain procedure, followed by Sholl analysis on 20-month-old rats. In all resveratrol-treated rats, a significant increase in dendritic length and spine density in pyramidal neurons of the PFC, CA1, and CA3 of DH was observed. Interestingly, the enhancement in dendritic length was close to the soma in pyramidal neurons of the PFC, whereas in neurons of the DH and DG, the increase in dendritic length was further from the soma. Our results suggest that resveratrol induces modifications of dendritic morphology in the PFC, DH, and DG. These changes may explain the therapeutic effect of resveratrol in aging and in Alzheimer's disease. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Morphological study on dental caries induced in WBN/KobSlc rats (Rattus norvegicus) fed a standard laboratory diet.

PubMed

Fukuzato, Yoko; Matsuura, Tetsuro; Ozaki, Kiyokazu; Matsuura, Masahiro; Sano, Tomoya; Nakahara, Yutaka; Kodama, Yasushi; Nakagawa, Akihito; Okamura, Sumie; Suido, Hirohisa; Torii, Kayo; Makino, Taketoshi; Narama, Isao

2009-10-01

In our previous studies, WBN/KobSlc was characterized as a rat strain in which only males began to develop pancreatitis, and then presented with diabetic symptoms. In the course of studying their pancreatic inflammation, we detected molar caries in prediabetic males feeding on a standard diet (CRF-1) widely used for experimental animals. The purpose of this study is to confirm whether the WBN/KobSlc strain is caries-susceptible to the diet reported to be non-cariogenic, and to examine the effect of a prediabetic condition on their dental caries. For a morphological study, 25 male WBN/KobSlc rats aged 3.2-7.8 months and 24 females of the same strain aged 3.3-6.6 months were used, along with 10 males and 10 females of 8.2-month-old F344 rats. Marked dental caries were detected in the mandibular molars of male and female WBN/KobSlc rats regardless of pancreatitis, although no similar changes were observed in any teeth of the F344 strain fed the same diet. Soft X-ray examination revealed that the caries began in the crown and progressed horizontally and vertically, and that a severe radiolucent lesion extensively expanded to the entire crown, corresponding to a macroscopically deleted molar. The caries had gradually developed mainly in the second mandibular molar from more than 3.5 months of age, while none were seen in any rats before that time. The WBN/KobSlc rats were caries-susceptible even to the standard laboratory diet, and pancreatitis was not directly associated with the onset of dental caries in this strain.

Nitric oxide is involved in the hypothyroidism with significant morphology changes in female Wistar rats induced by chronic exposure to high water iodine from potassium iodate.

PubMed

Rong, Shengzhong; Gao, Yanhui; Yang, Yanmei; Shao, Hanwen; Okekunle, Akinkunmi Paul; Lv, Chunpeng; Du, Yang; Sun, Hongna; Jiang, Yuting; Darko, Gottfried M; Sun, Dianjun

2018-05-03

Epidemiological studies indicated that chronic exposure to high water iodine is associated with primary hypothyroidism (PH) and subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH). However, the mechanism is not well understood. In this study, we explored whether chronic exposure to high water iodine from potassium iodate (KIO 3 ) can induce hypothyroidism in addition to determining if nitric oxide (NO) is involved in the pathogenesis. 96 female Wistar rats were divided into six groups: control, I 1000μg/L , I 3000μg/L , I 6000μg/L , N-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME) and L-NAME+I 6000μg/L . After 3 months, urine iodine concentration, thyroid hormone, NO and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) serum levels were determined. Additionally, thyroid expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was also investigated. Thyroid morphology was observed under light microscopy and transmission electron microscope. SCH as indicated by elevated serum thyrotropin (TSH) was induced among rats exposed to 3000 μg/L I - , while rats treated with 6000 μg/L I - presented PH characterized by elevated TSH and lowered total thyroxine in serum. Moreover, serum NO, NOS and iNOS expression in the thyroid were significantly increased in I 3000μg/L and I 6000μg/L groups. Changes in thyroid function and morphology in the L-NAME+I 6000μg/L group were extenuated compared to I 6000μg/L group. These findings suggested that chronic exposure to high water iodine from KIO 3 likely induces hypothyroidism with significant morphology changes in female Wistar rats and NO appears to be involved in the pathogenesis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ameliorated effect of L-arginine supplementation on gingival morphology in cyclosporin-treated rats.

PubMed

Fu, E; Tz-Chong, C; Liu, D; Chiu, S C

2000-11-01

The role of nitric oxide (NO) in the pathogenesis of cyclosporin (CsA)-induced gingival overgrowth is unknown. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of NO substrate (L-arginine) and blockade (N-nitro-L-arginine methylester-hydrochloride, L-NAME) on the gingival morphology in CsA-fed rats. Sixty CsA-fed (10 mg/kg/day) male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to 3 groups. Animals in 2 experimental groups received L-arginine (1% weight/weight) in rat chowder or L-NAME (50 mg/l) in drinking water, respectively, for 4 weeks. Rats in the control group were fed a normal diet and water. At week 0, 2, and 4, dental stone models were made from the mandibular anterior region and the gingival dimensions (width, depth, and height) were measured. The tail cuff blood pressure and the plasma nitrate level were also measured at week 4 to monitor the effects of L-arginine and L-NAME treatment. No significant difference in the gingival dimensions was noticed at week 0; however, significant differences were observed at weeks 2 and 4, except the buccolingual depth at week 2. While the magnitude of gingival dimensions was large, moderate, and small in control, L-NAME, and L-arginine groups, respectively, we found significantly reduced gingival dimensions in both L-arginine supplement and L-NAME groups. Nevertheless, the reduced gingival overgrowth in the L-NAME treatment group was far less than that in the exogenous NO treatment group. Plasma NO2-/NO3- concentrations were also significantly different; i.e., from the highest to the lowest levels were the L-arginine, CsA control, and L-NAME group, respectively. A significantly increased mean and diastolic blood pressure was found in the L-NAME group compared to the L-arginine group. Gingival morphology in CsA-fed rats was evaluated after NO substrate (L-arginine) and blockade (L-NAME) treatment for 4 weeks. Significantly decreased dimensions were noted in the L-arginine group compared to the CsA group at weeks 2 and 4

Isolation and characterization of dental epithelial cells derived from amelogenesis imperfecta rat.

PubMed

Adiningrat, A; Tanimura, A; Miyoshi, K; Hagita, H; Yanuaryska, R D; Arinawati, D Y; Horiguchi, T; Noma, T

2016-03-01

Disruption of the third zinc finger domain of specificity protein 6 (SP6) presents an enamel-specific defect in a rat model of amelogenesis imperfecta (AMI rats). To understand the molecular basis of amelogenesis imperfecta caused by the Sp6 mutation, we established and characterized AMI-derived rat dental epithelial (ARE) cells. ARE cell clones were isolated from the mandibular incisors of AMI rats, and amelogenesis-related gene expression was analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Localization of wild-type SP6 (SP6WT) and mutant-type SP6 (SP6AMI) was analyzed by immunocytochemistry. SP6 transcriptional activity was monitored by rho-associated protein kinase 1 (Rock1) promoter activity with its specific binding to the promoter region in dental (G5 and ARE) and non-dental (COS-7) epithelial cells. Isolated ARE cells were varied in morphology and gene expression. Both SP6WT and SP6AMI were mainly detected in nuclei. The promoter analysis revealed that SP6WT and SP6AMI enhanced Rock1 promoter activity in G5 cells but that enhancement by SP6AMI was weaker, whereas no enhancement was observed in the ARE and COS-7 cells, even though SP6WT and SP6AMI bound to the promoter in all instances. ARE cell clones can provide a useful in vitro model to study the mechanism of SP6-mediated amelogenesis imperfecta. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Morphological studies of rat adrenal glands after space flight on "Kosmos-1667"].

PubMed

Prodan, N G; Bara'nska, V

1989-01-01

Histological and histomorphometric examinations of rat adrenals after a 7-day flight revealed the following changes: blood congestion in the cortex and medulla, progressive delipoidization of the cortex, slight enlargement of the nuclear volume of glomerular and fascicular zones, vacuolization of the cytoplasm of medulla cells, reduction of the area of noradrenocyte islets and cell nuclei of the medulla; the adrenal weight remained however unchanged. It is concluded that an early period of adaptation to microgravity was accompanied by a weak stress-reaction. Upon return to Earth the rats developed an acute gravitational stress. From the morphological point of view the stress manifested as: increased volume of nuclei in fascicular cells, decreased content of lipids in them, and greater vacuolization of the cytoplasm of medulla cells. The lack of medulla hypertrophy, reduction of the area of noradrenocyte islets and nuclei of medulla cells suggest that 7-day exposure to microgravity did not exert of stimulating effect on the sympathetic system of rats.

The effects of Creatine Long-Term Supplementation on Muscle Morphology and Swimming Performance in Rats

PubMed Central

Yildiz, Ahmet; Ozdemir, Ercan; Gulturk, Sefa; Erdal, Sena

2009-01-01

Creatine (Cr) has been shown to increase the total muscle mass. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Cr supplementation on muscle morphology and swimming performance, using an animal model. Each rat was subjected to exercise 15-minute period daily for the 12 weeks. The rats were randomly divided into four groups: no Cr supplementation (CON), no Cr supplementation and incomplete food intake (lacking lysine and methionine in diet for rats) (INCO), Cr supplementation 1 g·kg-1·day-1 (CREAT-I) and Cr supplementation 2 g·kg-1·day-1 (CREAT-II). Three months later, all groups adult rats exercised in swimming pool chambers. Swimming time was recorded as minute for each rat. Following swimming performance period, the animals were killed by cervical dislocation and the gastrocnemius and diaphragm muscles were dissected. Serial slices of 5-7 μm were allocated paraffin wax and histochemical staining procedure of cross-sections was carried out with heamatoxylin-eosin technics. All groups gained body weight at the end of 12 weeks but there was no statistical difference among them. Swimming time values were statistical difference between CREAT-II and CON group as well as between CREAT-I and CON group (p < 0.05). In the INCO group was determined increased connective tissue cell of the muscle sample. In contrast, in the CREAT-I and CREAT-II group, the basic histological changes were large-scale muscle fibers and hypertrophic muscle cells. These results suggest that long-term creatine supplementation increased the number of muscle fibers and enhanced endurance swimming performance in rats. Key points There is no study about the effects of creatine long-term supplementation on muscle morphology and swimming performance in rats. Long-term creatine supplementation increase muscle hypertrophy (but not body weight) and enhance endurance swimming performance in rats. The quantitative analysis indicated that the number of muscle fibers per defined area increased

Evaluation of Retinal Function and Morphology of the Pink-Eyed Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) Rat: A Comparative Study of in Vivo and in Vitro Methods.

PubMed

Rösch, Sarah; Aretzweiler, Christoph; Müller, Frank; Walter, Peter

2017-02-01

To characterize the course of retinal degeneration in the pink-eyed RCS rat in vivo and in vitro. Retinal function of RCS rats at the age of 2 to 100 weeks was determined in vivo using full-field electroretinography (ERG). Retinal morphology was evaluated in vivo using spectral domain Optical Coherence Tomography (sd-OCT) and Fluorescence angiography (FA) as well as postmortem using immunohistochemistry (IH). As a control, retinal function and morphology of non-dystrophic Wistar rats were analyzed. RCS rats showed an extinction of the ERG beginning with the age of 4 weeks. In the OCT, the outer part of the retina (OPR) could be clearly distinguished from the inner part of the retina (IPR) until the age of 8 weeks. However, at this age, it was impossible to determine from OCT images whether the OPR was formed by the outer nuclear layer (ONL) or by cellular debris built in the course of retinal degeneration. In contrast, immunohistochemistry always enabled to differentiate between ONL and debris (RCS 4 weeks of age: OPR mainly formed by ONL; RCS 8 weeks of age: OPR consisted mainly of cell debris, only 1-2 cell rows of photoreceptor somata were left). In general, data obtained in vivo were confirmed by data obtained post mortem. Apart from the problem to differentiate between debris and ONL at the age of 8 weeks in the RCS rat, ERG and OCT are useful methods to evaluate retinal function and structure in vivo and to complement immunohistochemical analysis of the degeneration process.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation improves GLUT-4 and morphological characteristics of skeletal muscle in rats with heart failure.

PubMed

de Leon, E B; Bortoluzzi, A; Rucatti, A; Nunes, R B; Saur, L; Rodrigues, M; Oliveira, U; Alves-Wagner, A B; Xavier, L L; Machado, U F; Schaan, B D; Dall'Ago, P

2011-02-01

Changes in skeletal muscle morphology and metabolism are associated with limited functional capacity in heart failure, which can be attenuated by neuromuscular electrical stimulation (ES). The purpose of the present study was to analyse the effects of ES upon GLUT-4 protein content, fibre structure and vessel density of the skeletal muscle in a rat model of HF subsequent to myocardial infarction. Forty-four male Wistar rats were assigned to one of four groups: sham (S), sham submitted to ES (S+ES), heart failure (HF) and heart failure submitted to ES (HF+ES). The rats in the ES groups were submitted to ES of the left leg during 20 days (2.5 kHz, once a day, 30 min, duty cycle 50%- 15 s contraction/15 s rest). After this period, the left tibialis anterior muscle was collected from all the rats for analysis. HF+ES rats showed lower values of lung congestion when compared with HF rats (P = 0.0001). Although muscle weight was lower in HF rats than in the S group, thus indicating hypotrophy, 20 days of ES led to their recovery (P < 0.0001). In both groups submitted to ES, there was an increase in muscle vessel density (P < 0.04). Additionally, heart failure determined a 49% reduction in GLUT-4 protein content (P < 0.03), which was recovered by ES (P < 0.01). In heart failure, ES improves morphological changes and raises GLUT-4 content in skeletal muscle. © 2010 The Authors. Acta Physiologica © 2010 Scandinavian Physiological Society.

Characterization of rat calcitonin mRNA.

PubMed Central

Amara, S G; David, D N; Rosenfeld, M G; Roos, B A; Evans, R M

1980-01-01

A chimeric plasmic containing cDNA complementary to rat calcitonin mRNA has been constructed. Partial sequence analysis shows that the insert contains a nucleotide sequence encoding the complete amino acid sequence of calcitonin. Two basic amino acids precede and three basic amino acids follow the hormone sequence, suggesting that calcitonin is generated by the proteolytic cleavage of a larger precursor in a manner analogous to that of other small polypeptide hormones. The COOH-terminal proline, known to be amidated in the secreted hormone, is followed by a glycine in the precursor. The cloned calcitonin DNA was used to characterize the expression of calcitonin mRNA. Cytoplasmic mRNAs from calcitonin-producing rat medullary thyroid carcinoma lines and from normal rat thyroid glands contain a single species, 1050 nucleotides long, whch hybridizes to the cloned calcitonin cDNA. The concentration of calcitonin mRNA sequences is greater in those tumors that produce larger amounts of immunoreactive calcitonin. RNAs from other endocrine tissues, including anterior and neurointermediate lobes of rat pituitary, contain no detectable calcitonin mRNA. Images PMID:6933496

Morphology and Molecular Mechanisms of Hepatic Injury in Rats under Simulated Weightlessness and the Protective Effects of Resistance Training.

PubMed

Du, Fang; Ding, Ye; Zou, Jun; Li, Zhili; Tian, Jijing; She, Ruiping; Wang, Desheng; Wang, Huijuan; Lv, Dongqiang; Chang, Lingling

2015-01-01

This study investigated the effects of long-term simulated weightlessness on liver morphology, enzymes, glycogen, and apoptosis related proteins by using two-month rat-tail suspension model (TS), and liver injury improvement by rat-tail suspension with resistance training model (TS&RT). Microscopically the livers of TS rats showed massive granular degeneration, chronic inflammation, and portal fibrosis. Mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum swelling and loss of membrane integrity were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The similar, but milder, morphological changes were observed in the livers of TS&RT rats. Serum biochemistry analysis revealed that the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were significantly higher (p<0.05) in TS rats than in controls. The levels of ALT and AST in TS&RT rats were slightly lower than in RT rats, but they were insignificantly higher than in controls. However, both TS and TS&RT rats had significantly lower levels (p<0.05) of serum glucose and hepatic glycogen than in controls. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that the expressions of Bax, Bcl-2, and active caspase-3 were higher in TS rats than in TS&RT and control rats. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) showed that TS rats had higher mRNA levels (P < 0.05) of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and caspase-12 transcription than in control rats; whereas mRNA expressions of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) were slightly higher in TS rats. TS&RT rats showed no significant differences of above 4 mRNAs compared with the control group. Our results demonstrated that long-term weightlessness caused hepatic injury, and may trigger hepatic apoptosis. Resistance training slightly improved hepatic damage.

Morphology and Molecular Mechanisms of Hepatic Injury in Rats under Simulated Weightlessness and the Protective Effects of Resistance Training

PubMed Central

Zou, Jun; Li, Zhili; Tian, Jijing; She, Ruiping; Wang, Desheng; Wang, Huijuan; Lv, Dongqiang; Chang, Lingling

2015-01-01

This study investigated the effects of long-term simulated weightlessness on liver morphology, enzymes, glycogen, and apoptosis related proteins by using two-month rat-tail suspension model (TS), and liver injury improvement by rat-tail suspension with resistance training model (TS&RT). Microscopically the livers of TS rats showed massive granular degeneration, chronic inflammation, and portal fibrosis. Mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum swelling and loss of membrane integrity were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The similar, but milder, morphological changes were observed in the livers of TS&RT rats. Serum biochemistry analysis revealed that the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were significantly higher (p<0.05) in TS rats than in controls. The levels of ALT and AST in TS&RT rats were slightly lower than in RT rats, but they were insignificantly higher than in controls. However, both TS and TS&RT rats had significantly lower levels (p<0.05) of serum glucose and hepatic glycogen than in controls. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that the expressions of Bax, Bcl-2, and active caspase-3 were higher in TS rats than in TS&RT and control rats. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) showed that TS rats had higher mRNA levels (P < 0.05) of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and caspase-12 transcription than in control rats; whereas mRNA expressions of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) were slightly higher in TS rats. TS&RT rats showed no significant differences of above 4 mRNAs compared with the control group. Our results demonstrated that long-term weightlessness caused hepatic injury, and may trigger hepatic apoptosis. Resistance training slightly improved hepatic damage. PMID:26000905

The characterization of obese polycystic ovary syndrome rat model suitable for exercise intervention.

PubMed

Wu, Chuyan; Lin, Feng; Qiu, Shuwei; Jiang, Zhongli

2014-01-01

To develop a new polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) rat model suitable for exercise intervention. Thirty six rats were randomly divided into three experimental groups: PCOS rats with high-fat diet (PF, n = 24), PCOS rats with ordinary diet (PO, n = 6), and control rats with ordinary diet (CO, n = 6). Two kinds of PCOS rat model were made by adjustment diet structure and testosterone injection for 28 days. After a successful animal model, PF model rats were randomly assigned to three groups: exercise with a continuation of high-fat diet (PF-EF, n = 6), sedentary with a continuation of high-fat diet (PF-SF, n = 6), exercise with an ordinary diet (PF-EO, n = 6). Fasting blood glucose (FBG) and insulin (FINS), estrogen (E2), progesterone (P), and testosterone (T) in serum were determined by RIA, and ovarian morphology was evaluated by Image-Pro plus 6.0. Body weight, Lee index, FINS increased significantly in PF rat model. Serum levels of E2 and T were significantly higher in PF and PO than in CO. Ovary organ index and ovarian areas were significant lower in PF than in CO. After intervention for 2 weeks, the levels of 1 h postprandial blood glucose (PBG1), 2 h postprandial blood glucose (PBG2), FINS and the serum levels of T decreased significantly in PF-EF rats and PF-EO rats. The ratio of FBG/FINS was significant higher in PF-EO rats than in PF-SF rats. Ovarian morphology showed that the numbers of preantral follicles and atretic follicles decreased significantly, and the numbers of antral follicles and corpora lutea increased significantly in the rats of PF-EF and PF-EO. By combination of high-fat diet and testosterone injection, the obese PCOS rat model is conformable with the lifestyle habits of fatty foods and insufficient exercise, and has metabolic and reproductive characteristics of human PCOS. This model can be applied to study exercise intervention.

The Characterization of Obese Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Rat Model Suitable for Exercise Intervention

PubMed Central

Qiu, Shuwei; Jiang, Zhongli

2014-01-01

Objective To develop a new polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) rat model suitable for exercise intervention. Method Thirty six rats were randomly divided into three experimental groups: PCOS rats with high-fat diet (PF, n = 24), PCOS rats with ordinary diet (PO, n = 6), and control rats with ordinary diet (CO, n = 6). Two kinds of PCOS rat model were made by adjustment diet structure and testosterone injection for 28 days. After a successful animal model, PF model rats were randomly assigned to three groups: exercise with a continuation of high-fat diet (PF-EF, n = 6), sedentary with a continuation of high-fat diet (PF-SF, n = 6), exercise with an ordinary diet (PF-EO, n = 6). Fasting blood glucose (FBG) and insulin (FINS), estrogen (E2), progesterone (P), and testosterone (T) in serum were determined by RIA, and ovarian morphology was evaluated by Image-Pro plus 6.0. Results Body weight, Lee index, FINS increased significantly in PF rat model. Serum levels of E2 and T were significantly higher in PF and PO than in CO. Ovary organ index and ovarian areas were significant lower in PF than in CO. After intervention for 2 weeks, the levels of 1 h postprandial blood glucose (PBG1), 2 h postprandial blood glucose (PBG2), FINS and the serum levels of T decreased significantly in PF-EF rats and PF-EO rats. The ratio of FBG/FINS was significant higher in PF-EO rats than in PF-SF rats. Ovarian morphology showed that the numbers of preantral follicles and atretic follicles decreased significantly, and the numbers of antral follicles and corpora lutea increased significantly in the rats of PF-EF and PF-EO. Conclusion By combination of high-fat diet and testosterone injection, the obese PCOS rat model is conformable with the lifestyle habits of fatty foods and insufficient exercise, and has metabolic and reproductive characteristics of human PCOS. This model can be applied to study exercise intervention. PMID:24905232

Water maze performance of aged Sprague-Dawley rats in relation to retinal morphologic measures.

PubMed

Spencer, R L; O'Steen, W K; McEwen, B S

1995-06-01

The spatial learning ability of aged male and female Sprague-Dawley rats was assessed using the Morris water maze. To determine the influence of age-related visual deficits on performance levels, retinal morphologic measures were correlated with water maze performance for each rat. Rats were first trained on the water maze task at 21 months of age and were retrained 3 or 4 times at 6-week intervals. After the last training session the rats were killed and their eyes were removed for histopathologic and morphometric evaluation of the retinas. There was a large degree of retinal degeneration in all of the aged Sprague-Dawley rats with an average decrease in the thickness of the retinal outer nuclear layer (photoreceptor nuclei containing layer) of 85% in old males and 95% in old females. Some rats, however, had less degeneration of the retinas than others, and the degree of retinal degeneration was strongly related to performance levels on the water maze task. Among the aged rats in this study with the least retinal degeneration, there was little evidence for a subset of rats that were unable, with extensive training, to learn a platform position. Of the 41 rats with the least retinal degeneration (out of a total of 81), only one was a clear non-learner on the water maze task, whereas, of the 27 rats with the most retinal degeneration, 20 were non-learners. These results illustrate the potentially serious confounding effects of deteriorating visual ability on attempts to assess cognitive functioning of aged albino rats on tasks requiring utilization of visual cues.

Morphological changes in the liver and kidneys of rats subjected to terminal ileum exclusion during obstructive cholestasis.

PubMed

Costa, Evandro Luis de Oliveira; Azevedo, Geraldo Magela de; Petroianu, Andy

2014-06-01

To investigate the effects of ileal exclusion on hepatic and renal morphology in extra-hepatic cholestasis. Twenty four rats were distributed into three groups. Group 1 (control) underwent laparotomy and laparorrhaphy. The animals in groups 2 and 3 underwent hepatic duct ligature and kept in cholestasis for four weeks. After this period, the rats in groups 2 and 3 underwent internal biliary derivation. In Group 3, the last ten centimeters of the terminal ileum were by passed and excluded. Four weeks later, histological and biochemical analysis were performed in all animals of the three groups. In Group 1, no abnormalities regarding hepatic morphology were observed. All animals from groups 2 and 3 presented hepatic fibrosis. No difference was observed between the two groups. No morphological differences in renal histology could be identified among the three groups. There were differences in AST (p<0.05), ALT (p<0.05), direct bilirubin (p<0.05), ƔGT (p<0.05), urea (p<0.05) and creatinine (p<0.05) in Group 3 compared to control. The distal ileum exclusion had no influence upon the hepatic and renal morphological alterations, and biochemical liver and kidney tests have worsened.

Morphological and secretory characterization of extrafloral nectaries in plants of coastal Veracruz, Mexico.

PubMed

Díaz-Castelazo, Cecilia; Rico-Gray, Victor; Ortega, Fernando; Angeles, Guillermo

2005-12-01

Morphological descriptions of the extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) of certain plant species are common in the literature, but they rarely relate morphology with histology, gland distribution and secretory attributes. In this study a morphological/secretory characterization of EFNs occurring on several plant species in a tropical coastal community is made and the implications of gland attributes discussed from a functional perspective. The morphology and nectar secretion of the EFNs of 20 plant species are characterized through scanning electron microscopy, histochemical detection of reducing sugars (Fehling's reagent) and nectar volume/concentration estimates. Sixty-five per cent of plant species in coastal communities had EFNs on vegetative structures and 35 % of species had glands on reproductive and vegetative organs. The Fabaceae is the plant family with the most species with EFNs and most diversity of gland morphologies. Four types of vascularized nectaries and four of glandular trichomes are described; sugar-secreting trichomes are characterized using Fehling's technique, and the first descriptions of unicellular and peltate trichomes functioning as EFNs are provided. Glands of ten plant species and six genera are described for the first time. Four plant species possess more than one morphological type of EFN. Eleven species have EFNs in more than one location or organ. More complex glands secrete more nectar, but are functionally homologous to the aggregations of numerous secretory trichomes on specific and valuable plant organs. Important diversity of EFN morphology was foundin the coastal plant community studied. Both vascularized and non-vascularized EFNs are observed in plants and, for the latter, previously non-existent morpho-secretory characterizations are provided with a methodological approach to study them. It is recommended that studies relating EFN attributes (i.e. morphology, distribution) with their differential visitation by insects (i.e. ants

Cobalt treatment does not prevent glomerular morphological alterations in type 1 diabetic rats.

PubMed

Singh, Gaaminepreet; Krishan, Pawan

2018-06-02

Early renal morphological alterations including glomerular hypertrophy and mesangial expansion occur in diabetic kidney disease and correlate with various clinical manifestations of diabetes. The present study was designed to investigate the influence of pharmacological modulation of HIF-1α (hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha) protein levels, on these glomerular changes in rodent model of type 1 diabetes. Male wistar rats were made diabetic (Streptozotocin 45 mg/kg; i.p.) and afterwards treated with HIF activator cobalt chloride for 4 weeks. Renal function was assessed by serum creatinine, albumin, proteinuria levels, oxidative stress: reduced glutathione levels and catalase activity, and renal tissue HIF-1α protein levels were determined by ELISA assay. Histological analysis of kidney sections was done by haematoxylin and eosin (glomeruli diameter), periodic acid Schiff (mesangial expansion and glomerulosclerosis) and sirius red (fibrosis, tubular dilation) staining. Diabetes rats displayed reduced serum albumin levels, marked proteinuria, lower kidney reduced glutathione content, glomerular hypertrophy, glomerulosclerosis, mesangial expansion, tubular dilation and renal fibrosis. Cobalt chloride treatment normalised renal HIF-1α protein levels, reduced development of proteinuria and tubulo-interstitial fibrosis, but the glomerular morphological alterations such as glomerulosclerosis, mesangial expansion, increased glomerular diameter and tubular vacoulations were not abrogated in diabetic kidneys. Glomerular morphological abnormalities might precede the development of proteinuria and renal fibrosis in experimental model of type 1 diabetes. Pharmacological modulation of renal HIF-1α protein levels does not influence glomerular and tubular dilatory changes in diabetic kidney disease.

[Effects of soybean isoflavone on born metabolism and morphology in animal model of osteoporosis rats].

PubMed

Yu, Qing; Su, Yi-xiang; Wang, Wen-wei; Li, An-le; Liu, Cun-li; Wang, Yi-long; Hu, Wan-li

2007-07-01

To study the effects of soybean isoflavone (SI) on born metabolism and morphology in animal model of osteoporosis rats. All 70 female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 7 groups according to the levels of total cholesterol (TC) in serum: hyper-lipoid group, estrogen group, low-dose SI group, middle-dose SI group, high-dose SI group, sham group and normal control groups. Bilateral ovaries were extirpated except sham and normal control groups. Except the rats in normal control group, the other rats were fed with high fat diet. Body weight was weighted ad unam vice per week. The estrogen, different dose of SI or deionized water were fed with intragastric administration for 12 weeks. Vena caudalis serum were collected after being ovariectomized, administered for 4 w, 8 w and killed. Serum alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity and bone density were measured etc. To interfere of estrogen and SI might recover AKP enzyme activity after its being ovariectomized. There almost sowed no differences between high dose SI intervention and estrogen on bone density and microstructure. Bone loss due to being ovariectomized was relieved after SI intervention. SI might protect cardiocyte myofilament and mitochondrial ultramicrostructure. There was mirror image in estrogen, high dose SI group resembling the normal control group, and there was obvious damage in hyper-lipoids group. There should be effects of high dose SI on bone metabolism and morphology in animal model of osteoporosis rats. Serum AKP enzyme activity and bone density should have significantly recovered, the serum level of calcium and phosphorus were maintained after high dose intervened but no significant effects for low dose of SI.

Aeolian Rat Tails (ARTs): A New Morphological Indicator of Abrasion Direction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Favaro, E. A.; Hugenholtz, C.; Barchyn, T.

2016-12-01

Aeolian rat tails (ARTs) are a previously undocumented aeolian abrasion feature observed on ignimbrite surfaces in the Puna Plateau of Northwest Argentina and bare morphological similarity to small-scale features on Mars. We describe the terrestrial features and present an evolutionary sequence from inception to demise. ARTs are regionally-ubiquitous and characterized by a windward abrasion-resistant lithic clast and a downwind-tapering tail. The size of ARTs is controlled by the diameter of the windward lithic clast, observed on the sub-decimeter to meter scale. Their distribution throughout the Campo de Piedra Pómez, and adjacent regions is determined by the ignimbrite clast content. ARTs develop under a uni-modal abrasion direction when lithic clasts are eroded out of the ignimbrite matrix, protrude from the surface, and shelter material directly behind the clast. As the surrounding material is eroded away, a downwind-tapered tail develops. Continued erosion of the adjacent surface leads to the undercutting of clasts, liberating them from the feature where, if small enough, the clasts can be transported downwind, leading to the destruction of the tail and ultimately the feature. This evolutionary sequence accounts not only for the morphology of the feature, but also the presence of loose clasts on the ignimbrite surface, which plays a role in the development of other enigmatic landforms in the area, such as periodic bedrock ridges, yardangs, and megaripples. The significance of the identification of ARTs is due to the necessity of uni-modal abrasion direction for their development, thereby making their orientation a diagnostic indicator of long-term aeolian abrasion direction. ARTs are likely analogs of features identified by MSL Curiosity Rover on Mars, possibly providing information on past and present wind regimes.

Expression of developmental myosin and morphological characteristics in adult rat skeletal muscle following exercise-induced injury.

PubMed

Smith, H K; Plyley, M J; Rodgers, C D; McKee, N H

1999-07-01

The extent and stability of the expression of developmental isoforms of myosin heavy chain (MHCd), and their association with cellular morphology, were determined in adult rat skeletal muscle fibres following injury induced by eccentrically-biased exercise. Adult female Wistar rats [274 (10) g] were either assigned as non-exercised controls or subjected to 30 min of treadmill exercise (grade, -16 degrees; speed, 15 m x min(-1)), and then sacrificed following 1, 2, 4, 7, or 12 days of recovery (n = 5-6 per group). Histologically and immunohistologically stained serial, transverse cryosections of the soleus (S), vastus intermedius (VI), and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles were examined using light microscopy and digital imaging. Fibres staining positively for MHCd (MHCd+) were seldom detected in the TA. In the VI and S, higher proportions of MHCd+ fibres (0.8% and 2.5%, respectively) were observed in rats at 4 and 7 days post-exercise, in comparison to all other groups combined (0.2%, 1.2%; P < or = 0.01). In S, MHCd+ fibres were observed less frequently by 12 days (0.7%) than at 7 days (2.6%) following exercise. The majority (85.1%) of the MHCd+ fibres had morphological characteristics indicative of either damage, degeneration, repair or regeneration. Most of the MHCd+ fibres also expressed adult slow, and/or fast myosin heavy chain. Quantitatively, the MHCd+ fibres were smaller (< 2500 microm2) and more angular than fibres not expressing MHCd. Thus, there was a transient increase in a small, but distinct population of MHCd+ fibres following unaccustomed, functional exercise in adult rat S and VI muscles. The observed close coupling of MHCd expression with morphological changes within muscle fibres suggests that these characteristics have a common, initial exercise-induced injury-related stimulus.

Insulin upregulates GRIM-19 and protects cardiac mitochondrial morphology in type 1 diabetic rats partly through PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

PubMed

Li, Yong-Guang; Dong, Zhi-Feng; Chen, Kan-Kai; He, Ya-Ping; Dai, Xiao-Yan; Li, Shuai; Li, Jing-Bo; Zhu, Wei; Wei, Meng

2017-11-04

Insulin is involved in the development of diabetic heart disease and is important in the activities of mitochondrial complex I. However, the effect of insulin on cardiac mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) 1 subunit of retinoic-interferon-induced mortality 19 (GRIM-19) has not been characterized. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of insulin on the mitochondrial GRIM-19 in the hearts of rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetes. Protein changes of GRIM-19 were evaluated by western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, the effects of insulin on mitochondrial complex I were detected in HeLa cells and H9C2 cardiac myocytes. During the development of diabetic heart disease, the cardiac function did not change within the 8 weeks, but the mitochondrial morphology was altered. The hearts from the rats with STZ-induced diabetes exhibited reduced expression of GRIM-19. Prior to the overt cardiac dilatation, mitochondrial alterations were already present. Following subcutaneous insulin injection, it was demonstrated that GRIM-19 protein was altered, as well as the mitochondrial morphology. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 had an effect on insulin signaling in H9C2 cardiacmyocytes, and decreased the level of GRIM-19 by half compared with that in the insulin group. The results indicate that insulin is essential for the control of cardiac mitochondrial morphology and the GRIM-19 expression partly via PI3K/AKT signaling pathways. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Morphologic and proteomic characterization of exosomes released by cultured extravillous trophoblast cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Atay, Safinur; Gercel-Taylor, Cicek; Kesimer, Mehmet

Exosomes represent an important intercellular communication vehicle, mediating events essential for the decidual microenvironment. While we have demonstrated exosome induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, to date, no extensive characterization of trophoblast-derived exosomes has been provided. Our objective was to provide a morphologic and proteomic characterization of these exosomes. Exosomes were isolated from the conditioned media of Swan71 human trophoblast cells by ultrafiltration and ultracentrifugation. These were analyzed for density (sucrose density gradient centrifugation), morphology (electron microscopy), size (dynamic light scattering) and protein composition (Ion Trap mass spectrometry and western immunoblotting). Based on density gradient centrifugation, microvesicles from Sw71 cells exhibit amore » density between 1.134 and 1.173 g/ml. Electron microscopy demonstrated that microvesicles from Sw71 cells exhibit the characteristic cup-shaped morphology of exosomes. Dynamic light scattering showed a bell-shaped curve, indicating a homogeneous population with a mean size of 165 nm {+-} 0.5 nm. Ion Trap mass spectrometry demonstrated the presence of exosome marker proteins (including CD81, Alix, cytoskeleton related proteins, and Rab family). The MS results were confirmed by western immunoblotting. Based on morphology, density, size and protein composition, we defined the release of exosomes from extravillous trophoblast cells and provide their first extensive characterization. This characterization is essential in furthering our understanding of 'normal' early pregnancy.« less

Influence of long-term treatment of the rat with clebopride on the morphology of the mammary gland.

PubMed

de Lima, T C; Morato, G S; Loch, S; Tames, D R

1990-01-01

The substituted benzamides or orthopramides are used to treat gastrointestinal and psychotic disorders. The orthopramide clebopride, a potent dopaminergic antagonist, blocks emesis in dogs and stereotyped behavior in rodents. Since the release of prolactin is inhibited by dopamine, antidopaminergic drugs may be useful to increase lactation in nursing mothers. The present work examines the morphological and histological alterations produced by long-term treatment of puerperal and virgin female rats with clebopride. Clebopride induced significant hyperplasia of parenchymal secretory units and stimulated milk secretion in both groups of rats. However, only in virgin rats was mammary weight significantly increased.

The decreased expression of mitofusin-1 and increased fission-1 together with alterations in mitochondrial morphology in the kidney of rats with chronic fluorosis may involve elevated oxidative stress.

PubMed

Qin, Shuang-Li; Deng, Jie; Lou, Di-Dong; Yu, Wen-Feng; Pei, Jinjing; Guan, Zhi-Zhong

2015-01-01

This study was designed to characterize changes in the expression of mitofusin-1 (Mfn1) and fission-1 (Fis1), as well as in mitochondrial morphology in the kidney of rats subjected to chronic fluorosis and to elucidate whether any mitochondrial injury observed is associated with increased oxidative stress. Sixty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided randomly into 3 groups of 20 each, i.e., the untreated control group (natural drinking water containing <0.5mg fluoride/L), the low-fluoride group (drinking water supplemented with 10mg fluoride/L, prepared with NaF) and the high-fluoride group (50mg fluoride/L), and treated for 6 months. Thereafter, renal expression of Mfn1 and Fis1 at both the protein and mRNA levels was determined by immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR, respectively. In addition, the malondiadehyde (MDA) was quantitated by the thiobarbituric acid procedure and the total antioxidative capability (T-AOC) by a colorimetric method. The morphology of renal mitochondria was observed under the transmission electron microscope. In the renal tissues of rats with chronic fluorosis, expression of both Mfn1 protein and mRNA was clearly reduced, whereas that of Fis1 was elevated. The level of MDA was increased and the T-AOC lowered. Swollen or fragmented mitochondria in renal cells were observed under the electronic microscope. These findings indicate that chronic fluorosis can lead to the abnormal mitochondrial dynamics and changed morphology in the rat kidney, which in mechanism might be induced by a high level of oxidative stress in the disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Morphological Characterization of the African Giant Rat (Cricetomys gambianus, Waterhouse) Brain Across Age Groups: Gross Features of Cortices.

PubMed

Olude, M A; Mustapha, O A; Olopade, J O

2017-03-06

This experiment was designed to investigate the morphological characterization of the brain cortices of African giant rats, AGR (Cricetomys gambianus, Waterhouse) across age groups as related to function. A total of 15 male AGR were used for this study comprising of 5 neonates, 5 juveniles and 5 adults. Brains were described as having typical rodent features; the falx cerebri, the dura modification of interest, was partly inserted between the lobes of the olfactory bulb and extended towards the corpus callosum. Gross parameters extrapolated include cerebral and cerebellar cortical dimensions using a oneway ANOVA (p≤0.05). Most values showed highest significant value bias for juveniles over adults and neonates.  The average brain weight was 5.60±0.06g, 4.64±0.17g and 0.62±0.08g; cortex volume: 2.84±0.04cm3, 3.16±0.10cm3 and 0.23±0.02cm3 and antero-posterior dimensions: 11.93±0.26mm, 14.54±0.22mm and 6.00±0.16mm for adult, juvenile and neonates respectively. There was however adult bias in the cerebellum weight (0.83±0.02g, 0.76±0.02g and 0.04±0.02g); vermis length (13.23±0.32mm, 11.27±0.014mm and 0.24±0.02mm) and the antero-posterior length values (8.79±0.19mm, 6.97±0.03mm and 0.29±0.01mm) for adults, juveniles and neonates AGR respectively. Cortical parameters were related as a function of the brain development and plasticity, while age was described to play functional roles in intelligence determination of the AGR. The result of this study will be useful as baseline information for post mortem studies, medical imaging and useful as diagnostic tool for future research work on the AGR brain.

Morphologic examination of CD3-CD4(bright) cells in rat liver.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Satoshi; Sato, Yosinobu; Abo, Toru; Hatakeyama, Katsuyosi

2002-01-01

Recently, we found CD3-CD4(bright) cells with comparative specificity for normal rat liver. In the current study, we investigated the type and form of both CD3-CD4(bright) cells and CD3-CD4(dull) cells in the rat liver. The surface phenotype of hepatic mononuclear cells in Lewis rats was identified by using monoclonal antibodies including anti-CD4, anti-CD3, and antimacrophage in conjunction with two- or three-color immunofluorescence analysis. CD3-CD4(bright) cells and CD3-CD4(dull) cells were examined morphologically using May-Giemsa staining and scanning electron microscopy. The distribution of CD3-CD4(bright) cells and CD3-CD4(dull) cells 48 hours after intravenous administration of liposome-encapsulated dichloromethylene diphosphate was also investigated. In comparison to CD3-CD4(dull) cells, CD3-CD4(bright) cells were slightly larger macrophages with abundant cytoplasmic granules, being present with comparative specificity for normal rat liver and showing negligible effects by intravenous liposome-encapsulated dichloromethylene diphosphate administration. These data suggest that in normal young rat liver these CD3-CD4(dull) and CD3-CD4(bright) cells may be dendritic cells and Kupffer cells that shift from the liver to the spleen or vice versa. These cells may also be able to locally proliferate in liver or spleen due to changes in the developing liver.

Cardiovascular-renal and metabolic characterization of a rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome.

PubMed

Yanes, Licy L; Romero, Damian G; Moulana, Mohaddetheh; Lima, Roberta; Davis, Deborah D; Zhang, Huimin; Lockhart, Rachel; Racusen, Lorraine C; Reckelhoff, Jane F

2011-04-01

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common reproductive dysfunction in premenopausal women. PCOS is also associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease when PCOS first occurs and later in life. Hypertension, a common finding in women with PCOS, is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The mechanisms responsible for hypertension in women with PCOS have not been elucidated. This study characterized the cardiovascular-renal consequences of hyperandrogenemia in a female rat model. Female Sprague-Dawley rats (aged 4-6 weeks) were implanted with dihydrotestosterone or placebo pellets lasting 90 days. After 10 to 12 weeks, blood pressure (by radiotelemetry), renal function (glomerular filtration rate, morphology, protein, and albumin excretion), metabolic parameters (plasma insulin, glucose, leptin, cholesterol, and oral glucose tolerance test), inflammation (plasma tumor necrosis factor-α), oxidative stress (mRNA expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase subunits, p22(phox), p47(phox), gp91(phox), and NOX4), nitrate/nitrite excretion and mRNA expression of components of the renin-angiotensin system (angiotensinogen, angiotensin-I-converting enzyme [ACE], and AT1 receptor) were determined. Plasma dihydrotestosterone increased 3-fold in hyperandrogenemic female (HAF) rats, whereas plasma estradiol levels did not differ compared with control females. HAF rats exhibited estrus cycle dysfunction. They also had increased food intake and body weight, increased visceral fat, glomerular filtration rate, renal injury, insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction, oxidative stress, and increased expression of angiotensinogen and ACE and reduced AT1 receptor expression. The HAF rat is a unique model that exhibits many of the characteristics of PCOS in women and is a useful model to study the mechanisms responsible for PCOS-mediated hypertension. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 3 in the ventral and lateral hypothalamic area of female rats: morphological characterization and functional implications

PubMed Central

Kiss, David S; Zsarnovszky, Attila; Horvath, Krisztina; Gyorffy, Andrea; Bartha, Tibor; Hazai, Diana; Sotonyi, Peter; Somogyi, Virag; Frenyo, Laszlo V; Diano, Sabrina

2009-01-01

Background Based on its distribution in the brain, ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 3 (NTPDase3) may play a role in the hypothalamic regulation of homeostatic systems, including feeding, sleep-wake behavior and reproduction. To further characterize the morphological attributes of NTPDase3-immunoreactive (IR) hypothalamic structures in the rat brain, here we investigated: 1.) The cellular and subcellular localization of NTPDase3; 2.) The effects of 17β-estradiol on the expression level of hypothalamic NTPDase3; and 3.) The effects of NTPDase inhibition in hypothalamic synaptosomal preparations. Methods Combined light- and electron microscopic analyses were carried out to characterize the cellular and subcellular localization of NTPDase3-immunoreactivity. The effects of estrogen on hypothalamic NTPDase3 expression was studied by western blot technique. Finally, the effects of NTPDase inhibition on mitochondrial respiration were investigated using a Clark-type oxygen electrode. Results Combined light- and electron microscopic analysis of immunostained hypothalamic slices revealed that NTPDase3-IR is linked to ribosomes and mitochondria, is predominantly present in excitatory axon terminals and in distinct segments of the perikaryal plasma membrane. Immunohistochemical labeling of NTPDase3 and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) indicated that γ-amino-butyric-acid- (GABA) ergic hypothalamic neurons do not express NTPDase3, further suggesting that in the hypothalamus, NTPDase3 is predominantly present in excitatory neurons. We also investigated whether estrogen influences the expression level of NTPDase3 in the ventrobasal and lateral hypothalamus. A single subcutaneous injection of estrogen differentially increased NTPDase3 expression in the medial and lateral parts of the hypothalamus, indicating that this enzyme likely plays region-specific roles in estrogen-dependent hypothalamic regulatory mechanisms. Determination of mitochondrial respiration rates

Morphological and Secretory Characterization of Extrafloral Nectaries in Plants of Coastal Veracruz, Mexico

PubMed Central

DÍAZ-CASTELAZO, CECILIA; RICO-GRAY, VICTOR; ORTEGA, FERNANDO; ÁNGELES, GUILLERMO

2005-01-01

• Background and Aims Morphological descriptions of the extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) of certain plant species are common in the literature, but they rarely relate morphology with histology, gland distribution and secretory attributes. In this study a morphological/secretory characterization of EFNs occurring on several plant species in a tropical coastal community is made and the implications of gland attributes discussed from a functional perspective. • Methods The morphology and nectar secretion of the EFNs of 20 plant species are characterized through scanning electron microscopy, histochemical detection of reducing sugars (Fehling's reagent) and nectar volume/concentration estimates. • Key Results Sixty-five per cent of plant species in coastal communities had EFNs on vegetative structures and 35 % of species had glands on reproductive and vegetative organs. The Fabaceae is the plant family with the most species with EFNs and most diversity of gland morphologies. Four types of vascularized nectaries and four of glandular trichomes are described; sugar-secreting trichomes are characterized using Fehling's technique, and the first descriptions of unicellular and peltate trichomes functioning as EFNs are provided. Glands of ten plant species and six genera are described for the first time. Four plant species possess more than one morphological type of EFN. Eleven species have EFNs in more than one location or organ. More complex glands secrete more nectar, but are functionally homologous to the aggregations of numerous secretory trichomes on specific and valuable plant organs. • Conclusion Important diversity of EFN morphology was foundin the coastal plant community studied. Both vascularized and non-vascularized EFNs are observed in plants and, for the latter, previously non-existent morpho-secretory characterizations are provided with a methodological approach to study them. It is recommended that studies relating EFN attributes (i.e. morphology

[Morphological structure of rat epiphysis exposed to electromagnetic radiation from communication devices].

PubMed

Yashchenko, S G; Rybalko, S Yu

Pineal gland is one of the most important components of homeostasis - the supporting system of the body. It participates in the launch of stress responses, restriction of their development, prevention of adverse effects on the body. There was proved an impact of electromagnetic radiation on the epiphysis. However, morphological changes in the epiphysis under exposure to electromagnetic radiation of modern communication devices are studied not sufficiently. For the time present the population is daily exposed to electromagnetic radiation, including local irradiation on the brain. These date determined the task of this research - the study of the structure of rat pineal gland under the exposure to electromagnetic radiation from personal computers and mobile phones. These date determined the task of this research - the study of the structure of rat pineal gland under the exposure to electromagnetic radiation from personal computers and mobile phones. Performed transmission electron microscopy revealed signs of degeneration of dark and light pinealocytes. These signs were manifested in the development of a complex of general and specific morphological changes. There was revealed the appearance of signs of aging and depletion transmission electron microscopy both in light and dark pinealocytes. These signs were manifested in the accumulation of lipofuscin granules and electron-dense "brain sand", the disappearance of nucleoli, cytoplasm vacuolization and mitochondrial cristae enlightenment.

Morphological characteristics of waste polyethylene/polypropylene plastics during pyrolysis and representative morphological signal characterizing pyrolysis stages.

PubMed

Wang, H; Chen, D; Yuan, G; Ma, X; Dai, X

2013-02-01

In this work, the morphological characteristics of waste polyethylene (PE)/polypropylene (PP) plastics during their pyrolysis process were investigated, and based on their basic image changing patterns representative morphological signals describing the pyrolysis stages were obtained. PE and PP granules and films were used as typical plastics for testing, and influence of impurities was also investigated. During pyrolysis experiments, photographs of the testing samples were taken sequentially with a high-speed infrared camera, and the quantitative parameters that describe the morphological characteristics of these photographs were explored using the "Image Pro Plus (v6.3)" digital image processing software. The experimental results showed that plastics pyrolysis involved four stages: melting, two stages of decomposition which are characterized with bubble formation caused by volatile evaporating, and ash deposition; and each stage was characterized with its own phase changing behaviors and morphological features. Two stages of decomposition are the key step of pyrolysis since they took up half or more of the reaction time; melting step consumed another half of reaction time in experiments when raw materials were heated up from ambient temperatures; and coke-like deposition appeared as a result of decomposition completion. Two morphological signals defined from digital image processing, namely, pixel area of the interested reaction region and bubble ratio (BR) caused by volatile evaporating were found to change regularly with pyrolysis stages. In particular, for all experimental scenarios with plastics films and granules, the BR curves always exhibited a slowly drop as melting started and then a sharp increase followed by a deep decrease corresponding to the first stage of intense decomposition, afterwards a second increase - drop section corresponding to the second stage of decomposition appeared. As ash deposition happened, the BR dropped to zero or very low

Dietary high-fat lard intake induces thyroid dysfunction and abnormal morphology in rats.

PubMed

Shao, Shan-shan; Zhao, Yuan-fei; Song, Yong-feng; Xu, Chao; Yang, Jian-mei; Xuan, Shi-meng; Yan, Hui-li; Yu, Chun-xiao; Zhao, Meng; Xu, Jin; Zhao, Jia-jun

2014-11-01

Excess dietary fat intake can induce lipotoxicity in non-adipose tissues. The aim of this study was to observe the effects of dietary high-fat lard intake on thyroid in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a high-fat lard diet for 24 weeks, and then the rats were fed a normal control diet (acute dietary modification) or the high-fat lard diet for another 6 weeks. The serum lipid profile, total thyroxine (TT4), free thyroxine (FT4) and thyrotropin (TSH) levels were determined at the 12, 18, 24 and 30 weeks. High-frequency ultrasound scanning of the thyroid glands was performed at the 24 or 30 weeks. After the rats were sacrificed, the thyroid glands were collected for histological and immunohistochemical analyses. The high-fat lard diet significantly increased triglyceride levels in both the serum and thyroid, and decreased serum TT4 and FT4 levels in parallel with elevated serum TSH levels. Ultrasonic imaging revealed enlarged thyroid glands with lowered echotexture and relatively heterogeneous features in the high-fat lard fed rats. The thyroid glands from the high-fat lard fed rats exhibited enlarged follicle cavities and flattened follicular epithelial cells under light microscopy, and dilated endoplasmic reticulum cisternae, twisted nuclei, fewer microvilli and secretory vesicles under transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the thyroid glands from the high-fat lard fed rats showed markedly low levels of thyroid hormone synthesis-related proteins TTF-1 and NIS. Acute dietary modification by withdrawal of the high-fat lard diet for 6 weeks failed to ameliorate the high-fat lard diet-induced thyroid changes. Dietary high-fat lard intake induces significant thyroid dysfunction and abnormal morphology in rats, which can not be corrected by short-term dietary modification.

3D Reconstruction and Standardization of the Rat Vibrissal Cortex for Precise Registration of Single Neuron Morphology

PubMed Central

Egger, Robert; Narayanan, Rajeevan T.; Helmstaedter, Moritz; de Kock, Christiaan P. J.; Oberlaender, Marcel

2012-01-01

The three-dimensional (3D) structure of neural circuits is commonly studied by reconstructing individual or small groups of neurons in separate preparations. Investigation of structural organization principles or quantification of dendritic and axonal innervation thus requires integration of many reconstructed morphologies into a common reference frame. Here we present a standardized 3D model of the rat vibrissal cortex and introduce an automated registration tool that allows for precise placement of single neuron reconstructions. We (1) developed an automated image processing pipeline to reconstruct 3D anatomical landmarks, i.e., the barrels in Layer 4, the pia and white matter surfaces and the blood vessel pattern from high-resolution images, (2) quantified these landmarks in 12 different rats, (3) generated an average 3D model of the vibrissal cortex and (4) used rigid transformations and stepwise linear scaling to register 94 neuron morphologies, reconstructed from in vivo stainings, to the standardized cortex model. We find that anatomical landmarks vary substantially across the vibrissal cortex within an individual rat. In contrast, the 3D layout of the entire vibrissal cortex remains remarkably preserved across animals. This allows for precise registration of individual neuron reconstructions with approximately 30 µm accuracy. Our approach could be used to reconstruct and standardize other anatomically defined brain areas and may ultimately lead to a precise digital reference atlas of the rat brain. PMID:23284282

[Morphological and molecular characterization of isolates of Macrophomina phaseolina associated with sugarcane in Mexico].

PubMed

Leyva-Mir, Santos G; Velázquez-Martínez, Guadalupe C; Tlapal-Bolaños, Bertha; Tovar-Pedraza, Juan M; Rosas-Saito, Greta H; Alvarado-Gómez, Omar G

2015-01-01

Charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina is an important disease of sugarcane in Mexico. This study was carried out to characterize isolates of M. phaseolina obtained from sugarcane by the combination of morphological and molecular analyses. The morphological characterization of 10 isolates was performed using scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. To confirm the morphological identification, rDNA from two representative isolates was extracted, and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced using specific primers MpKF1 and MpKR1. Based on their morphological characteristics, all isolates were identified as M. phaseolina. Moreover, the analysis of two ITS sequences showed 100% similarity with the M. phaseolina sequences deposited in the GenBank. To our knowledge, this is the first study in the world aimed at characterizing isolates of M. phaseolina obtained from sugarcane. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The morphology and classification of α ganglion cells in the rat retinae: a fractal analysis study.

PubMed

Jelinek, Herbert F; Ristanović, Dušan; Milošević, Nebojša T

2011-09-30

Rat retinal ganglion cells have been proposed to consist of a varying number of subtypes. Dendritic morphology is an essential aspect of classification and a necessary step toward understanding structure-function relationships of retinal ganglion cells. This study aimed at using a heuristic classification procedure in combination with the box-counting analysis to classify the alpha ganglion cells in the rat retinae based on the dendritic branching pattern and to investigate morphological changes with retinal eccentricity. The cells could be divided into two groups: cells with simple dendritic pattern (box dimension lower than 1.390) and cells with complex dendritic pattern (box dimension higher than 1.390) according to their dendritic branching pattern complexity. Both were further divided into two subtypes due to the stratification within the inner plexiform layer. In the present study we have shown that the alpha rat RCGs can be classified further by their dendritic branching complexity and thus extend those of previous reports that fractal analysis can be successfully used in neuronal classification, particularly that the fractal dimension represents a robust and sensitive tool for the classification of retinal ganglion cells. A hypothesis of possible functional significance of our classification scheme is also discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of acetaldehyde and L-carnitine on morphology and enzyme activity of myocardial mitochondria in rats.

PubMed

Jin, Yuan-Zhe; Wang, Guo-Feng; Wang, Qi; Zhang, Xue-Ying; Yan, Bin; Hu, Wei-Na

2014-12-01

This study aimed to investigate the effects of acetaldehyde (AA) and L-carnitine (LC) on morphology and enzyme activity of myocardial mitochondria in rats. Sixty-five Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: the control group (n = 20), the AA low-dose group (n = 15), the AA high-dose group (n = 15) and the AA + LC group (n = 15). Different doses (110 mg/kg and 220 mg/kg) AA was injected intraperitoneally once a day for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks administration, transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation of morphology of rat myocardial mitochondria was performed. Serum levels of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) were detected to evaluate mitochondrial enzymes activities. Light micrograph of rat myocardiocytes in the control group showing normal architecture of myocytes. The numerical density and number of mitochondria in both low-dose and high-dose AA groups were lower than that of the control group. After administration of LC, the rats in the AA + LC group showed an obvious increase in the numerical density and number of mitochondria. TEM showed that both low-dose and high-dose AA could induce myocardial mitochondrial damage in rats in a dose-dependent manner, such as mitochondrial swelling, disruptions of crest and membrane, mitochondrial deficiency. The degree of mitochondrial damage of the AA + LC group was significantly decreased after administration of LC. Our results showed that serum levels of SDH and SOD in the AA + LC and control groups were also higher than those of the low-dose and high-dose AA groups; while the MDA level in the AA + LC and control groups were lower than that of the low-dose and high-dose AA groups. The low-dose AA, high-dose AA and AA + LC groups exhibited a higher level of serum cTnI than that of the control group. However, there was no significant difference in serum cTnI level among the low-dose AA, high-dose AA and AA + LC groups. Our findings

Isolation and Characterization of a New Fungal Species, Chrysosporium ophiodiicola, from a Mycotic Granuloma of a Black Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta)▿

PubMed Central

Rajeev, S.; Sutton, D. A.; Wickes, B. L.; Miller, D. L.; Giri, D.; Van Meter, M.; Thompson, E. H.; Rinaldi, M. G.; Romanelli, A. M.; Cano, J. F.; Guarro, J.

2009-01-01

Isolation and characterization of the new species Chrysosporium ophiodiicola from a mycotic granuloma of a black rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta) are reported. Analysis of the sequences of different fragments of the ribosomal genes demonstrated that this species belongs to the Onygenales and that this species is genetically different from other morphologically similar species of Chrysosporium. This new species is unique in having both narrow and cylindrical-to-slightly clavate conidia and a strong, pungent odor. PMID:19109465

A Biochemical and Morphological Study of Rat Liver Microsomes

PubMed Central

Moulé, Y.; Rouiller, C.; Chauveau, J.

1960-01-01

Microsomes isolated by differential centrifugation from a rat liver homogenate in 0.88 M sucrose solution have been studied from the biochemical and morphological point of view. 1. Under these experimental conditions, the "total microsome" fraction was obtained by centrifuging the cytoplasmic extract free of nuclei and mitochondria, for 3 hours at 145,000 g. Morphologically, the total microsomes consist mainly of "rough-surfaced membranes" and "smooth" ones. 2. The total microsomes have been divided into 2 subfractions so that the 1st microsomal fraction contains the "rough" vesicles (2 hours centrifugation at 40,000 g) while the 2nd microsomal fraction consists essentially of smooth vesicles, free particles, and ferritin (centrifugation of the supernatant at 145,000 g for 3 hours). 3. By the action of 0.4 per cent sodium deoxycholate in 0.88 M sucrose, it was possible to obtain a pellet for each of the 2 fractions which consisted of dense particles, rich in RNA, poor in lipids, and which represented about 50 to 60 percent of the RNA and 10 to 15 per cent of the proteins. The results have been discussed taking into consideration the hypothesis of the presence of RNA in the membranes of microsomal vesicles. PMID:14424705

Physiological and morphological characterization of local interneurons in the Drosophila antennal lobe.

PubMed

Seki, Yoichi; Rybak, Jürgen; Wicher, Dieter; Sachse, Silke; Hansson, Bill S

2010-08-01

The Drosophila antennal lobe (AL) has become an excellent model for studying early olfactory processing mechanisms. Local interneurons (LNs) connect a large number of glomeruli and are ideally positioned to increase computational capabilities of odor information processing in the AL. Although the neural circuit of the Drosophila AL has been intensively studied at both the input and the output level, the internal circuit is not yet well understood. An unambiguous characterization of LNs is essential to remedy this lack of knowledge. We used whole cell patch-clamp recordings and characterized four classes of LNs in detail using electrophysiological and morphological properties at the single neuron level. Each class of LN displayed unique characteristics in intrinsic electrophysiological properties, showing differences in firing patterns, degree of spike adaptation, and amplitude of spike afterhyperpolarization. Notably, one class of LNs had characteristic burst firing properties, whereas the others were tonically active. Morphologically, neurons from three classes innervated almost all glomeruli, while LNs from one class innervated a specific subpopulation of glomeruli. Three-dimensional reconstruction analyses revealed general characteristics of LN morphology and further differences in dendritic density and distribution within specific glomeruli between the different classes of LNs. Additionally, we found that LNs labeled by a specific enhancer trap line (GAL4-Krasavietz), which had previously been reported as cholinergic LNs, were mostly GABAergic. The current study provides a systematic characterization of olfactory LNs in Drosophila and demonstrates that a variety of inhibitory LNs, characterized by class-specific electrophysiological and morphological properties, construct the neural circuit of the AL.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Fusarium spp pathogenic to pecan tree in Brazil.

PubMed

Lazarotto, M; Milanesi, P M; Muniz, M F B; Reiniger, L R S; Beltrame, R; Harakava, R; Blume, E

2014-11-11

The occurrence of Fusarium spp associated with pecan tree (Carya illinoinensis) diseases in Brazil has been observed in recent laboratory analyses in Rio Grande do Sul State. Thus, in this study, we i) obtained Fusarium isolates from plants with disease symptoms; ii) tested the pathogenicity of these Fusarium isolates to pecan; iii) characterized and grouped Fusarium isolates that were pathogenic to the pecan tree based on morphological characteristics; iv) identified Fusarium spp to the species complex level through TEF-1α sequencing; and v) compared the identification methods used in the study. Fifteen isolates collected from the inflorescences, roots, and seeds of symptomatic plants (leaf necrosis or root rot) were used for pathogenicity tests. Morphological characterization was conducted using only pathogenic isolates, for a total of 11 isolates, based on the mycelial growth rate, sporulation, colony pigmentation, and conidial length and width variables. Pathogenic isolates were grouped based on morphological characteristics, and molecular characterization was performed by sequencing TEF-1α genes. Pathogenic isolates belonging to the Fusarium chlamydosporum species complex, Fusarium graminearum species complex, Fusarium proliferatum, and Fusarium oxysporum were identified based on the TEF-1α region. Morphological characteristics were used to effectively differentiate isolates and group the isolates according to genetic similarity, particularly conidial width, which emerged as a key morphological descriptor in this study.

Effects of leptin on sperm count and morphology in Sprague-Dawley rats and their reversibility following a 6-week recovery period.

PubMed

Almabhouh, F A; Osman, K; Siti Fatimah, I; Sergey, G; Gnanou, J; Singh, H J

2015-09-01

Altered epididymal sperm count and morphology following leptin treatment has been reported recently. This study examined the effects of 42 days of leptin treatment on sperm count and morphology and their reversibility during a subsequent 56-day recovery period. Twelve-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomised into four leptin and four saline-treated control groups (n = 6). Intraperitoneal injections of leptin were given daily (60 μg Kg(-1) body weight) for 42 days. Controls received 0.1 ml of 0.9% saline. Leptin-treated animals and their respective age-matched controls were euthanised on either day 1, 21, 42 or 56 of recovery for collection of epididymal spermatozoa. Sperm concentration was determined using a Makler counting chamber. Spermatozoa were analysed for 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine and DNA fragmentation (Comet assay). Data were analysed using anova. Sperm concentration was significantly lower but fraction of abnormal spermatozoa, and levels of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine were significantly higher in leptin-treated rats on day 1 of recovery. Comet assays revealed significant DNA fragmentation in leptin-treated rats. These differences were reduced by day 56 of recovery. It appears that 42 days of leptin treatment to Sprague-Dawley rats has significant adverse effects on sperm count and morphology that reverse following discontinuation of leptin treatment. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Postnatal Ovary Development in the Rat: Morphologic Study and Correlation of Morphology to Neuroendocrine Parameters

PubMed Central

Picut, Catherine A.; Dixon, Darlene; Simons, Michelle L.; Stump, Donald G.; Parker, George A.; Remick, Amera K.

2014-01-01

Histopathologic examination of the immature ovary is a required end point on juvenile toxicity studies and female pubertal and thyroid function assays. To aid in this evaluation and interpretation of the immature ovary, the characteristic histologic features of rat ovary through the developmental periods are described. These histologic features are correlated with published changes in neuroendocrine profiles as the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis matures. During the neonatal stage (postnatal day [PND] 0–7), ovarian follicle development is independent of pituitary gonadotropins (luteinizing hormone [LH] or follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH]), and follicles remain preantral. Antral development of “atypical” follicles occurs in the early infantile period (PND 8–14) when the ovary becomes responsive to pituitary gonadotropins. In the late infantile period (PND 15–20), the zona pellucida appears, the hilus forms, and antral follicles mature by losing their “atypical” appearance. The juvenile stage (PND 21–32) is the stage when atresia of medullary follicles occurs corresponding to a nadir in FSH levels. In the peripubertal period (PND 33–37), atresia subsides as FSH levels rebound, and LH begins its bimodal surge pattern leading to ovulation. This report will provide pathologists with baseline morphologic and endocrinologic information to aid in identification and interpretation of xenobiotic effects in the ovary of the prepubertal rat. PMID:25107574

Reproductive alterations in hyperinsulinemic but normoandrogenic MSG obese female rats.

PubMed

Gaspar, Renato Simões; Benevides, Renata Ohana Alves; Fontelles, João Lucas de Lima; Vale, Caroline Castro; França, Lucas Martins; Barros, Paulo de Tarso Silva; Paes, Antonio Marcus de Andrade

2016-05-01

Obesity and metabolic syndrome are the common causes of reproductive and fertility disorders in women. In particular, polycystic ovary syndrome, which is clinically characterized by hyperandrogenism, oligo/anovulation, and polycystic ovarian morphology, has been increasingly associated with metabolic disorders. However, given the broad interplay between metabolic and reproductive functions, this remains a field of intense research. In this study, we investigated the effect of monosodium l-glutamate (MSG)-induced obesity on reproductive biology of female rats. Newborn female rats were subcutaneously injected with MSG (4g/kg/day) or equiosmolar saline (CTR) each 2 days up to postnatal day (pnd) 10. On pnd 60, estrous cycle was evaluated using vaginal smears twice a day for 15 days, which showed MSG rats to be oligocyclic. Thereafter, animals were killed on estrous phase for blood and tissue collection. MSG rats had increased body mass, accumulation of retroperitoneal and visceral fat pads, and visceral adipocyte hypertrophy compared with CTR rats. MSG rats were also dyslipidemic and hyperinsulinemic but were normoglycemic and normoandrogenic. Ovarian morphology analysis showed that MSG rats had a two-fold decrease in oocyte count but a six-fold increase on ovarian follicular cysts, along with a higher number of total primordial and atretic follicles. Moreover, MSG rats had a four-fold increase in anti-Müllerian hormone immunohistochemical staining on antral follicles. Taken together, data presented here characterize MSG obesity as a unique model to study the metabolic pathways underlying reproductive disorders in the absence of overactivated hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. © 2016 Society for Endocrinology.

Modeling Alzheimer’s disease in transgenic rats

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. At the diagnostic stage, the AD brain is characterized by the accumulation of extracellular amyloid plaques, intracellular neurofibrillary tangles and neuronal loss. Despite the large variety of therapeutic approaches, this condition remains incurable, since at the time of clinical diagnosis, the brain has already suffered irreversible and extensive damage. In recent years, it has become evident that AD starts decades prior to its clinical presentation. In this regard, transgenic animal models can shed much light on the mechanisms underlying this “pre-clinical” stage, enabling the identification and validation of new therapeutic targets. This paper summarizes the formidable efforts to create models mimicking the various aspects of AD pathology in the rat. Transgenic rat models offer distinctive advantages over mice. Rats are physiologically, genetically and morphologically closer to humans. More importantly, the rat has a well-characterized, rich behavioral display. Consequently, rat models of AD should allow a more sophisticated and accurate assessment of the impact of pathology and novel therapeutics on cognitive outcomes. PMID:24161192

Impaired renal function and development in Belgrade rats

PubMed Central

Veuthey, Tania; Hoffmann, Dana; Vaidya, Vishal S.

2013-01-01

Belgrade rats carry a disabling mutation in the iron transporter divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1). Although DMT1 plays a major role in intestinal iron absorption, the transporter is also highly expressed in the kidney, where its function remains unknown. The goal of this study was to characterize renal physiology of Belgrade rats. Male Belgrade rats died prematurely with ∼50% survival at 20 wk of age. Necropsy results indicated marked glomerular nephritis and chronic end-stage renal disease. By 15 wk of age, Belgrade rats displayed altered renal morphology associated with sclerosis and fibrosis. Creatinine clearance was significantly lower compared with heterozygote littermates. Urinary biomarkers of kidney injury, including albumin, fibrinogen, and kidney injury molecule-1, were significantly elevated. Pilot morphological studies suggest that nephrogenesis is delayed in Belgrade rat pups due to their low iron status and fetal growth restriction. Such defects in renal development most likely underlie the compromised renal metabolism observed in adult b/b rats. Belgrade rat kidney nonheme iron levels were not different from controls but urinary iron and transferrin levels were higher. These results further implicate an important role for the transporter in kidney function not only in iron reabsorption but also in glomerular filtration of the serum protein. PMID:24226520

Tualang Honey Protects against BPA-Induced Morphological Abnormalities and Disruption of ERα, ERβ, and C3 mRNA and Protein Expressions in the Uterus of Rats

PubMed Central

Mohamad Zaid, Siti Sarah; Kassim, Normadiah M.; Othman, Shatrah

2015-01-01

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) that can disrupt the normal functions of the reproductive system. The objective of the study is to investigate the potential protective effects of Tualang honey against BPA-induced uterine toxicity in pubertal rats. The rats were administered with BPA by oral gavage over a period of six weeks. Uterine toxicity in BPA-exposed rats was determined by the degree of the morphological abnormalities, increased lipid peroxidation, and dysregulated expression and distribution of ERα, ERβ, and C3 as compared to the control rats. Concurrent treatment of rats with BPA and Tualang honey significantly improved the uterine morphological abnormalities, reduced lipid peroxidation, and normalized ERα, ERβ, and C3 expressions and distribution. There were no abnormal changes observed in rats treated with Tualang honey alone, comparable with the control rats. In conclusion, Tualang honey has potential roles in protecting the uterus from BPA-induced toxicity, possibly accounted for by its phytochemical properties. PMID:26788107

Intestinal morphology adjustments caused by dietary restriction improves the nutritional status during the aging process of rats.

PubMed

de Oliveira Belém, Mônica; Cirilo, Carla Possani; de Santi-Rampazzo, Ana Paula; Schoffen, João Paulo Ferreira; Comar, Jurandir Fernando; Natali, Maria Raquel Marçal; de Almeida Araújo, Eduardo José

2015-09-01

During the aging process, the body's systems change structurally and loss of function can occur. Ingesting a smaller amount of food has been considered a plausible proposal for increased longevity with the quality of life. However, the effects of dietary restriction (DR) during aging are still poorly understood, especially for organs of the digestive system. This study aimed to describe the body weight, oxidative status and possible morphological changes of the intestinal wall of rats submitted to DR during the aging process (7 to 18months old). Twelve 7-month-old male Wistar rats fed ad libitum since birth were assigned to two groups: control group (CG, n=6) fed ad libitum from 7 to 18months old; and dietary restriction group (DRG, n=6) fed 50% of the amount of chow consumed by the CG from 7 to 18months old. The body weight, feed and water intake were monitored throughout the experiment. Blood, periepididymal adipose tissue (PAT) and retroperitoneal adipose tissue (RAT), and the small intestine were collected at 18months old. The blood was collected to evaluate its components and oxidative status. Sections from the duodenum and ileum were stained with HE, PAS and AB pH2.5 for morphometric analyses of the intestinal wall components, and to count intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs), goblet cells and cells in mitosis in the epithelium. DR rats showed a reduction in weight, naso-anal length, PAT, RAT and intestinal length; however, they consumed more water. Blood parameters indicate that the DR rats remained well nourished. In addition, they showed lower lipid peroxidation. Hypertrophy of the duodenal mucosa and atrophy of the ileal mucosa were observed. The number of goblet cells and IELs was reduced, but the mitotic index remained unaltered in both duodenum and ileum. In conclusion, 50% dietary restriction for rats from 7 to 18months old contributed to improving their nutritional parameters but, to achieve this, adjustments were required in the structure of the body

Alterations on the morphology, nitric oxide synthesis and activity of platelets reproduced in rats as possible biomarkers for depression are reversed by fluoxetine.

PubMed

González-Trujano, María Eva; Alvarado-Vásquez, Noé; Mendoza-Sotelo, José; López, Guadalupe; Estrada-Camarena, Erika; Martínez-Mota, Lucia; Moreno, Julia

2012-08-01

Biochemical markers associated with the prognosis of depression in humans are being described in the literature, whereas experimental studies in animal models in search for antidepressant strategies are lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate platelet morphology, platelet activity and nitric oxide (NO) synthesis as possible biomarkers of depressive-like behavior by using FST alone and in the presence of fluoxetine. Naïve rats were compared to those receiving vehicle or fluoxetine at 10mg/kg i.p. in acute, subchronic and chronic administration in the FST. After behavioral assessment, platelets were isolated from blood samples and analyzed by flow cytometry to determine the platelet mitochondrial membrane potential and NO synthesis. In addition, HPLC and electron microscopy were used to examine 5-HT and tryptophan levels and morphology of platelets, respectively. Rats receiving vehicle and exposed to FST showed depressive-like behavior at all the times tested; after chronic FST rats showed a similar pattern of alteration in platelet morphology and in the studied as possible biochemical markers as those previously recognized in depressive humans. Depressive-like behavior in rats exposed to FST was prevented in the presence of fluoxetine administration at all the times tested and associated with the prevention of alterations in platelet morphology, platelet activity and NO synthesis, and/or in 5-HT concentrations. The results of the present study suggest that platelet function and morphology might be relevant markers for the prognosis of depression and the search for functional treatments. Besides, the relevance of FST as model to study this psychiatric illness is reinforced. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biological effects of short-term, high-concentration exposure to methyl isocyanate. V. Morphologic evaluation of rat and guinea pig lungs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fowler, E.H.; Dodd, D.E.; Troup, C.M.

1987-06-01

The morphologic changes induced in the lungs of rats and guinea pigs exposed to high concentrations of MIC vapor (100, 600, and 1000 ppm in the rat and 25, 125, 225, and 675 ppm in the guinea pig) for a short time (15 min) in a static exposure chamber were evaluated at varying postexposure periods (0, 1, 2, and 4, and 16 hr). The 675 ppm-exposed guinea pigs were evaluated only immediately following removal from the chamber. Attention was primarily focused on the intrapulmonary conducting airways and the parenchyma (gas exchange region) of the lungs. The severity of morphologic changesmore » observed by light microscopy was directly correlated with exposure concentration and time postexposure in both species. Specifically, degenerative changes were observed in the bronchial, bronchiolar, and alveolar epithelium in both species. Quantitative differences were observed; 100 ppm of MIC in the rat resulted in much less damage than did 125 ppm of MIC in the guinea pig. Morphologic evidence of sloughing of large sheets of conducting airway epithelium with fibrin buildup and increased mucus production resulted in plugging of major airways and atelectasis. These observations support the hypothesis that tissue hypoxia was a major contributing factor resulting in death.« less

Indirect Reconstruction of Pore Morphology for Parametric Computational Characterization of Unidirectional Porous Iron.

PubMed

Kovačič, Aljaž; Borovinšek, Matej; Vesenjak, Matej; Ren, Zoran

2018-01-26

This paper addresses the problem of reconstructing realistic, irregular pore geometries of lotus-type porous iron for computer models that allow for simple porosity and pore size variation in computational characterization of their mechanical properties. The presented methodology uses image-recognition algorithms for the statistical analysis of pore morphology in real material specimens, from which a unique fingerprint of pore morphology at a certain porosity level is derived. The representative morphology parameter is introduced and used for the indirect reconstruction of realistic and statistically representative pore morphologies, which can be used for the generation of computational models with an arbitrary porosity. Such models were subjected to parametric computer simulations to characterize the dependence of engineering elastic modulus on the porosity of lotus-type porous iron. The computational results are in excellent agreement with experimental observations, which confirms the suitability of the presented methodology of indirect pore geometry reconstruction for computational simulations of similar porous materials.

Modulating effects of epithalamin and epithalon on the functional morphology of the spleen in old pinealectomized rats.

PubMed

Khavinson, V K; Konovalov, S S; Yuzhakov, V V; Popuchiev, V V; Kvetnoi, I M

2001-11-01

Immunohistochemical and morphometric analysis showed that epithalamin and epithalon produced similar effects on the functional morphology of the spleen in pinealectomized rats. Both peptides prevented hyperplasia of lymphoid cells in follicular germinative centers induced by pinealectomy and potentiated the decrease in extramedullary hemopoiesis. These findings confirm the data on functional relationships between the pineal gland and immune system. The effects of epithalamin and epithalon on cell and tissue homeostasis in the spleen of old pinealectomized rats can be regarded as a manifestation of the general regulatory effect of these peptides.

Morphologic, biometric, and isoenzyme characterization of Trichuris suis.

PubMed

Oliveros, R; Cutillas, C; Arias, P; Guevara, D

1998-06-01

Trichuris suis isolates were collected from the cecum of Sus scrofa domestica (pig) and S. s. scrofa (wild boar). Morphology and biometry studies were carried out. Morphology studies showed the existence of typical caudal papillae in males of T. suis from wild boars, but no other difference was observed in the biometric parameters (total length, esophageal length, posterior-portion body length, and spicular length) of T. suis isolated from either host. Individual extracts were subjected to malate dehydrogenase (MDH), malic enzyme (ME), glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) isoenzyme analysis following starch-gel electrophoresis, and the isoenzyme patterns were compared with those obtained from other species of trichurids. MDH, ME, G6PD, LDH, and SOD isoenzyme patterns were identical for T. suis from both hosts. MDH isoenzyme patterns were characterized by the presence of one cathodic isoenzyme. ME, G6PD, and LDH isoenzyme patterns indicated the presence of three phenotypes, whereas the SOD isoenzyme pattern showed only one phenotype characterized by the existence of two (anodic and cathodic) bands. Different LDH and SOD isoenzyme patterns observed for T. suis, T. ovis, and T. skrjabini confirm once more that isoenzyme patterns have potential as a diagnostic tool for differentiation of different species of Trichuris.

Sex-specific effects of early life stress on social interaction and prefrontal cortex dendritic morphology in young rats.

PubMed

Farrell, M R; Holland, F H; Shansky, R M; Brenhouse, H C

2016-09-01

Early life stress has been linked to depression, anxiety, and behavior disorders in adolescence and adulthood. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is implicated in stress-related psychopathology, is a target for stress hormones, and mediates social behavior. The present study investigated sex differences in early-life stress effects on juvenile social interaction and adolescent mPFC dendritic morphology in rats using a maternal separation (MS) paradigm. Half of the rat pups of each sex were separated from their mother for 4h a day between postnatal days 2 and 21, while the other half remained with their mother in the animal facilities and were exposed to minimal handling. At postnatal day 25 (P25; juvenility), rats underwent a social interaction test with an age and sex matched conspecific. Distance from conspecific, approach and avoidance behaviors, nose-to-nose contacts, and general locomotion were measured. Rats were euthanized at postnatal day 40 (P40; adolescence), and randomly selected infralimbic pyramidal neurons were filled with Lucifer yellow using iontophoretic microinjections, imaged in 3D, and then analyzed for dendritic arborization, spine density, and spine morphology. Early-life stress increased the latency to make nose-to-nose contact at P25 in females but not males. At P40, early-life stress increased infralimbic apical dendritic branch number and length and decreased thin spine density in stressed female rats. These results indicate that MS during the postnatal period influenced juvenile social behavior and mPFC dendritic arborization in a sex-specific manner. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changes in cell proliferation and morphology in the large intestine of normal and DMH-treated rats following colostomy.

PubMed

Barkla, D H; Tutton, P J

1987-04-01

Colostomies were formed in the midcolon of normal and DMH-treated rats. Changes in cell proliferation in the mucosa adjacent to the colostomy and in the defunctioned distal segment were measured at seven, 14, 30, and 72 days using a stathmokinetic technique. Animals were given intraperitoneal injections of vinblastine and sacrificed three hours later; counts of mitotic and nonmitotic cells were made in tissue sections, and three-hour accumulated mitotic indexes were estimated. The results show that, except at seven days in DMH-treated rats, cell proliferation was unchanged in the colon proximal to the colostomy. Morphologic evidence of hyperplasia was seen in some animals at seven and 14 days. The defunctioned segment showed rapid atrophy of both mucosa and muscularis and a gradual but progressive decrease in cell proliferation. The morphology of the mucosa adjacent to the suture line in both functioning and defunctioned segments in normal and DMH-treated rats was abnormal in many animals. Abnormalities that were seen included collections of dysplastic epithelial cells in the submucosa, focal adenomatous changes, and intramural carcinoma formation. Aggregates of lymphoid tissue often were associated with carcinomas.

Characterization of Maze Performance in Adrenalectomized Sleep Disrupted Rats: A Comparison of Radial Arm Maze Performance between Adrenalectomized and Sham Adrenalectomized Sleep Disrupted Rats

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

AFRL-HE-BR-TR-2007-0008 Characterization of Maze Performance in Adrenalectomized Sleep Disrupted Rats: A Comparison of Radial Arm Maze Performance ...Sept 2005-Dec 2006 To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Characterization of Maze Performance in Adrenalectomized Sleep Disrupted Rats...A Comparison of Radial Arm Maze Performance Between Adrenalectomized and Sham Adrenalectomized Sleep Disrupted Rats 5b. GRANT NUMBER FA86500-05

Low and high dietary folic acid levels perturb postnatal cerebellar morphology in growing rats.

PubMed

Partearroyo, Teresa; Pérez-Miguelsanz, Juliana; Peña-Melián, Ángel; Maestro-de-Las-Casas, Carmen; Úbeda, Natalia; Varela-Moreiras, Gregorio

2016-06-01

The brain is particularly sensitive to folate metabolic disturbances, because methyl groups are critical for brain functions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different dietary levels of folic acid (FA) on postnatal cerebellar morphology, including the architecture and organisation of the various layers. A total of forty male OFA rats (a Sprague-Dawley strain), 5 weeks old, were classified into the following four dietary groups: FA deficient (0 mg/kg FA); FA supplemented (8 mg/kg FA); FA supra-supplemented (40 mg/kg FA); and control (2 mg/kg FA) (all n 10 per group). Rats were fed ad libitum for 30 d. The cerebellum was quickly removed and processed for histological and immunohistochemical analysis. Slides were immunostained for glial fibrillary acidic protein (to label Bergmann glia), calbindin (to label Purkinje cells) and NeuN (to label post-mitotic neurons). Microscopic analysis revealed two types of defect: partial disappearance of fissures and/or neuronal ectopia, primarily in supra-supplemented animals (incidence of 80 %, P≤0·01), but also in deficient and supplemented groups (incidence of 40 %, P≤0·05), compared with control animals. The primary fissure was predominantly affected, sometimes accompanied by defects in the secondary fissure. Our findings show that growing rats fed an FA-modified diet, including both deficient and supplemented diets, have an increased risk of disturbances in cerebellar corticogenesis. Defects caused by these diets may have functional consequences in later life. The present study is the first to demonstrate that cerebellar morphological defects can arise from deficient, as well as high, FA levels in the diet.

Subcellular fractionation on Percoll gradient of mossy fiber synaptosomes: morphological and biochemical characterization in control and degranulated rat hippocampus.

PubMed

Taupin, P; Zini, S; Cesselin, F; Ben-Ari, Y; Roisin, M P

1994-04-01

A method for preparation of hippocampal mossy fiber synaptosomes directly from the postnuclear pellet is presented. This method represents an adaptation of that previously described for the isolation of synaptosomes by centrifugation through Percoll gradients directly from the supernatant fraction. We have characterized by electron microscopy two fractions, PII and PIII, enriched in mossy fiber synaptosomes; fraction PIII had 75% mossy fiber synaptosomes with well-preserved morphology (large size 3 microns, complex morphology, high synaptic vesicle density, multisynapses), whereas fraction PII contained 12%. These fractions were enriched in lactate dehydrogenase activity indicating that the integrity of synaptosomes was preserved. Compared with the other synaptosomal fractions, these fractions showed greater levels of dynorphin A (1-8) immunoreactivity and endogenous zinc, which are particularly concentrated in hippocampal mossy fiber terminals. Furthermore, we prepared synaptosomes from adult hippocampus after neonatal irradiation, which destroys the majority of granule cells and associated mossy fibers. The levels of dynorphin and zinc decreased by 88 and 70% in fraction PII and by 95 and 90%, respectively, in PIII. These results suggest that the rapid Percoll procedure is convenient for the purification of mossy fiber synaptosomes.

Morphological characterization of rat entorhinal neurons in vivo: soma-dendritic structure and axonal domains.

PubMed

Lingenhöhl, K; Finch, D M

1991-01-01

We used in vivo intracellular labeling with horseradish peroxidase in order to study the soma-dendritic morphology and axonal projections of rat entorhinal neurons. The cells responded to hippocampal stimulation with inhibitory postsynaptic potentials, and thus likely received direct or indirect hippocampal input. All cells (n = 24) showed extensive dendritic domains that extended in some cases for more than 1 mm. The dendrites of layer II neurons were largely restricted to layers I and II or layers I-III, while the dendrites of deeper cells could extend through all cortical layers. Computed 3D rotations showed that the basilar dendrites of deep pyramids extended roughly parallel to the cortical layering, and that they were mostly confined to the layer containing the soma and layers immediately adjacent. Total dendritic lengths averaged 9.8 mm +/- 3.8 (SD), and ranged from 5 mm to more than 18 mm. Axonal processes could be visualized in 21 cells. Most of these showed axonal branching within the entorhinal cortex, sometimes extensive. Efferent axonal domains were reconstructed in detail in 3 layer II stellate cells. All 3 projected axons across the subicular complex to the dentate gyrus. One of these cells showed an extensive net-like axonal domain that also projected to several other structures, including the hippocampus proper, subicular complex, and the amygdalo-piriform transition area. The axons of layer III and IV cells projected to the angular bundle, where they continued in a rostral direction. In contrast to the layer II, III and IV cells, no efferent axonal branches leaving the entorhinal cortex could be visualized in 5 layer V neurons. The data indicate that entorhinal neurons can integrate input from a considerable volume of entorhinal cortex by virtue of their extensive dendritic domains, and provide a further basis for specifying the layers in which cells receive synaptic input. The extensive axonal branching pattern seen in most of the cells would

Morphological effects of mesenchymal stem cells and pulsed ultrasound on condylar growth in rats: a pilot study.

PubMed

Oyonarte, Rodrigo; Becerra, Daniela; Díaz-Zúñiga, Jaime; Rojas, Victor; Carrion, Flavio

2013-05-01

The aim of this study was to assess and describe the morphological effects of an intra-articular iniection of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) and/or Low Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS) stimulation on the mandibular condyles of growing rats, using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and histology. Twenty-six young (23-day-old) rats were divided into 5 groups identified as LIPUS-stimulated (20 minutes daily using 50 mW/cm2, 1MHz, 0.2 millisecond pulses), MSCs injected (1 x 10(5) cells/kg), LIPUS + MSCs, medium inlected, and untreated controls. All treatments were performed in the left temporomandibular joint of each rat (TMJs). At day 21, CBCTs were obtained for cephalometric analysis and 3D reconstructions. After animal sacrifice, left and right TMJ sections were histologically prepared and examined. The Wilcoxon sign rank test and the Kruskal-Wallis 2 test were applied for statistical comparison. Imaging results showed that left condyles were wider in all LIPUS-treated groups (p < 0.05), while the LIPUS-only group had a greater left sagittal condylar length. LIPUS-treated groups displayed a lower midline shift to the right (p < 0.02). No significant differences were observed in the MSC group. Bone marrow morphology and vascularity differed between the groups as LIPUS-treated groups exhibited increased vascularity in the erosive cartilage zone. It was established that LIPUS and MSC application to the TMJ region of growing rats favoured transverse condylar growth, while LIPUS application alone may enhance sagittal condylar development.The MSC injection model had little effect on sagittal condylar growth.

Characterization of the spatial variability of channel morphology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moody, J.A.; Troutman, B.M.

2002-01-01

The spatial variability of two fundamental morphological variables is investigated for rivers having a wide range of discharge (five orders of magnitude). The variables, water-surface width and average depth, were measured at 58 to 888 equally spaced cross-sections in channel links (river reaches between major tributaries). These measurements provide data to characterize the two-dimensional structure of a channel link which is the fundamental unit of a channel network. The morphological variables have nearly log-normal probability distributions. A general relation was determined which relates the means of the log-transformed variables to the logarithm of discharge similar to previously published downstream hydraulic geometry relations. The spatial variability of the variables is described by two properties: (1) the coefficient of variation which was nearly constant (0.13-0.42) over a wide range of discharge; and (2) the integral length scale in the downstream direction which was approximately equal to one to two mean channel widths. The joint probability distribution of the morphological variables in the downstream direction was modelled as a first-order, bivariate autoregressive process. This model accounted for up to 76 per cent of the total variance. The two-dimensional morphological variables can be scaled such that the channel width-depth process is independent of discharge. The scaling properties will be valuable to modellers of both basin and channel dynamics. Published in 2002 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.

Electrophysiological characterization of spinal neurons in different models of diabetes type 1- and type 2-induced neuropathy in rats.

PubMed

Schuelert, N; Gorodetskaya, N; Just, S; Doods, H; Corradini, L

2015-04-16

Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) is a devastating complication of diabetes. The underlying pathogenesis of DPN is still elusive and an effective treatment devoid of side effects presents a challenge. There is evidence that in type-1 and -2 diabetes, metabolic and morphological changes lead to peripheral nerve damage and altered central nociceptive transmission, which may contribute to neuropathic pain symptoms. We characterized the electrophysiological response properties of spinal wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons in three diabetic models. The streptozotocin (STZ) model was used as a drug-induced model of type-1 diabetes, and the BioBreeding/Worcester (BB/Wor) and Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rat models were used for genetic DPN models. Data were compared to the respective control group (BB/Wor diabetic-resistant, Zucker lean (ZL) and saline-injected Wistar rat). Response properties of WDR neurons to mechanical stimulation and spontaneous activity were assessed. We found abnormal response properties of spinal WDR neurons in all diabetic rats but not controls. Profound differences between models were observed. In BB/Wor diabetic rats evoked responses were increased, while in ZDF rats spontaneous activity was increased and in STZ rats mainly after discharges were increased. The abnormal response properties of neurons might indicate differential pathological, diabetes-induced, changes in spinal neuronal transmission. This study shows for the first time that specific electrophysiological response properties are characteristic for certain models of DPN and that these might reflect the diverse and complex symptomatology of DPN in the clinic. Copyright © 2015 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exposure to non-ionizing radiation provokes changes in rat thyroid morphology and expression of HSP-90

PubMed Central

Misa-Agustiño, Maria J; Jorge-Mora, Teresa; Jorge-Barreiro, Francisco J; Suarez-Quintanilla, Juan; Moreno-Piquero, Eduardo; Ares-Pena, Francisco J

2015-01-01

Non-ionizing radiation at 2.45 GHz may modify the morphology and expression of genes that codify heat shock proteins (HSP) in the thyroid gland. Diathermy is the therapeutic application of non-ionizing radiation to humans for its beneficial effects in rheumatological and musculo-skeletal pain processes. We used a diathermy model on laboratory rats subjected to maximum exposure in the left front leg, in order to study the effects of radiation on the nearby thyroid tissue. Fifty-six rats were individually exposed once or repeatedly (10 times in two weeks) for 30 min to 2.45 GHz radiation in a commercial chamber at different non-thermal specific absorption rates (SARs), which were calculated using the finite difference time domain technique. We used immunohistochemistry methods to study the expression of HSP-90 and morphological changes in thyroid gland tissues. Ninety minutes after radiation with the highest SAR, the central and peripheral follicles presented increased size and the thickness of the peripheral septa had decreased. Twenty-four hours after radiation, only peripheral follicles radiated at 12 W were found to be smaller. Peripheral follicles increased in size with repeated exposure at 3 W power. Morphological changes in the thyroid tissue may indicate a glandular response to acute or repeated stress from radiation in the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid axis. Further research is needed to determine if the effect of this physical agent over time may cause disease in the human thyroid gland. PMID:25649190

Characterization of dystrophin deficient rats: a new model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

PubMed

Larcher, Thibaut; Lafoux, Aude; Tesson, Laurent; Remy, Séverine; Thepenier, Virginie; François, Virginie; Le Guiner, Caroline; Goubin, Helicia; Dutilleul, Maéva; Guigand, Lydie; Toumaniantz, Gilles; De Cian, Anne; Boix, Charlotte; Renaud, Jean-Baptiste; Cherel, Yan; Giovannangeli, Carine; Concordet, Jean-Paul; Anegon, Ignacio; Huchet, Corinne

2014-01-01

A few animal models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) are available, large ones such as pigs or dogs being expensive and difficult to handle. Mdx (X-linked muscular dystrophy) mice only partially mimic the human disease, with limited chronic muscular lesions and muscle weakness. Their small size also imposes limitations on analyses. A rat model could represent a useful alternative since rats are small animals but 10 times bigger than mice and could better reflect the lesions and functional abnormalities observed in DMD patients. Two lines of Dmd mutated-rats (Dmdmdx) were generated using TALENs targeting exon 23. Muscles of animals of both lines showed undetectable levels of dystrophin by western blot and less than 5% of dystrophin positive fibers by immunohistochemistry. At 3 months, limb and diaphragm muscles from Dmdmdx rats displayed severe necrosis and regeneration. At 7 months, these muscles also showed severe fibrosis and some adipose tissue infiltration. Dmdmdx rats showed significant reduction in muscle strength and a decrease in spontaneous motor activity. Furthermore, heart morphology was indicative of dilated cardiomyopathy associated histologically with necrotic and fibrotic changes. Echocardiography showed significant concentric remodeling and alteration of diastolic function. In conclusion, Dmdmdx rats represent a new faithful small animal model of DMD.

Characterization of Rat Meibomian Gland Ion and Fluid Transport

PubMed Central

Yu, Dongfang; Davis, Richard M.; Aita, Megumi; Burns, Kimberlie A.; Clapp, Phillip W.; Gilmore, Rodney C.; Chua, Michael; O'Neal, Wanda K.; Schlegel, Richard; Randell, Scott H.; C. Boucher, Richard

2016-01-01

Purpose We establish novel primary rat meibomian gland (MG) cell culture systems and explore the ion transport activities of the rat MG. Methods Freshly excised rat MG tissues were characterized as follows: (1) mRNA expression of selected epithelial ion channels/transporters were measured by RT-PCR, (2) localization of epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) mRNAs was performed by in situ hybridization, and (3) protein expression and localization of βENaC, the Na+/K+/Cl− cotransporter (NKCC), and the Na+/K+ ATPase were evaluated by immunofluorescence. Primary isolated rat MG cells were cocultured with 3T3 feeder cells and a Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) inhibitor (Y-27632) for expansion. Passaged rat MG cells were cultured as planar sheets under air-liquid interface (ALI) conditions for gene expression and electrophysiologic studies. Passaged rat MG cells also were cultured in matrigel matrices to form spheroids, which were examined ultrastructurally by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and functionally using swelling assays. Results Expression of multiple ion channel/transporter genes was detected in rat MG tissues. β-ENaC mRNA and protein were localized more to MG peripheral acinar cells than central acinar cells or ductular epithelial cells. Electrophysiologic studies of rat MG cell planar cultures demonstrated functional sodium, chloride, and potassium channels, and cotransporters activities. Transmission electron microscopic analyses of rat MG spheroids revealed highly differentiated MG cells with abundant lysosomal lamellar bodies. Rat MG spheroids culture-based measurements demonstrated active volume regulation by ion channels. Conclusions This study demonstrates the presence and function of ion channels and volume transport by rat MG. Two novel primary MG cell culture models that may be useful for MG research were established. PMID:27127933

Chronic stress impairs acoustic conditioning more than visual conditioning in rats: morphological and behavioural evidence.

PubMed

Dagnino-Subiabre, A; Terreros, G; Carmona-Fontaine, C; Zepeda, R; Orellana, J A; Díaz-Véliz, G; Mora, S; Aboitiz, F

2005-01-01

Chronic stress affects brain areas involved in learning and emotional responses. These alterations have been related with the development of cognitive deficits in major depression. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of chronic immobilization stress on the auditory and visual mesencephalic regions in the rat brain. We analyzed in Golgi preparations whether stress impairs the neuronal morphology of the inferior (auditory processing) and superior colliculi (visual processing). Afterward, we examined the effect of stress on acoustic and visual conditioning using an avoidance conditioning test. We found that stress induced dendritic atrophy in inferior colliculus neurons and did not affect neuronal morphology in the superior colliculus. Furthermore, stressed rats showed a stronger impairment in acoustic conditioning than in visual conditioning. Fifteen days post-stress the inferior colliculus neurons completely restored their dendritic structure, showing a high level of neural plasticity that is correlated with an improvement in acoustic learning. These results suggest that chronic stress has more deleterious effects in the subcortical auditory system than in the visual system and may affect the aversive system and fear-like behaviors. Our study opens a new approach to understand the pathophysiology of stress and stress-related disorders such as major depression.

COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE DORSAL HIPPOCAMPUS OF VERY OLD FEMALE RATS

PubMed Central

Morel, Gustavo R.; Andersen, Tomás; Pardo, Joaquín; Zuccolilli, Gustavo O.; Cambiaggi, Vanina L.; Hereñú, Claudia B.; Goya, Rodolfo G.

2015-01-01

The hippocampus, a medial temporal lobe structure necessary for the formation of spatial memory, is particularly affected by both normal and pathologic aging. In previous studies, we observed a significant age-related increase in dopaminergic neuron loss in the hypothalamus and the substantia nigra of female rats, which becomes more conspicuous at extreme ages. Here, we extend our studies by assessing spatial memory 4–6 months old (young), 26 months old (old) and 29–32 months old (senile) Sprague–Dawley female rats as well as the age-related histopathological changes in their dorsal hippocampus. Age changes in spatial memory performance were assessed with a modified version of the Barnes maze test. We employed two probe trials (PT), one and five days after training, respectively, in order to evaluate learning ability as well as short-term and longer-term spatial memory retention. A set of relevant hippocampal cell markers was also quantitated in the animals by means of an unbiased stereological approach. The results revealed that old rats perform better than senile rats in acquisition trials and young rats perform better than both aging groups. However, during short-term PT both aging groups showed a preserved spatial memory while in longer-term PT, spatial memory showed deterioration in both aged groups. Morphological analysis showed a marked decrease (94–97%) in doublecortin neuron number in the dentate gyrus in both aged groups and a reduction in glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive cell number in the stratum radiatum of aging rats. Astroglial process length and branching complexity decreased in the aged rats. We conclude that while target-seeking activity and learning ability decrease in aged females, spatial memory only declines in the longer-term tests. The reduction in neuroblast number and astroglial arborescence complexity in the dorsal hippocampus are likely to play a role in the cognitive deficits of aging rats. PMID:26141841

Morphological observation and characterization of the Pseudoregma bambucicola with the scanning electron microscope.

PubMed

Nong, Xiang; Zeng, Xuemei; Yang, Yaojun; Liang, Zi; Tang, Mei; Liao, Lejuan; Luo, Chaobing

2017-11-01

Both leica microscopic camera system and scanning electron microscopy was used to observe and characterize the feet, back, abdomen, antennae and mouthparts of the Pseudoregma bambucicola from the bamboo, Bambusa multiplex . The possible functions of all the external morphological characteristics of the P. bambucicola were described and discussed in detail, which offers a basis for further enriching the biology, phylogeny and ecological niche of the P. bambucicola . Moreover, the morphological results should contribute to morphological identification and differentiation of the P. bambucicola from other aphids in the same family.

Rat immunoreactive cholecystokinin (CCK): characterization using two chromatographic techniques.

PubMed

Bacarese-Hamilton, A J; Adrian, T E; Chohan, P; Bloom, S R

1985-06-01

Acid and neutral extracts of rat cerebral cortex and upper small intestine were prepared and the endogenous concentrations of cholecystokinin-like immunoreactivity (CCK-LI) measured by three new CCK-specific radioimmunoassays. The characterization of the immunoreactive CCK molecular forms was undertaken using gel permeation chromatography in the presence of 6 M urea to minimise problems relating to peptide adsorption or aggregation. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was also performed on the rat tissue extracts. Rat cortex contained 268 +/- 12 pmol/g CCK-LI, and over 90% resembled the sulphated CCK-8, which was preferentially extracted at neutral pH. In contrast, the rat upper small intestine (97 +/- 8 pmol/g of CCK-LI) contained less than 20% CCK-8, the majority of immunoreactive CCK being of larger molecular size and being preferentially extracted at acid pH. In the small intestine the predominant molecular form(s) was intermediate in size between CCK-33 and CCK-8. Large amounts of CCK-33 and of a molecular form larger than CCK-33 were also detected. It is concluded that post-translational cleavage of CCK differs in rat brain and gut.

New isomalabaricane triterpenes from the marine sponge Stelletta globostellata that induce morphological changes in rat fibroblasts.

PubMed

Oku, N; Matsunaga, S; Wada, S i; Watabe, S; Fusetani, N

2000-02-01

Three new isomalabaricane triterpenes, 29-hydroxystelliferin D (2), 3-epi-29-hydroxystelliferin E (3), and 3-epi-29-hydroxystelliferin A (4), were isolated from the marine sponge Stelletta globostellata. Their structures, including absolute stereochemistry, were determined on the basis of spectral data and chemical methods. Rat fibroblasts treated with 0.2 microM of 2-4 exhibited unusual morphological characteristics, followed by death in 5 days.

Mild zinc deficiency in male and female rats: early postnatal alterations in renal nitric oxide system and morphology.

PubMed

Tomat, Analia Lorena; Veiras, Luciana Cecilia; Aguirre, Sofía; Fasoli, Héctor; Elesgaray, Rosana; Caniffi, Carolina; Costa, María Ángeles; Arranz, Cristina Teresa

2013-03-01

Fetal and postnatal zinc deficiencies induce an increase in arterial blood pressure and impair renal function in male adult rats. We therefore hypothesized that these renal alterations are present in early stages of life and that there are sexual differences in the adaptations to this nutritional injury. The aim was to study the effects of moderate zinc deficiency during fetal life and lactation on renal morphology, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and the nitric oxide system in male and female rats at 21 d of life. Female Wistar rats received low (8 ppm) or control (30 ppm) zinc diets from the beginning of pregnancy to weaning. Glomerulus number, morphology, oxidative stress, apoptotic cells, nitric oxide synthase activity, and protein expression were evaluated in the kidneys of offspring at 21 d. Zinc deficiency decreased the nephron number, induced glomerular hypertrophy, increased oxidative damage, and decreased nitric oxide synthase activity in the male and female rat kidneys. Nitric oxide synthase activity was not affected by inhibitors of the neuronal or inducible isoforms, so nitric oxide was mainly generated by the endothelial isoenzyme. Gender differences were observed in glomerular areas and antioxidant enzyme activities. Zinc deficiency during fetal life and lactation induces an early decrease in renal functional units, associated with a decrease in nitric oxide activity and an increase in oxidative stress, which would contribute to increased arterial blood pressure and renal dysfunction in adulthood. The sexual differences observed in this model may explain the dissimilar development of hypertension and renal diseases in adult life. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phenotypic characterization of spontaneously mutated rats showing lethal dwarfism and epilepsy.

PubMed

Suzuki, Hiroetsu; Takenaka, Motoo; Suzuki, Katsushi

2007-08-01

We have characterized the phenotype of spontaneously mutated rats, found during experimental inbreeding in a closed colony of Wistar Imamichi rats. Mutant rats showed severe dwarfism, short lifespan (early postnatal lethality), and high incidence of epileptic seizures. Mutant rats showed growth retardation after 3 d of age, and at 21 d their weight was about 56% that of normal rats. Most mutant rats died without reaching maturity, and 95% of the mutant rats had an ataxic gait. About 34% of the dwarf rats experienced epileptic seizures, most of which started as 'wild running' convulsions, progressing to generalized tonic-clonic convulsions. At age 28 d, the relative weight of the testes was significantly lower, and the relative weight of the brain was significantly higher, in mutant than in normal rats. Histologically, increased apoptotic germ cells, lack of spermatocytes, and immature Leydig cells were found in the mutant testes, and extracellular vacuoles of various sizes were present in the hippocampus and amygdala of the mutant brain. Mutant rats had significantly increased concentrations of plasma urea nitrogen, creatinine, and inorganic phosphate, as well as decreased concentrations of plasma growth hormone. Hereditary analysis showed that the defects were inherited as a single recessive trait. We have named the hypothetically mutated gene as lde (lethal dwarfism with epilepsy).

[Morphological changes on cochlear hair cells of rats in simulated weightlessness and inboard noise].

PubMed

2017-06-18

To observe the morphological changes on cochlear hair cells of rats in simulated weightlessness and inboard noise and to investigate the different changes in three turns of hair cells. Thirty-two healthy SD rats, all males, were randomly divided into four groups: control group, weightlessness group, noise group and weightlessness+noise groups (n=8). Then rats were exposed to -30° head down tilt as simulated weightlessness and inboard noise including steady-state noise which was (72±2) dB SPL and impulse noise up to 160 dB SPL in spaceship environment. The control group was kept in normal condition for 8 weeks. Bilateral auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds were tested before and after exposure respectively, and immunofluorescence staining and scanning electron microscopy (SEMs) of basilar membrane were applied after exposure. ABR threshold shifts of each group were higher after exposure. There was difference between ABRs of the experiment groups before and after exposure (P<0.05). IF showed that the inner hair cells (IHCs) missing was the main damage in the basal turn of weightlessness group, the hair cells in the middle turn were swell and in the top turn, the hair cells were not clear. In noise group, the main loss happened in the outer hair cells (OHCs) of the outermost layer. In weightlessness+noise group, the nuclear missing in the basal turn was apparent, and mainly happened at the outermost layer. Meanwhile, the missing of hair cells in the middle turn and top turn was seen at the innermost layer. SEM showed that the cilia in the basal turn of weightlessness group were serious lodging, and occasional absence. Furthermore, the basal cilia in noise group became lodged and absent, and the other two turns were seriously missing. And in weightlessness+noise group, the cilia missing in the basal turn was apparently seen. The damage degree of the four groups: weightlessness+noise group>noise group>weightlessness group>control group and the damage degree

Morphological and functional manifestations of rat adrenal-cortex response to sodium bromide administration under hypodynamic stress

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirichek, L. T.; Zholudeva, V. I.

1979-01-01

Functional and morphological manifestations of adrenal cortex response to hypodynamia (2-hr immobilization on an operating table) under the influence of bromine preparations were studied. The sodium bromide was administered intraperitoneally in 100, 250, and 500 mg/kg doses once and repeatedly during ten days. The adrenal gland was evaluated functionally by ascorbic acid and cholesterol content and morphologically by coloring it with hematoxylin-eosin and Sudans for lipid revealing at freezing. Results are displayed in two tables and microphotographs. They are summarized as follows: the bromine weakens the functional state of the adrenal cortex in intact rats, causing changes similar to those under stress. During immobilization combined with preliminary bromine administration, a less pronounced stress reaction is noticeable.

Melatonin protects against clomiphene citrate-induced generation of hydrogen peroxide and morphological apoptotic changes in rat eggs.

PubMed

Tripathi, Anima; PremKumar, Karuppanan V; Pandey, Ashutosh N; Khatun, Sabana; Mishra, Surabhi Kirti; Shrivastav, Tulsidas G; Chaube, Shail K

2011-09-30

The present study was aimed to determine whether clomiphene citrate-induces generation of hydrogen peroxide in ovary, if so, whether melatonin could scavenge hydrogen peroxide and protect against clomiphene citrate-induced morphological apoptotic changes in rat eggs. For this purpose, forty five sexually immature female rats were given single intramuscular injection of 10 IU pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin for 48 h followed by single injections of 10 IU human chorionic gonadotropin and clomiphene citrate (10 mg/kg bw) with or without melatonin (20 mg/kg bw) for 16 h. The histology of ovary, ovulation rate, hydrogen peroxide concentration and catalase activity in ovary and morphological changes in ovulated eggs were analyzed. Co-administration of clomiphene citrate along with human chorionic gonadotropin significantly increased hydrogen peroxide concentration and inhibited catalase activity in ovary, inhibited ovulation rate and induced egg apoptosis. Supplementation of melatonin reduced hydrogen peroxide concentration and increased catalase activity in the ovary, delayed meiotic cell cycle progression in follicular oocytes as well as in ovulated eggs since extrusion of first polar body was still in progress even after ovulation and protected against clomiphene citrate-induced egg apoptosis. These results clearly suggest that the melatonin reduces oxidative stress by scavenging hydrogen peroxide produced in the ovary after clomiphene citrate treatment, slows down meiotic cell cycle progression in eggs and protects against clomiphene citrate-induced apoptosis in rat eggs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Complex-Morphology Metal-Based Nanostructures: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications

PubMed Central

Gentile, Antonella; Ruffino, Francesco; Grimaldi, Maria Grazia

2016-01-01

Due to their peculiar qualities, metal-based nanostructures have been extensively used in applications such as catalysis, electronics, photography, and information storage, among others. New applications for metals in areas such as photonics, sensing, imaging, and medicine are also being developed. Significantly, most of these applications require the use of metals in the form of nanostructures with specific controlled properties. The properties of nanoscale metals are determined by a set of physical parameters that include size, shape, composition, and structure. In recent years, many research fields have focused on the synthesis of nanoscale-sized metallic materials with complex shape and composition in order to optimize the optical and electrical response of devices containing metallic nanostructures. The present paper aims to overview the most recent results—in terms of fabrication methodologies, characterization of the physico-chemical properties and applications—of complex-morphology metal-based nanostructures. The paper strongly focuses on the correlation between the complex morphology and the structures’ properties, showing how the morphological complexity (and its nanoscale control) can often give access to a wide range of innovative properties exploitable for innovative functional device production. We begin with an overview of the basic concepts on the correlation between structural and optical parameters of nanoscale metallic materials with complex shape and composition, and the possible solutions offered by nanotechnology in a large range of applications (catalysis, electronics, photonics, sensing). The aim is to assess the state of the art, and then show the innovative contributions that can be proposed in this research field. We subsequently report on innovative, versatile and low-cost synthesis techniques, suitable for providing a good control on the size, surface density, composition and geometry of the metallic nanostructures. The main

Morphologic characterization of specific granules in Greyhound eosinophils.

PubMed

Iazbik, M C; Couto, C G

2005-06-01

"Vacuolated" eosinophils (ie, eosinophils with empty, nonstaining granules) have been described previously in normal Greyhounds. However, to our knowledge, detailed studies of granules in vacuolated and normal eosinophils in this breed have not been performed. The objective of this prospective study was to characterize some of the morphologic, ultrastructural, and cytochemical staining features of specific (primary) granules in both normal and vacuolated eosinophils in Greyhound blood. Morphologic features of eosinophils in Wright's- and Diff-Quik-stained peripheral blood smears from 49 Greyhounds were compared with 200 blood smears from non-Greyhound dogs. Transmission electron microscopy was done on blood from 3 Greyhounds with vacuolated eosinophils and 3 with normal eosinophil granules. Blood smears from 4 of these dogs also were stained cytochemically with alkaline phosphatase (AP), chloracetate esterase (CAE), and alpha naphthyl butyrate esterase (ANBE). The morphologic features and tinctorial properties of vacuolated and normal eosinophils were compared. Twenty-six Greyhounds (53%) had vacuolated eosinophils and 23 (47%) had normal granulated eosinophils in smears stained with Wright's stain. Only 1% of eosinophils were vacuolated in non-Greyhound dogs. Twenty of the 23 (85%) Greyhounds with normal granulated eosinophils on Wright's-stained smears had vacuolated eosinophils in smears stained with Diff-Quik. Ultrastructurally, no morphologic differences were observed between granules of vacuolated and normal eosinophils. Both vacuolated and normal eosinophils in Greyhounds were positive for AP and negative for CAE and ANBE, as expected for normal dogs. Vacuolated eosinophils in Greyhounds likely reflect, at least in part, differential staining properties of the specific granules with different hematologic stains. Ultrastuctural and cytochemical features of eosinophil granules were similar in normal and vacuolated eosinophils from Greyhounds.

Cortical Bone Morphological and Trabecular Bone Microarchitectural Changes in the Mandible and Femoral Neck of Ovariectomized Rats

PubMed Central

Hsu, Pei-Yu; Tsai, Ming-Tzu; Wang, Shun-Ping; Chen, Ying-Ju; Wu, Jay; Hsu, Jui-Ting

2016-01-01

Objective This study used microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) to evaluate the effects of ovariectomy on the trabecular bone microarchitecture and cortical bone morphology in the femoral neck and mandible of female rats. Materials and Methods Twelve female Wister rats were divided into two groups: the control and ovariectomized groups. The rats in the ovariectomized group received ovariectomy at 8 weeks of age; all the rats were sacrificed at 20 weeks of age, and their mandibles and femurs were removed and scanned using micro-CT. Four microstructural trabecular bone parameters were measured for the region below the first mandibular molar and the femoral neck region: bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular thickness (TbTh), trabecular separation (TbSp), and trabecular number (TbN). In addition, four cortical bone parameters were measured for the femoral neck region: total cross-sectional area (TtAr), cortical area (CtAr), cortical bone area fraction (CtAr/TtAr), and cortical thickness (CtTh). The CtTh at the masseteric ridge was used to assess the cortical bone morphology in the mandible. The trabecular bone microarchitecture and cortical bone morphology in the femoral necks and mandibles of the control group were compared with those of the ovariectomized group. Furthermore, Spearman’s correlation (rs) was conducted to analyze the correlation between the osteoporosis conditions of the mandible and femoral neck. Results Regarding the trabecular bone microarchitectural parameters, the BV/TV of the trabecular bone microarchitecture in the femoral necks of the control group (61.199±11.288%, median ± interquartile range) was significantly greater than that of the ovariectomized group (40.329±5.153%). Similarly, the BV/TV of the trabecular bone microarchitecture in the mandibles of the control group (51.704±6.253%) was significantly greater than that of the ovariectomized group (38.486±9.111%). Furthermore, the TbSp of the femoral necks in the ovariectomized group

Chronic aerobic swimming exercise promotes functional and morphological changes in rat ileum

PubMed Central

da Cunha Araujo, Layanne Cabral; de Souza, Iara Leão Luna; Vasconcelos, Luiz Henrique César; de Freitas Brito, Aline; Queiroga, Fernando Ramos; Silva, Alexandre Sérgio; da Silva, Patrícia Mirella; de Andrade Cavalcante, Fabiana; da Silva, Bagnólia Araújo

2015-01-01

Several studies have reported the gastrointestinal (GI) effects promoted by the physical exercise. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the influence of swimming exercise on the contractile reactivity, lipid peroxidation and morphology of rat ileum. Wistar rats were divided into sedentary (SED) and groups exercised for two (EX2), four (EX4), six (EX6) or eight (EX8) weeks, 5 days/week. Animals were killed; the ileum was removed and suspended in organ baths where the isotonic contractions were recorded. Lipid peroxidation was evaluated by MDA (malondialdehyde) measurement with TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) assay and morphology by histological staining. Cumulative concentration-response curves to KCl were attenuated, as the Emax values were changed from 100% (SED) to 63.1±3.9 (EX2), 48.8±3.8 (EX4), 19.4±1.8 (EX6) and 59.4±2.8% (EX8). Similarly, cumulative concentration-response curves to carbamylcholine hydrochloride (CCh) were attenuated, as the Emax values were changed from 100% (SED) to 74.1±5.4 (EX2), 75.9±5.2 (EX4) and 62.9±4.6 (EX6), but not in the EX8 (89.7±3.4%). However, CCh potency was increased in this latter, as the EC50 was altered from 1.0±0.1×10−6 (SED) to 2.1±0.4×10−7 (EX8). MDA concentration was altered only in EX4 (44.3±4.4) compared with SED (20.6±3.6 μmol/l). Circular layer was reduced in SED when compared with the exercised groups. Conversely, longitudinal layer was increased. In conclusion, chronic swimming exercise reduces the ileum contraction, equilibrates the oxidative damage and promotes changes in tissue size to establish an adaptation to the exercise. PMID:26424698

The sensitivity of male rat reproductive organs to monosodium glutamate.

PubMed

Iamsaard, Sitthichai; Sukhorum, Wannisa; Samrid, Rarinthorn; Yimdee, Jindaporn; Kanla, Pipatphong; Chaisiwamongkol, Kowit; Hipkaeo, Wiphawi; Fongmoon, Duriya; Kondo, Hisatake

2014-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the sensitivity of the testis, epididymis, seminal vesicle, and sperm acrosome reaction (AR) to monosodium L- glutamate (MSG) in rats. Rats were divided into four groups and fed with non-acidic MSG at 0.25, 3 or 6 g/kg body weight for 30 days or without MSG. The morphological changes in the reproductive organs were studied. The plasma testosterone level, epididymal sperm concentration, and sperm AR status were assayed. Compared to the control, no significant changes were discerned in the morphology and weight of the testes, or the histological structures of epididymis, vas deferens and seminal vesicle. In contrast, significant decreases were detected in the weight of the epididymis, testosterone levels, and sperm concentration of rats treated with 6 g/kg body weight of MSG. The weight loss was evident in the seminal vesicle in MSG-administered rats. Moreover, rats treated with MSG 3 and 6 g/kg exhibited partial testicular damage, characterized by sloughing of spermatogenic cells into the seminiferous tubular lumen, and their plasma testosterone levels were significantly decreased. In the 6 g/kg MSG group, the sperm concentration was significantly decreased compared with the control or two lower dose MSG groups. In AR assays, there was no statistically significant difference between MSG-rats and normal rats. Testicular morphological changes, testosterone level, and sperm concentration were sensitive to high doses of MSG while the rate of AR was not affected. Therefore, the consumption of high dose MSG must be avoided because it may cause partial infertility in male. Copyright © 2014 by Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

[Effect of jingui shenqi pill on morphology of injured spinal cell apoptosis in rats caused by brachytherapy].

PubMed

Xiao, Lu-wei; Shen, Jin-wen; Wu, Cheng-liang

2006-07-01

To study the effect of Jingui Shenqi Pill (JSP) on morphology of spinal cell apoptosis in rats injured by 192Ir irradiation. One hundred and twenty rats were randomly divided into four groups: the model group, the JSP group, the prednisone group and the normal group. Corresponding pharmaceutics were given to rats once a day for 14 days respectively. Then except rats in the normal group, the others received 192Ir interstitial irradiation with the dosage of 22 Gy using back-fixing technology. The injured segments of spinal cord were taken out for HE staining, TUNEL examination and observation with electron microscope 8 hrs, 24 hrs and 4 weeks after irradiation. HE staining examination showed no obvious histological change in rats 8 and 24 hrs after irradiation, but pathological changes, as tissue rarefaction and hemorrhage did found in white matter of spinal cord shown by TUNEL 4 weeks later. Electron microscopic examination and TUNEL staining showed that as compared with the model group, the apoptotic index in the JSP and predinisone treated groups was significantly lower (P < 0.01) 8 hrs after radiation, but it showed insignificant difference between groups at the time points of 24 hrs and 4 weeks after radiation (P > 0.05). JSP could act against apoptosis of gliocyte in spinal cord of rats in early stage after brachytherapy, indicating that JSP possessing a prednisone-like action.

Specific Reactions of Different Striatal Neuron Types in Morphology Induced by Quinolinic Acid in Rats

PubMed Central

Mu, Shuhua; Wu, Jiajia; Chen, Si; OuYang, Lisi; Lei, Wanlong

2014-01-01

Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurological degenerative disease and quinolinic acid (QA) has been used to establish HD model in animals through the mechanism of excitotoxicity. Yet the specific pathological changes and the underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated. We aimed to reveal the specific morphological changes of different striatal neurons in the HD model. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were subjected to unilaterally intrastriatal injections of QA to mimic the HD model. Behavioral tests, histochemical and immunhistochemical stainings as well as Western blots were applied in the present study. The results showed that QA-treated rats had obvious motor and cognitive impairments when compared with the control group. Immunohistochemical detection showed a great loss of NeuN+ neurons and Darpp32+ projection neurons in the transition zone in the QA group when compared with the control group. The numbers of parvalbumin (Parv)+ and neuropeptide Y (NPY)+ interneurons were both significantly reduced while those of calretinin (Cr)+ and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)+ were not changed notably in the transition zone in the QA group when compared to the controls. Parv+, NPY+ and ChAT+ interneurons were not significantly increased in fiber density while Cr+ neurons displayed an obvious increase in fiber density in the transition zone in QA-treated rats. The varicosity densities of Parv+, Cr+ and NPY+ interneurons were all raised in the transition zone after QA treatment. In conclusion, the present study revealed that QA induced obvious behavioral changes as well as a general loss of striatal projection neurons and specific morphological changes in different striatal interneurons, which may help further explain the underlying mechanisms and the specific functions of various striatal neurons in the pathological process of HD. PMID:24632560

Relevant Anatomic and Morphological Measurements of the Rat Spine: Considerations for Rodent Models of Human Spine Trauma.

PubMed

Jaumard, Nicolas V; Leung, Jennifer; Gokhale, Akhilesh J; Guarino, Benjamin B; Welch, William C; Winkelstein, Beth A

2015-10-15

Basic science study measuring anatomical features of the cervical and lumbar spine in rat with normalized comparison with the human. The goal of this study is to comprehensively compare the rat and human cervical and lumbar spines to investigate whether the rat is an appropriate model for spine biomechanics investigations. Animal models have been used for a long time to investigate the effects of trauma, degenerative changes, and mechanical loading on the structure and function of the spine. Comparative studies have reported some mechanical properties and/or anatomical dimensions of the spine to be similar between various species. However, those studies are largely limited to the lumbar spine, and a comprehensive comparison of the rat and human spines is lacking. Spines were harvested from male Holtzman rats (n = 5) and were scanned using micro- computed tomography and digitally rendered in 3 dimensions to quantify the spinal bony anatomy, including the lateral width and anteroposterior depth of the vertebra, vertebral body, and spinal canal, as well as the vertebral body and intervertebral disc heights. Normalized measurements of the vertebra, vertebral body, and spinal canal of the rat were computed and compared with corresponding measurements from the literature for the human in the cervical and lumbar spinal regions. The vertebral dimensions of the rat spine vary more between spinal levels than in humans. Rat vertebrae are more slender than human vertebrae, but the width-to-depth axial aspect ratios are very similar in both species in both the cervical and lumbar regions, especially for the spinal canal. The similar spinal morphology in the axial plane between rats and humans supports using the rat spine as an appropriate surrogate for modeling axial and shear loading of the human spine.

Morphological Changes of Myoepithelial Cells in the Rat Submandibular Gland Following the Application of Surgical Stimuli.

PubMed

Kawabe, Yoshihiro; Mizobe, Kenich; Bando, Yasuhiko; Sakiyama, Koji; Taira, Fuyoko; Tomomura, Akito; Araki, Hisao; Amano, Osamu

2016-12-28

Myoepithelial cells (MECs) exist on the basal surface of acini in major exocrine glands, include myofilaments and various constructive proteins, and share characteristics with smooth muscle and epithelial cells. MECs project several ramified processes to invest acini, and possibly contract to compress acini to support the secretion by the glandular cells. However, the functional roles of MECs in salivary secretion are still unclear. We investigated morphological changes in immunostained MECs using the anti-α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) antibody in operated or non-operated contralateral (NC) submandibular glands after partial or total resection. Furthermore, we investigated and discuss other salivary glands of rats. MECs in the parotid, sublingual and submandibular gland of adult rats exhibited different shapes and localizations. After surgery, in both operated and NC glands, the number of MECs and αSMA-immunopositive areas increased significantly. Three-dimensional analysis using a confocal laser-scanning microscope revealed that substantial and significant enhancement became evident in the number, length, and thickness of MEC-processes covering acini of the operated and NC submandibular glands. The preset findings indicate that MECs alter the morphology of their processes in operated and NC glands after surgery of the partial or total resection. It is suggested that MECs promote salivary secretion using elongated, thickened, and more ramified processes.

Characterization of cell types during rat liver development.

PubMed

Fiegel, Henning C; Park, Jonas J h; Lioznov, Michael V; Martin, Andreas; Jaeschke-Melli, Stefan; Kaufmann, Peter M; Fehse, Boris; Zander, Axel R; Kluth, Dietrich

2003-01-01

Hepatic stem cells have been identified in adult liver. Recently, the origin of hepatic progenitors and hepatocytes from bone marrow was demonstrated. Hematopoietic and hepatic stem cells share the markers CD 34, c-kit, and Thy1. Little is known about liver stem cells during liver development. In this study, we investigated the potential stem cell marker Thy1 and hepatocytic marker CK-18 during liver development to identify putative fetal liver stem cell candidates. Livers were harvested from embryonic and fetal day (ED) 16, ED 18, ED 20, and neonatal ED 22 stage rat fetuses from Sprague-Dawley rats. Fetal livers were digested by collagenase-DNAse solution and purified by percoll centrifugation. Magnetic cell sorting (MACS) depletion of fetal liver cells was performed using OX43 and OX44 antibodies. Cells were characterized by immunocytochemistry for Thy1, CK-18, and proliferating cell antigen Ki-67 and double labeling for Thy1 and CK-18. Thy1 expression was found at all stages of liver development before and after MACS in immunocytochemistry. Thy1 positive cells were enriched after MACS only in early developmental stages. An enrichment of CK-18 positive cells was found after MACS at all developmental stages. Cells coexpressing Thy1 and CK-18 were identified by double labeling of fetal liver cell isolates. In conclusion, hepatic progenitor cells (CK-18 positive) in fetal rat liver express Thy1. Other progenitors express only CK-18. This indicates the coexistence of different hepatic cell compartments. Isolation and further characterization of such cells is needed to demonstrate their biologic properties.

Characterization and control of fungal morphology for improved production performance in biotechnology.

PubMed

Krull, Rainer; Wucherpfennig, Thomas; Esfandabadi, Manely Eslahpazir; Walisko, Robert; Melzer, Guido; Hempel, Dietmar C; Kampen, Ingo; Kwade, Arno; Wittmann, Christoph

2013-01-20

Filamentous fungi have been widely applied in industrial biotechnology for many decades. In submerged culture processes, they typically exhibit a complex morphological life cycle that is related to production performance--a link that is of high interest for process optimization. The fungal forms can vary from dense spherical pellets to viscous mycelia. The resulting morphology has been shown to be influenced strongly by process parameters, including power input through stirring and aeration, mass transfer characteristics, pH value, osmolality and the presence of solid micro-particles. The surface properties of fungal spores and hyphae also play a role. Due to their high industrial relevance, the past years have seen a substantial development of tools and techniques to characterize the growth of fungi and obtain quantitative estimates on their morphological properties. Based on the novel insights available from such studies, more recent studies have been aimed at the precise control of morphology, i.e., morphology engineering, to produce superior bio-processes with filamentous fungi. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of murine hepatitis virus (JHM) RNA from rats with experimental encephalomyelitis.

PubMed

Jackson, D P; Percy, D H; Morris, V L

1984-09-01

When Wistar Furth rats are inoculated intracerebrally with the murine hepatitis virus JHM they often develop a demyelinating disease with resulting hind leg paralysis. Using an RNA transfer procedure and hybridization kinetic analysis, the virus-specific RNA in these rats was characterized. The pattern of JHM-specific RNA varied with individual infections of Wistar Furth rats. However, two species of JHM-specific RNA, the nucleocapsid and a 2.1-2.4 X 10(6)-Da RNA species were generally present. A general decrease in JHM-specific RNA in brains and spinal cord samples taken later than 20 days postinoculation was observed; however, JHM-specific RNA persisted in the spinal cord longer than in the brain of these rats.

Generation and characterization of rat liver stem cell lines and their engraftment in a rat model of liver failure

PubMed Central

Kuijk, Ewart W.; Rasmussen, Shauna; Blokzijl, Francis; Huch, Meritxell; Gehart, Helmuth; Toonen, Pim; Begthel, Harry; Clevers, Hans; Geurts, Aron M.; Cuppen, Edwin

2016-01-01

The rat is an important model for liver regeneration. However, there is no in vitro culture system that can capture the massive proliferation that can be observed after partial hepatectomy in rats. We here describe the generation of rat liver stem cell lines. Rat liver stem cells, which grow as cystic organoids, were characterized by high expression of the stem cell marker Lgr5, by the expression of liver progenitor and duct markers, and by low expression of hepatocyte markers, oval cell markers, and stellate cell markers. Prolonged cultures of rat liver organoids depended on high levels of WNT-signalling and the inhibition of BMP-signaling. Upon transplantation of clonal lines to a Fah−/− Il2rg−/− rat model of liver failure, the rat liver stem cells engrafted into the host liver where they differentiated into areas with FAH and Albumin positive hepatocytes. Rat liver stem cell lines hold potential as consistent reliable cell sources for pharmacological, toxicological or metabolic studies. In addition, rat liver stem cell lines may contribute to the development of regenerative medicine in liver disease. To our knowledge, the here described liver stem cell lines represent the first organoid culture system in the rat. PMID:26915950

Crack layer morphology and toughness characterization in steels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chudnovsky, A.; Bessendorf, M.

1983-01-01

Both the macro studies of crack layer propagation are presented. The crack extension resistance parameter R sub 1 based on the morphological study of microdefects is introduced. Experimental study of the history dependent nature of G sub c supports the representation of G sub c as a product of specific enthalpy of damage (material constant) and R sub 1. The latter accounts for the history dependence. The observation of nonmonotonic crack growth under monotonic changes of J as well as statistical features of the critical energy release rate (variance of G sub c) indicate the validity of the proposed damage characterization.

Inherited tertiary hypothyroidism in Sprague-Dawley rats.

PubMed

Stoica, George; Lungu, Gina; Xie, Xueyi; Abbott, Louise C; Stoica, Heidi M; Jaques, John T

2007-05-07

Thyroid hormones (THs) are important in the development and maturation of the central nervous system (CNS). The significant actions of THs during CNS development occur at the time when TH levels are lower than those in the mother and the hypothalamic-thyroid (HPT) axis is not fully functional. In the developing rat nervous system, primarily the cerebellum, the first three postnatal weeks represent a period of significant sensitivity to thyroid hormones. This study presents a spontaneous, inherited recessive hypothyroidism in Sprague-Dawley rats with devastating functional consequences to the development of the CNS. The clinical signs develop around 14 day's postnatal (dpn) and are characterized by ataxia, spasticity, weight loss and hypercholesterolemia. The afflicted rats died at 30 days due to severe neurological deficits. The deterioration affects the entire CNS and is characterized by progressive neuronal morphological and biochemical changes, demyelination and astrogliosis. The cerebellum, brain stem, neocortex, hippocampus and adrenal gland medulla appear to be most affected. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), T3 and T4 levels were significantly lower in hypothyroid rats than control. Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR demonstrated a reduction of Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone (TRH) in the hypothalamus of hypothyroid rats. The weight of both thyroid and pituitary glands were significantly less in hypothyroid rats than the corresponding normal littermate controls. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrates consistent postsynaptic dendritic, synaptic and spine alterative changes in the brain of hypothyroid rats. These data suggest that we discovered a tertiary form of inherited hypothyroidism involving the hypothalamus.

A pancreatic venular defect in the BB/Wor rat.

PubMed Central

Majno, G.; Joris, I.; Handler, E. S.; Desemone, J.; Mordes, J. P.; Rossini, A. A.

1987-01-01

BB rats develop spontaneous autoimmune diabetes mellitus characterized morphologically by insulitis, an inflammatory lymphocytic infiltration of the islets of Langerhans. To investigate the role of the vascular endothelium of the pancreas in this destructive process, the authors injected diabetes-prone (DP) and diabetes-resistant (DR) BB/Wor rats as well as other nondiabetic strains of rats with Monastral blue B, a colloidal pigment that identifies leaky microvasculature. They found evidence of a venular defect limited to the pancreas that is specific to the BB rat. Light- and electron-microscopic evidence suggests that this defect is due to a population of trapped (marginating) intravascular monocytes, which may be activated by the colloidal pigment and release vasoactive mediators. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 PMID:3618725

A morphological study of diffuse axonal injury in a rat model by lateral head rotation trauma.

PubMed

Xiaoshengi, He; Guitao, Yang; Xiang, Zhang; Zhou, Fei

2010-03-01

Morphology in diffuse axonal injury (DAI) by lateral head rotation was investigated. SD rats were divided into injury (n=9) and sham (n=3) groups. A device was used to produce lateral rotational acceleration of the rats' heads. At different survival times three rats were killed for light and electron microscopic examination of the brain tissue. Sagittal sections were made from medulla oblongata and immunolabelled for NF68. At post-traumatic 30 min, NF68 immunolabelling showed a small number ofswollen and irregular axons. Ultrastructurally slightly-separated myelin lamellae and disorderly arranged neurofilaments occurred. At 2 and 24 h axonal damage became more severe. Increases in immunolabelled axonal swellings, disconnected axons and axonal retraction bulbs appeared. EM provided evidence of myelin separation, peri-axonal spaces, blank areas in axoplasm, loss of microtubules, peripheral accumulation of mitochondria and clumped neurofilaments for DAI. A tendency was noted for greater labelling with NF68 as axonal damage increased. The disorderly arrangement of NFs occurred at early stage of post-traumatic axonal changes.

Calcium overloading in traumatic axonal injury by lateral head rotation: a morphological evidence in rat model.

PubMed

He, Xiao-Sheng; Xiang, Zhang; Zhou, Fei; Fu, Luo-An; Shuang, Wang

2004-05-01

The study investigated morphologically axonal calcium overloading and its relationship with axonal structural changes. Twelve SD rats were divided into an injury and a sham group. The rat model of traumatic axonal injury (TAI) by lateral head rotation was produced. The oxalate-pyroantimonate technique for calcium localization was used to process the rat's medulla oblongata tissues with thin sections observed electron-microscopically for axonal structure and calcium precipitates on it. The axonal damage in medulla oblongata appeared at 2 h post-injury, gradually became diffuse and severe, and continued to exist at 24 hours. At 2 hours, calcium precipitates were deposited on separated lamellae and axolemma, but were rarely distributed in the axoplasm. At 6 hours, calcium precipitates occurred on separated lamellae and axolemma in much higher density, but on axoplasm in extremely small amounts. Some axons, though lacking structural changes of the myelin sheath, sequestered plenty of calcium deposits on their swollen mitochondria. At 24 hours, damaged axons presented with much more severe lamellae separation and calcium deposits. Axonal calcium overloading developed in rat TAI model using lateral head rotation. This was significantly related to structural damage in the axons. These findings suggest the feasibility of using calcium antagonists in cope the management of human DAI in its very early stage.

The morphological and chemical characteristics of striatal neurons immunoreactive for the alpha1-subunit of the GABA(A) receptor in the rat.

PubMed

Waldvogel, H J; Kubota, Y; Trevallyan, S C; Kawaguchi, Y; Fritschy, J M; Mohler, H; Faull, R L

1997-10-01

The distribution, morphology and chemical characteristics of neurons immunoreactive for the alpha1-subunit of the GABA(A) receptor in the striatum of the basal ganglia in the rat brain were investigated at the light, confocal and electron microscope levels using single, double and triple immunohistochemical labelling techniques. The results showed that alpha1-subunit immunoreactive neurons were sparsely distributed throughout the rat striatum. Double and triple labelling results showed that all the alpha1-subunit-immunoreactive neurons were positive for glutamate decarboxylase and immunoreactive for the beta2,3 and gamma2 subunits of the GABA(A) receptor. Three types of alpha1-subunit-immunoreactive neurons were identified in the striatum on the basis of cellular morphology and chemical characteristics. The most numerous alpha1-subunit-immunoreactive neurons were medium-sized, aspiny neurons with a widely branching dendritic tree. They were parvalbumin-negative and were located mainly in the dorsolateral regions of the striatum. Electron microscopy showed that these neurons had an indented nuclear membrane, typical of striatal interneurons, and were surrounded by small numbers of axon terminals which established alpha1-subunit-immunoreactive synaptic contacts with the soma and dendrites. These cells were classified as type 1 alpha1-subunit-immunoreactive neurons and comprised 75% of the total population of alpha1-subunit-immunoreactive neurons in the striatum. The remaining alpha1-subunit-immunoreactive neurons comprised of a heterogeneous population of large-sized neurons localized in the ventral and medial regions of the striatum. The most numerous large-sized cells were parvalbumin-negative, had two to three relatively short branching dendrites and were designated type 2 alpha1-subunit-immunoreactive neurons. Electron microscopy showed that the type 2 neurons were characterized by a highly convoluted nuclear membrane and were sparsely covered with small axon

Structural characterization of semicrystalline polymer morphologies by imaging-SANS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radulescu, A.; Fetters, L. J.; Richter, D.

2012-02-01

Control and optimization of polymer properties require the global knowledge of the constitutive microstructures of polymer morphologies in various conditions. The microstructural features can be typically explored over a wide length scale by combining pinhole-, focusing- and ultra-small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) techniques. Though it proved to be a successful approach, this involves major efforts related to the use of various scattering instruments and large amount of samples and the need to ensure the same crystallization kinetics for the samples investigated at various facilities, in different sample cell geometries and at different time intervals. With the installation and commissioning of the MgF2 neutron lenses at the KWS-2 SANS diffractometer installed at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz neutron source (FRMII reactor) in Garching, a wide Q-range, between 10-4Å-1 and 0.5Å-1, can be covered at a single instrument. This enables investigation of polymer microstructures over a length scale from lnm up to 1μm, while the overall polymer morphology can be further examined up to 100μm by optical microscopy (including crossed polarizers). The study of different semi-crystalline polypropylene-based polymers in solution is discussed and the new imaging-SANS approach allowing for an unambiguous and complete structural characterization of polymer morphologies is presented.

Printing Fabrication of Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells and In Situ Morphology Characterization.

PubMed

Liu, Feng; Ferdous, Sunzida; Wan, Xianjian; Zhu, Chenhui; Schaible, Eric; Hexemer, Alexander; Wang, Cheng; Russell, Thomas P

2017-01-29

Polymer-based materials hold promise as low-cost, flexible efficient photovoltaic devices. Most laboratory efforts to achieve high performance devices have used devices prepared by spin coating, a process that is not amenable to large-scale fabrication. This mismatch in device fabrication makes it difficult to translate quantitative results obtained in the laboratory to the commercial level, making optimization difficult. Using a mini-slot die coater, this mismatch can be resolved by translating the commercial process to the laboratory and characterizing the structure formation in the active layer of the device in real time and in situ as films are coated onto a substrate. The evolution of the morphology was characterized under different conditions, allowing us to propose a mechanism by which the structures form and grow. This mini-slot die coater offers a simple, convenient, material efficient route by which the morphology in the active layer can be optimized under industrially relevant conditions. The goal of this protocol is to show experimental details of how a solar cell device is fabricated using a mini-slot die coater and technical details of running in situ structure characterization using the mini-slot die coater.

Quantifying the three-dimensional facial morphology of the laboratory rat with a focus on the vibrissae

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

The morphology of an animal’s face will have large effects on the sensory information it can acquire. Here we quantify the arrangement of cranial sensory structures of the rat, with special emphasis on the mystacial vibrissae (whiskers). Nearly all mammals have vibrissae, which are generally arranged in rows and columns across the face. The vibrissae serve a wide variety of important behavioral functions, including navigation, climbing, wake following, anemotaxis, and social interactions. To date, however, there are few studies that compare the morphology of vibrissal arrays across species, or that describe the arrangement of the vibrissae relative to other facial sensory structures. The few studies that do exist have exploited the whiskers’ grid-like arrangement to quantify array morphology in terms of row and column identity. However, relying on whisker identity poses a challenge for comparative research because different species have different numbers and arrangements of whiskers. The present work introduces an approach to quantify vibrissal array morphology regardless of the number of rows and columns, and to quantify the array’s location relative to other sensory structures. We use the three-dimensional locations of the whisker basepoints as fundamental parameters to generate equations describing the length, curvature, and orientation of each whisker. Results show that in the rat, whisker length varies exponentially across the array, and that a hard limit on intrinsic curvature constrains the whisker height-to-length ratio. Whiskers are oriented to “fan out” approximately equally in dorsal-ventral and rostral-caudal directions. Quantifying positions of the other sensory structures relative to the whisker basepoints shows remarkable alignment to the somatosensory cortical homunculus, an alignment that would not occur for other choices of coordinate systems (e.g., centered on the midpoint of the eyes). We anticipate that the quantification of facial

Characterization of the Prediabetic State in a Novel Rat Model of Type 2 Diabetes, the ZFDM Rat.

PubMed

Gheni, Ghupurjan; Yokoi, Norihide; Beppu, Masayuki; Yamaguchi, Takuro; Hidaka, Shihomi; Kawabata, Ayako; Hoshino, Yoshikazu; Hoshino, Masayuki; Seino, Susumu

2015-01-01

We recently established a novel animal model of obese type 2 diabetes (T2D), the Zucker fatty diabetes mellitus (ZFDM) rat strain harboring the fatty mutation (fa) in the leptin receptor gene. Here we performed a phenotypic characterization of the strain, focusing mainly on the prediabetic state. At 6-8 weeks of age, fa/fa male rats exhibited mild glucose intolerance and severe insulin resistance. Although basal insulin secretion was remarkably high in the isolated pancreatic islets, the responses to both glucose stimulation and the incretin GLP-1 were retained. At 10-12 weeks of age, fa/fa male rats exhibited marked glucose intolerance as well as severe insulin resistance similar to that at the earlier age. In the pancreatic islets, the insulin secretory response to glucose stimulation was maintained but the response to the incretin was diminished. In nondiabetic Zucker fatty (ZF) rats, the insulin secretory responses to both glucose stimulation and the incretin in the pancreatic islets were similar to those of ZFDM rats. As islet architecture was destroyed with age in ZFDM rats, a combination of severe insulin resistance, diminished insulin secretory response to incretin, and intrinsic fragility of the islets may cause the development of T2D in this strain.

Characterization of p75{sup +} ectomesenchymal stem cells from rat embryonic facial process tissue

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wen, Xiujie; Liu, Luchuan; Deng, Manjing

2012-10-12

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ectomesenchymal stem cells (EMSCs) were found to migrate to rat facial processes at E11.5. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We successfully sorted p75NTR positive EMSCs (p75{sup +} EMSCs). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer p75{sup +} EMSCs up to nine passages showed relative stable proliferative activity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We examined the in vitro multilineage potential of p75{sup +} EMSCs. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer p75{sup +}EMSCs provide an in vitro model for tooth morphogenesis. -- Abstract: Several populations of stem cells, including those from the dental pulp and periodontal ligament, have been isolated from different parts of the tooth and periodontium. The characteristics of such stem cells have been reported as well.more » However, as a common progenitor of these cells, ectomesenchymal stem cells (EMSCs), derived from the cranial neural crest have yet to be fully characterized. The aim of this study was to better understand the characteristics of EMSCs isolated from rat embryonic facial processes. Immunohistochemical staining showed that EMSCs had migrated to rat facial processes at E11.5, while the absence of epithelial invagination or tooth-like epithelium suggested that any epithelial-mesenchymal interactions were limited at this stage. The p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR), a typical neural crest marker, was used to select p75NTR-positive EMSCs (p75{sup +} EMSCs), which were found to show a homogeneous fibroblast-like morphology and little change in the growth curve, proliferation capacity, and cell phenotype during cell passage. They also displayed the capacity to differentiate into diverse cell types under chemically defined conditions in vitro. p75{sup +} EMSCs proved to be homogeneous, stable in vitro and potentially capable of multiple lineages, suggesting their potential for application in dental or orofacial tissue engineering.« less

Morphological characterization of selected balloon films and its effects on balloon performances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Said, Magdi A.

1994-01-01

Morphological characterization of several polyethylene balloon films have been studied using various techniques. The objective is to determine, if any, differentiating structural or morphological features that can be related to the performance of these balloon film materials. The results of the study indicate that the films are composed of either linear low denstiy polyethylene (LLDPE) or low density polyethylene (LDPE). A selective examination of these data imply that films limited degree of branching and larger crystallites size (same % crystallinity) showed good mechanical properties that appear to correlate with their high level of success in balloon flights.

Effects of a Saturated Fat and High Cholesterol Diet on Memory and Hippocampal Morphology in the Middle-Aged Rat

PubMed Central

Granholm, Ann-Charlotte; Bimonte-Nelson, Heather A.; Moore, Alfred B.; Nelson, Matthew E.; Freeman, Linnea R.; Sambamurti, Kumar

2009-01-01

Diets rich in cholesterol and/or saturated fats have been shown to be detrimental to cognitive performance. Therefore, we fed a cholesterol (2%) and saturated fat (hydrogenated coconut oil, Sat Fat 10%) diet to 16-month old rats for 8 weeks to explore the effects on the working memory performance of middle-aged rats. Lipid profiles revealed elevated plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL, and LDL for the Sat-Fat group as compared to an iso-caloric control diet (12% soybean oil). Weight gain and food consumption were similar in both groups. Sat-Fat treated rats committed more working memory errors in the water radial arm maze, especially at higher memory loads. Cholesterol, amyloid-β peptide of 40 (Aβ40) or 42 (Aβ42) residues, and nerve growth factor in cortical regions was unaffected, but hippocampal Map-2 staining was reduced in rats fed a Sat-Fat diet, indicating a loss of dendritic integrity. Map-2 reduction correlated with memory errors. Microglial activation, indicating inflammation and/or gliosis, was also observed in the hippocampus of Sat-Fat fed rats. These data suggest that saturated fat, hydrogenated fat and cholesterol can profoundly impair memory and hippocampal morphology. PMID:18560126

Integral-geometry characterization of photobiomodulation effects on retinal vessel morphology

PubMed Central

Barbosa, Marconi; Natoli, Riccardo; Valter, Kriztina; Provis, Jan; Maddess, Ted

2014-01-01

The morphological characterization of quasi-planar structures represented by gray-scale images is challenging when object identification is sub-optimal due to registration artifacts. We propose two alternative procedures that enhances object identification in the integral-geometry morphological image analysis (MIA) framework. The first variant streamlines the framework by introducing an active contours segmentation process whose time step is recycled as a multi-scale parameter. In the second variant, we used the refined object identification produced in the first variant to perform the standard MIA with exact dilation radius as multi-scale parameter. Using this enhanced MIA we quantify the extent of vaso-obliteration in oxygen-induced retinopathic vascular growth, the preventative effect (by photobiomodulation) of exposure during tissue development to near-infrared light (NIR, 670 nm), and the lack of adverse effects due to exposure to NIR light. PMID:25071966

[Effects of electroacupuncture at "Weizhong" (BL 40) on regeneration and morphology in rats with bupivacaine-induced multifidus muscle injury].

PubMed

Peng, Yuanyuan; Liu, Tong; Chen, Yupei; Zou, Dehui; Zhang, Li

2016-03-01

To observe the intervention effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Weizhong" (BL 40) on rats with bupivacaine-induced multifidus muscle injury, so as to explore the action mechanism. A total of 72 rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, a Weizhong group and a Shenshu group, 18 rats in each group. Each group was again randomly divided into a 4-day subgroup, a 7-day subgroup and a 14-day subgroup, 6 rats in each subgroup. Rats in the model group, Weizhong group and Shenshu group were treated with intramuscular injection of 0.5% bupivacaine (BPVC) to establish the model of multifidus muscle injury. Rats in the Weizhong group and Shenshu group were treated with EA at "Weizhong" (BL 40) and "Shenshu" (BL 23), 20 min per treatment, once a day. Each subgroup was treated for 4 days, 7 days and 14 days respectively. Rats in the control group and model group were treated with immobilization. The morphology and cross sectional area (CSA) changes of multifidus with HE and Masson staining at different time points were observed; the expression of insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and myogenic differentiation antigen (MyoD) was measured by immunohistochemical method. After the modeling, there were significant morphology changes of multifidus at different time points, which was not fully recovered after 14 days. The morphological observation in the Weizhong group and Shenshu group was superior to that in the model group. At 7th day, the CSA in the Weizhong group was higher than that in the model group (P < 0.05); at 14th day, the CSA in the Weizhong group and Shenshu group was higher than that in the model group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). At 4th day and 7th day, the expression of IGF-1 in the model group was higher than that in the control group (both P < 0.01); at 4th day, that in the Weizhong group was higher than that in the model group (P < 0.01), and that in the Weizhong group was higher than that in the Shenshu group (P < 0.05), and that in the Shenshu

Arterial morphology responds differently to Captopril then N-acetylcysteine in a monocrotaline rat model of pulmonary hypertension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molthen, Robert; Wu, Qingping; Baumgardt, Shelley; Kohlhepp, Laura; Shingrani, Rahul; Krenz, Gary

2010-03-01

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an incurable condition inevitably resulting in death because of increased right heart workload and eventual failure. PH causes pulmonary vascular remodeling, including muscularization of the arteries, and a reduction in the typically large vascular compliance of the pulmonary circulation. We used a rat model of monocrotaline (MCT) induced PH to evaluated and compared Captopril (an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor with antioxidant capacity) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC, a mucolytic with a large antioxidant capacity) as possible treatments. Twenty-eight days after MCT injection, the rats were sacrificed and heart, blood, and lungs were studied to measure indices such as right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH), hematocrit, pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), vessel morphology and biomechanics. We implemented microfocal X-ray computed tomography to image the pulmonary arterial tree at intravascular pressures of 30, 21, 12, and 6 mmHg and then used automated vessel detection and measurement algorithms to perform morphological analysis and estimate the distensibility of the arterial tree. The vessel detection and measurement algorithms quickly and effectively mapped and measured the vascular trees at each intravascular pressure. Monocrotaline treatment, and the ensuing PH, resulted in a significantly decreased arterial distensibility, increased PVR, and tended to decrease the length of the main pulmonary trunk. In rats with PH induced by monocrotaline, Captopril treatment significantly increased arterial distensibility and decrease PVR. NAC treatment did not result in an improvement, it did not significantly increase distensibility and resulted in further increase in PVR. Interestingly, NAC tended to increase peripheral vascular density. The results suggest that arterial distensibility may be more important than distal collateral pathways in maintaining PVR at normally low values.

Maternal separation and early stress cause long-lasting effects on dopaminergic and endocannabinergic systems and alters dendritic morphology in the nucleus accumbens and frontal cortex in rats.

PubMed

Romano-López, Antonio; Méndez-Díaz, Mónica; García, Fabio García; Regalado-Santiago, Citlalli; Ruiz-Contreras, Alejandra E; Prospéro-García, Oscar

2016-08-01

A considerable amount experimental studies have shown that maternal separation (MS) is associated with adult offspring abnormal behavior and cognition disorder. Accordingly, this experimental procedure has been proposed as a predictor for alcohol and drug dependence based on the neurodevelopmental soon after birth. Endocannabinoid system (eCBs) has been implicated in reward processes, including drug abuse and dependence. MS and associated stress causes changes in the eCBs that seem to facilitate alcohol consumption. In this study, we seek to evaluate potential morphological changes in neurons of the frontal cortex (FCx) and nucleus accumbens (NAcc), in the expression of receptors and enzymes of the endocannabinoid and dopamine systems and in second messengers, such as Akt, in adult rats subjected to MS and early stress (MS + ES; 2 × 180 min daily) vs. nonseparated rats (NMS). Results showed that MS + ES induces higher D2R expression and lower D3R, FAAH, and MAGL expression compared with NMS rats. Alterations in total dendritic length were also detected and were characterized by increases in the NAcc while there were decreases in the FCx. We believe MS + ES-induced changes in the dopaminergic and endocannabinergic systems and in the neuronal microstructure might be contributing to alcohol seeking behavior and, potential vulnerability to other drugs in rats. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 76: 819-831, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Cladosporium cladosporioides species complex causing pecan tree leaf spot.

PubMed

Walker, C; Muniz, M F B; Rolim, J M; Martins, R R O; Rosenthal, V C; Maciel, C G; Mezzomo, R; Reiniger, L R S

2016-09-16

The objective of this study was to characterize species of the Cladosporium cladosporioides complex isolated from pecan trees (Carya illinoinensis) with symptoms of leaf spot, based on morphological and molecular approaches. Morphological attributes were assessed using monosporic cultures on potato dextrose agar medium, which were examined for mycelial growth, sporulation, color, and conidia and ramoconidia size. Molecular characterization comprised isolation of DNA and subsequent amplification of the translation elongation factor 1α (TEF-1α) region. Three species of the C. cladosporioides complex were identified: C. cladosporioides, Cladosporium pseudocladosporioides, and Cladosporium subuliforme. Sporulation was the most important characteristic differentiating species of this genus. However, morphological features must be considered together with molecular analysis, as certain characters are indistinguishable between species. TEF-1αcan be effectively used to identify and group isolates belonging to the C. cladosporioides complex. The present study provides an important example of a methodology to ascertain similarity between isolates of this complex causing leaf spot in pecan trees, which should facilitate future pathogenicity studies.

Effect of anti-GM2 antibodies on rat sciatic nerve: electrophysiological and morphological study.

PubMed

Ortiz, Nicolau; Sabaté, M Mar; Garcia, Neus; Santafe, Manel M; Lanuza, M Angel; Tomàs, Marta; Tomàs, Josep

2009-03-31

We found that a monoclonal human IgM anti-GM2 was fixed in rat sciatic axons and Schwann cells and was able to activate human complement. The passive transfer of IgM and complement in sciatic nerves can induce an acute alteration in nerve conduction. When the transfer of IgM plus complement was repeated for 10 days, the compound action motor potential amplitude was very low and the morphological study showed axons and myelin damage. Without human complement, IgM can only slightly disorganize the myelin by separating some layers, probably by interfering with the functional role of gangliosides in the myelin package.

Long-term characterization of the diet-induced obese and diet-resistant rat model: a polygenetic rat model mimicking the human obesity syndrome.

PubMed

Madsen, Andreas Nygaard; Hansen, Gitte; Paulsen, Sarah Juel; Lykkegaard, Kirsten; Tang-Christensen, Mads; Hansen, Harald S; Levin, Barry E; Larsen, Philip Just; Knudsen, Lotte Bjerre; Fosgerau, Keld; Vrang, Niels

2010-09-01

The availability of useful animal models reflecting the human obesity syndrome is crucial in the search for novel compounds for the pharmacological treatment of obesity. In the current study, we have performed an extensive characterization of the obesity syndrome in a polygenetic animal model, namely the selectively bred diet-induced obese (DIO) and diet-resistant (DR) rat strains. We show that they constitute useful models of the human obesity syndrome. DIO and DR rats were fed either a high-energy (HE) or a standard chow (Chow) diet from weaning to 9 months of age. Metabolic characterization including blood biochemistry and glucose homeostasis was examined at 2, 3, 6, and 9 months of age. Furthermore, in 6-month-old HE-fed DIO rats, the anti-obesity effects of liraglutide and sibutramine were examined in a 28-day study. Only HE-fed DIO rats developed visceral obesity, hyperleptinemia, hyperinsulinemia, and dyslipidemia, and showed a worsening of glucose tolerance over time. In line with the hyperlipidemic profile, a severe hepatic fat infiltration was observed in DIO rats at 6 months of age. The effects of liraglutide and sibutramine were tested in 6-month-old DIO rats. Both compounds effectively reduced food intake and body weight in DIO rats. Liraglutide furthermore improved glucose tolerance when compared with sibutramine. Our data highlights the usefulness of a polygenetic animal model for screening of compounds affecting food intake, body weight, and glucose homeostasis. Furthermore, the results underscore the effectiveness of GLP-1 mimetics both as anti-diabetes and anti-obesity agents.

Identification and genomic characterization of a novel rat bocavirus from brown rats in China.

PubMed

Lau, Susanna K P; Yeung, Hazel C; Li, Kenneth S M; Lam, Carol S F; Cai, Jian-Piao; Yuen, Ming-Chi; Wang, Ming; Zheng, Bo-Jian; Woo, Patrick C Y; Yuen, Kwok-Yung

2017-01-01

Despite recent discoveries of novel animal bocaparvoviruses, current understandings on the diversity and evolution of bocaparvoviruses are still limited. We report the identification and genome characterization of a novel bocaparvovirus, rat bocaparvovirus (RBoV), in brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) in China. RBoV was detected in 11.5%, 2.4%, 16.2% and 0.3% of alimentary, respiratory, spleen and kidney samples respectively, of 636 brown rats by PCR, but not in samples of other rodent species, suggesting that brown rats are the primary reservoir of RBoV. Six RBoV genomes sequenced from three brown rats revealed the presence of three ORFs, characteristic of bocaparvoviruses. Phylogenetic analysis showed that RBoV was distantly related to other bocaparvoviruses, forming a distinct cluster within the genus, with ≤55.5% nucleotide identities to the genome of ungulate bocaparvovirus 3, supporting its classification as a novel bocaparvovirus species. RBoV possessed a putative second exon encoding the C-terminal region of NS1 and conserved RNA splicing signals, similar to human bocaparvoviruses and canine bocaparvovirus. In contrast to human, feline and canine bocaparvoviruses which demonstrates inter/intra-host viral diversity, partial VP1/VP2 sequences of 49 RBoV strains demonstrated little inter-host genetic diversity, suggesting a single genetic group. Although the pathogenicity of RBoV remains to be determined, its presence in different host tissues suggests wide tissue tropism. RBoV represents the first bocaparvovirus in rodents with genome sequenced, which extends our knowledge on the host range of bocaparvoviruses. Further studies are required to better understand the epidemiology, genetic diversity and pathogenicity of bocaparvoviruses in different rodent populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Review on characterization of nano-particle emissions and PM morphology from internal combustion engines: Part 2 [Review on morphology and nanostructure characterization of nano-particle emission from internal combustion engines

DOE PAGES

Choi, Seungmok; Myung, C. L.; Park, S.

2014-03-05

This study presents a review of the characterization of physical properties, morphology, and nanostructure of particulate emissions from internal combustion engines. Because of their convenience and readiness of measurement, various on-line commercial instruments have been used to measure the mass, number, and size distribution of nano-particles from different engines. However, these on-line commercial instruments have inherent limitations in detailed analysis of chemical and physical properties, morphology, and nanostructure of engine soot agglomerates, information that is necessary to understand the soot formation process in engine combustion, soot particle behavior in after-treatment systems, and health impacts of the nano-particles. For these reasons,more » several measurement techniques used in the carbon research field, i.e., highresolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy, were used for analysis of engine particulate matter (PM). This review covers a brief introduction of several measurement techniques and previous results from engine nano-particle characterization studies using those techniques.« less

Functional restoration of cirrhotic liver after partial hepatectomy in the rat.

PubMed

Hashimoto, Masaji; Watanabe, Goro

2005-01-01

Although cirrhosis is the terminal stage of various liver diseases, thanks to recent advances one might eliminate some causes of liver damage. Liver has a potent regeneration capacity. It is important to evaluate the regenerating cirrhotic liver after partial hepatectomy, morphologically and functionally, in the long term. We evaluated the functional capacity of the rat liver rendered cirrhotic by orally administered thioacetamide, and examined the correlation between morphological and functional restoration after 2/3 hepatectomy in comparison with hepatectomized normal rats and sham-operated cirrhotic rats. Morphological restoration was evaluated by remnant liver weight, proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling index, and fibrosis ratio. Functional restoration was evaluated by the indocyanine green disappearance rate and aminopyrine clearance. Cirrhotic rats were functionally deteriorated in comparison with the normal rats. Morphological restoration in cirrhotic rats was delayed in comparison with normal rats. Functional restoration after 2/3 hepatectomy was advanced in comparison with morphological restoration. In comparison with sham-operated cirrhotic rats, functional restoration of the cirrhotic liver was accelerated by partial hepatectomy. In cirrhotic rats, functional restoration of the liver after 2/3 hepatectomy was advanced in comparison with morphological restoration. Partial hepatectomy seemed to promote functional restoration of the cirrhotic liver.

Morphological, biochemical, and histopathological indices and contaminant burdens of cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) at three hazardous waste sites near Houston, Texas, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rattner, B.A.; Flickinger, Edward L.; Hoffman, D.J.

1993-01-01

Male cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) were studied at three industrial waste sites near Houston, Texas, to determine whether various morphological, biochemical, and histopathological indices provided evidence of contaminant exposure and toxic insult. Only modest changes were detected in cotton rats residing at waste sites compared with reference sites. No single parameter was consistently altered, except hepatic cytochrome P-450 concentration which was lower ( [Formula: see text] ) at two waste sites, and tended to be lower ( [Formula: see text] ) at a third waste site. Elevated petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations were detected in rats at one waste site, but contaminant burdens of rats from the other sites were unremarkable. Unlike rats captured in summer, those trapped in winter exhibited hepatocellular hypertrophy and up to a 65% increase in liver: body weight ratio, cytochrome P-450 concentration, and activities of aniline hydroxylase, aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase, and glutathione S-transferase. Although genotoxicity has been previously documented in cotton rats residing at two of the waste sites, biomarkers in the present study provided little evidence of exposure and damage

Evaluation of testicular toxicity and sperm morphology in rats treated with methyl methanesulphonate (MMS).

PubMed

Kuriyama, Kazuya; Kitamura, Tsuyoshi; Yokoi, Ryohei; Hayashi, Morimichi; Kobayashi, Kazuo; Kuroda, Junji; Tsujii, Hirotada

2005-10-01

Methyl methanesulphonate (MMS), a potent alkylating agent and testicular toxicant, was orally administered to rats for 5 days at 40 mg/kg. During the recovery period of up to 5 weeks, males were evaluated for testicular toxicity and sperm morphology. The 5-week recovery period were designated as follows: Day 1 (the day after final treatment); Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4 and Week 5 (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 weeks after final treatment). Morphologically abnormal sperm increased beginning in Week 3, peaked in Week 4 and declined slightly in Week 5. Histopathological examinations indicated retention of step 19 spermatids at stage IX from Day 1 through Week 3. Quantitative evaluation of spermatogenic cells indicated a decrease in the number of late pachytene spermatocytes and early spermatids on Day 1. TUNEL examination showed a significantly high frequency of apoptosis in the meiosis cells in Week 1. In the present study, genetic damage induced by treatment with MMS affected spermatogenesis and a wide variety of spermatogenic cells in the testis. Apoptosis in the course of meiosis seemed to be involved in the elimination process of genetically insulted germ cells, and this process seems to play an important role in eliminating and/or decreasing the germ cells with retention of spermatids and the potential to express morphologically abnormal spermatozoa.

Morphologic and molecular alteration during tibia fracture healing in rat.

PubMed

Yu, M-D; Su, B-H; Zhang, X-X

2018-03-01

To monitor morphological feature and related osteogenic and bone metabolic change during healing of tibia fracture in a rat model. Tibia density and trabecular thickness were evaluated. Histopathology was examined by HE staining. Serous inflammatory factors IL-4, IL-6, TNF-α and metabolic biomarkers ALP, β-CTX, P1NP, were determined by ELISA. The expression of RUNX2, TGF-β1, VEGF-α, BMP-2, BMP-4, and BMP-7 in callus tissue were qualified by RT-PCR. Bone density decreased until week 4 and then increased post-operation. Trabeculae in callus were thickened over time with active osteogenesis. ELISA indicated the most severe inflammation at week 2, with the highest level of TNF-α, IL-6, and the lowest level of IL-4. After 4 weeks, the inflammation was alleviated accompanying with the decline of TNF-α and IL-6, while there was the elevation of IL-4. Bone metabolism showed active osteogenesis and resorption at week 6 with high P1NP and β-CTX. The expression of RUNX2, TGF-β1, VEGF-α, BMP-2, BMP-4, and BMP-7 increased progressively from week 1 to 6. The major lesions at week 2 in sham were tissue necrosis, periosteal reactive hyperplasia, inflammatory cell infiltration, capillary hyperplasia and slight fibro-blast cytopoiesis. At week 4, proliferation was greatly activated, fibrous callus shaped and chondrogenesis and some osteogenesis occurred at week 8. In rat model, bone density started to increase at week 6 after fracture, accompanied with trabeculae thickening, serous inflammatory factors decline, and peaked bone morphogenetic protein/growth factors, which indicated active osteogenesis was conforming to the classical phase of secondary fracture healing.

Volitional Weight-Lifting in Rats Promotes Adaptation via Performance and Muscle Morphology prior to Gains in Muscle Mass

PubMed Central

Rader, Erik P; Miller, G Roger; Chetlin, Robert D; Wirth, Oliver; Baker, Brent A

2014-01-01

Investigation of volitional animal models of resistance training has been instrumental in our understanding of adaptive training. However, these studies have lacked reactive force measurements, a precise performance measure, and morphological analysis at a distinct phase of training – when initial strength gains precede muscle hypertrophy. Our aim was to expose rats to one month of training (70 or 700 g load) on a custom-designed weight-lifting apparatus for analysis of reactive forces and muscle morphology prior to muscle hypertrophy. Exclusively following 700 g load training, forces increased by 21% whereas muscle masses remained unaltered. For soleus (SOL) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles, 700 g load training increased muscle fiber number per unit area by ∼20% and decreased muscle fiber area by ∼20%. Additionally, number of muscle fibers per section increased by 18% for SOL muscles. These results establish that distinct morphological alterations accompany early strength gains in a volitional animal model of load-dependent adaptive resistance training. PMID:25392697

Secretin-stimulated MRI characterization of pancreatic morphology and function in patients with chronic pancreatitis.

PubMed

Madzak, Adnan; Olesen, Søren Schou; Haldorsen, Ingfrid Salvesen; Drewes, Asbjørn Mohr; Frøkjær, Jens Brøndum

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is characterized by abnormal pancreatic morphology and impaired endocrine and exocrine function. However, little is known about the relationship between pancreatic morphology and function, and also the association with the etiology and clinical manifestations of CP. The aim was to explore pancreatic morphology and function with advanced MRI in patients with CP and healthy controls (HC) METHODS: Eighty-two patients with CP and 22 HC were enrolled in the study. Morphological imaging parameters included pancreatic main duct diameter, gland volume, fat signal fraction and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values. Functional secretin-stimulated MRI (s-MRI) parameters included pancreatic secretion (bowel fluid volume) and changes in pancreatic ADC value before and after secretin stimulation. Patients were classified according to the modified Cambridge and M-ANNHEIM classification system and fecal elastase was collected. All imaging parameters differentiated CP patients from HC; however, correlations between morphological and functional parameters in CP were weak. Patients with alcoholic and non-alcoholic etiology had comparable s-MRI findings. Fecal elastase was positively correlated to pancreatic gland volume (r = 0.68, P = 0.0016) and negatively correlated to Cambridge classification (r = -0.35, P < 0.001). Additionally, gland volume was negatively correlated to the duration of CP (r = -0.39, P < 0.001) and baseline ADC (r = -0.35, P = 0.027). When stratified by clinical stage (M-ANNHEIM), the pancreatic gland volume was significantly decreased in the severe stages of CP (P = 0.001). S-MRI provides detailed information about pancreatic morphology and function and represents a promising non-invasive imaging method to characterize pancreatic pathophysiology and may enable monitoring of disease progression in patients with CP. Copyright © 2017 IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Morphological, structural, and functional alterations of the prefrontal cortex and the basolateral amygdala after early lesion of the rat mediodorsal thalamus.

PubMed

Ouhaz, Zakaria; Ba-M'hamed, Saadia; Bennis, Mohamed

2017-08-01

Early postnatal damage to the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) produces deficits in cognition and behavior believed to be associated with early prefrontal cortical maldevelopment. We assessed the role of MD afferents during development on the morphological and functional maturation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the basolateral amygdala (BLA). Sprague-Dawley rat pups (n = 56) received a bilateral electrolytic lesion of the MD or a MD Sham lesion on postnatal day 4. 7 weeks later, all rats were tested in anxiety-related and cognitive paradigms using the elevated plus maze and novel object recognition tests. Following behavioral testing (P70), rats were killed and the baseline expression of C-Fos protein and the number of GABAergic neurons were evaluated in the PFC and the BLA. The dendritic morphology and spine density in the PFC using Golgi-Cox staining was also evaluated. Adult rats with early postnatal bilateral MD damage exhibited disrupted recognition memory and increased anxiety-like behaviors. The lesion also caused a significant diminution of C-Fos immunolabeling and an increase of the number of GABAergic neurons in the PFC. In the BLA, the number of GABAergic neurons was significantly reduced, associated with an increase in C-Fos immunolabeling. Furthermore, in the PFC the lesion induced a significant reduction in dendritic branching and spine density. Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that the MD plays a role in the development of the PFC and, therefore, may be a good animal model to investigate cognitive symptoms associated with schizophrenia.

Immunoexpression of intermediate filaments and morphological changes in the liver and bile duct of rats infected with Fasciola hepatica.

PubMed

Kolodziejczyk, L; Laszczyńska, M; Masiuk, M; Grabowska, M; Skrzydlewska, E

2015-01-01

We investigated the immunoexpression of the intermediate filament proteins, cytokeratin and desmin, and the morphological changes in the liver of rats during experimental fasciolosis at 4, 7 and 10 weeks post-infection. Rats were infected with 30 Fasciola hepatica metacercariae. Paraffin sections of the liver were stained using H & E, PAS and azan stains. Immunohistochemical reactions were performed using antibodies against cytokeratin and desmin. The experimental F. hepatica infection led to fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver, and to inflammation of the common bile ducts. The expression of cytokeratin was increased in the epithelial cells of both the liver bile ductules at 4, 7 and 10 weeks post-infection and in the common bile ducts at 7 and 10 weeks post-infection compared to uninfected rats; expression in the common bile ducts was more intense. The myofibroblasts of the liver and smooth myocytes of the interlobular bile ducts and common bile ducts, showed a slight increase in desmin expression compared to the uninfected rats. The increased expression of cytokeratins in the hyperplastic rat common bile duct epithelium during the biliary phase of fasciolosis at 7 and 10 weeks post-infection may be explained by mechanical irritation by the parasite and an inflammatory reaction in the bile duct epithelium and in periductal fibrous tissue.

Hepatic damage in newborns from female rats exposed to the pesticide derivative ethylenethiourea.

PubMed

Lemos, Patrícia Veruska Ribeiro Barbosa; Martins, José Luiz; Lemos, Sidney Pereira Pinto; Santos, Fernando Leandro dos; Silva, Sílvio Romero Gonçalves e

2012-12-01

To evaluate hepatic morphological-histological abnormalities in newborns from female rats exposed to ethylenethiourea. A randomized study was conducted on fifty-five newborn Wistar rats were studied: 34 in the experimental group, whose mothers had been exposed to 1% ethylenethiourea; and 21 in the control group, whose mothers had received 0.9% physiological solution. The solution was administered via gavage on the 11(th) day of gestation. Cesarean section was performed on the 20(th) day of gestation. The newborns' livers were examined and any morphological-histological abnormalities were registered. The presence of megakaryocytes was quantified in 50 microscope fields, as the total number of these cells per mm(2). The entire experimental group presented abnormalities of embryonic formation, with musculoskeletal anomalies, digestive system anomalies, hepatic congestion and friability, hydrops and delayed intrauterine growth. The histopathological analysis showed that morphological-histological hepatic destructuring had occurred in all entire experimental with removal of the hepatic trabeculae and severe hepatic megakaryocytosis. The mean megakaryocyte density ranged from 107.9 to 114.2 per mm(2), and it was eight times greater than in the control group, thus characterizing a situation of extramedullary hematopoiesis. The fetal exposure to ethylenethiourea caused hepatic damage characterized by severe extramedullary hematopoiesis.

Application of image flow cytometry for the characterization of red blood cell morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinto, Ruben N.; Sebastian, Joseph A.; Parsons, Michael; Chang, Tim C.; Acker, Jason P.; Kolios, Michael C.

2017-02-01

Red blood cells (RBCs) stored in hypothermic environments for the purpose of transfusion have been documented to undergo structural and functional changes over time. One sign of the so-called RBC storage lesion is irreversible damage to the cell membrane. Consequently, RBCs undergo a morphological transformation from regular, deformable biconcave discocytes to rigid spheroechinocytes. The spherically shaped RBCs lack the deformability to efficiently enter microvasculature, thereby reducing the capacity of RBCs to oxygenate tissue. Blood banks currently rely on microscope techniques that include fixing, staining and cell counting in order to morphologically characterize RBC samples; these methods are labor intensive and highly subjective. This study presents a novel, high-throughput RBC morphology characterization technique using image flow cytometry (IFC). An image segmentation template was developed to process 100,000 images acquired from the IFC system and output the relative spheroechinocyte percentage. The technique was applied on samples extracted from two blood bags to monitor the morphological changes of the RBCs during in vitro hypothermic storage. The study found that, for a given sample of RBCs, the IFC method was twice as fast in data acquisition, and analyzed 250-350 times more RBCs than the conventional method. Over the lifespan of the blood bags, the mean spheroechinocyte population increased by 37%. Future work will focus on expanding the template to segregate RBC images into more subpopulations for the validation of the IFC method against conventional techniques; the expanded template will aid in establishing quantitative links between spheroechinocyte increase and other RBC storage lesion characteristics.

Morphological assessment of bone mineralization in tibial metaphyses of ascorbic acid-deficient ODS rats.

PubMed

Hasegawa, Tomoka; Li, Minqi; Hara, Kuniko; Sasaki, Muneteru; Tabata, Chihiro; de Freitas, Paulo Henrique Luiz; Hongo, Hiromi; Suzuki, Reiko; Kobayashi, Masatoshi; Inoue, Kiichiro; Yamamoto, Tsuneyuki; Oohata, Noboru; Oda, Kimimitsu; Akiyama, Yasuhiro; Amizuka, Norio

2011-08-01

Osteogenic disorder shionogi (ODS) rats carry a hereditary defect in ascorbic acid synthesis, mimicking human scurvy when fed with an ascorbic acid-deficient (aa-def) diet. As aa-def ODS rats were shown to feature disordered bone formation, we have examined the bone mineralization in this rat model. A fibrous tissue layer surrounding the trabeculae of tibial metaphyses was found in aa-def ODS rats, and this layer showed intense alkaline phosphatase activity and proliferating cell nuclear antigen-immunopositivity. Many osteoblasts detached from the bone surfaces and were characterized by round-shaped rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER), suggesting accumulation of malformed collagen inside the rER. Accordingly, fine, fragile fibrillar collagenous structures without evident striation were found in aa-def bones, which may result from misassembling of the triple helices of collagenous α-chains. Despite a marked reduction in bone formation, ascorbic acid deprivation seemed to have no effect on mineralization: while reduced in number, normal matrix vesicles and mineralized nodules could be seen in aa-def bones. Fine needle-like mineral crystals extended from these mineralized nodules, and were apparently bound to collagenous fibrillar structures. In summary, collagen mineralization seems unaffected by ascorbic acid deficiency in spite of the fine, fragile collagenous fibrils identified in the bones of our animal model.

Characterization of SV-40 Tag rats as a model to study prostate cancer

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Prostate cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer in men. Animal models that closely mimic clinical disease in humans are invaluable tools in the fight against prostate cancer. Recently, a Simian Virus-40 T-antigen (SV-40 Tag) targeted probasin promoter rat model was developed. This model, however, has not been extensively characterized; hence we have investigated the ontogeny of prostate cancer and determined the role of sex steroid receptor and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling proteins in the novel SV-40 Tag rat. Methods The SV-40 Tag rat was histopathologically characterized for time to tumor development, incidence and multiplicity and in the ventral, dorsal, lateral and anterior lobes of the prostate. Immunoassay techniques were employed to measure cell proliferation, apoptosis, and sex steroid receptor and growth factor signaling-related proteins. Steroid hormone concentrations were measured via coated well enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Results Prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and well-differentiated prostate cancer developed as early as 2 and 10 weeks of age, respectively in the ventral prostate (VP) followed by in the dorsolateral (DLP). At 8 weeks of age, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) concentrations in SV-40 Tag rats were increased when compared to non-transgenic rats. High cell proliferation and apoptotic indices were found in VP and DLP of transgenic rats. Furthermore, we observed increased protein expression of androgen receptor, IGF-1, IGF-1 receptor, and extracellular signal-regulated kinases in the prostates of SV-40 Tag rats. Conclusion The rapid development of PIN and prostate cancer in conjunction with the large prostate size makes the SV-40 Tag rat a useful model for studying prostate cancer. This study provides evidence of the role of sex steroid and growth factor proteins in prostate cancer development and defines appropriate windows of opportunity for preclinical

Effect of the environment on the dendritic morphology of the rat auditory cortex

PubMed Central

Bose, Mitali; Muñoz-Llancao, Pablo; Roychowdhury, Swagata; Nichols, Justin A.; Jakkamsetti, Vikram; Porter, Benjamin; Byrapureddy, Rajasekhar; Salgado, Humberto; Kilgard, Michael P.; Aboitiz, Francisco; Dagnino-Subiabre, Alexies; Atzori, Marco

2010-01-01

The present study aimed to identify morphological correlates of environment-induced changes at excitatory synapses of the primary auditory cortex (A1). We used the Golgi-Cox stain technique to compare pyramidal cells dendritic properties of Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to different environmental manipulations. Sholl analysis, dendritic length measures, and spine density counts were used to monitor the effects of sensory deafness and an auditory version of environmental enrichment (EE). We found that deafness decreased apical dendritic length leaving basal dendritic length unchanged, whereas EE selectively increased basal dendritic length without changing apical dendritic length. On the contrary, deafness decreased while EE increased spine density in both basal and apical dendrites of A1 layer 2/3 (LII/III) neurons. To determine whether stress contributed to the observed morphological changes in A1, we studied neural morphology in a restraint-induced model that lacked behaviorally relevant acoustic cues. We found that stress selectively decreased apical dendritic length in the auditory but not in the visual primary cortex. Similar to the acoustic manipulation, stress-induced changes in dendritic length possessed a layer specific pattern displaying LII/III neurons from stressed animals with normal apical dendrites but shorter basal dendrites, while infragranular neurons (layers V and VI) displayed shorter apical dendrites but normal basal dendrites. The same treatment did not induce similar changes in the visual cortex, demonstrating that the auditory cortex is an exquisitely sensitive target of neocortical plasticity, and that prolonged exposure to different acoustic as well as emotional environmental manipulation may produce specific changes in dendritic shape and spine density. PMID:19771593

Qualitatively different effect of repeated stress during adolescence on principal neuron morphology across lateral and basal nuclei of the rat amygdala

PubMed Central

Padival, Mallika A.; Blume, Shannon R.; Vantrease, Jaime E.; Rosenkranz, J. Amiel

2015-01-01

Repeated stress can elicit symptoms of depression and anxiety. The amygdala is a significant contributor to the expression of emotion and the basolateral amygdala (BLA) is a major target for the effects of stress on emotion. The adolescent time period may be particularly susceptible to the effects of stress on emotion. While repeated stress has been demonstrated to modify the morphology of BLA neurons in adult rats, little is known about its effects on BLA neurons during adolescence. This study tests the effects of repeated stress during adolescence on BLA neuronal morphology, and whether these are similar to the effects of stress during adulthood. The BLA includes the basal (BA) and lateral (LAT) nuclei, which are differentially responsive to stress in adults. Therefore, effects of stress during adolescence were compared between the BA and LAT nuclei. Morphological features of reconstructed BLA neurons were examined using Golgi-Cox stained tissue from control or repeated restraint stress exposed rats. We found subtle dendritic growth coupled with loss of spines after repeated stress during adolescence. The magnitude and dendritic location of these differences varied between the BA and LAT nuclei in strong contrast to the stress-induced increases in spine number seen in adults. These results demonstrate that repeated stress during adolescence has markedly different effects on BLA neuronal morphology, and the extent of these changes are BLA nucleus-dependent. Moreover, altered neuroanatomy was associated with age-dependent effects of repeated stress on generalization of fear, and may point to the necessity for different approaches to target stress-induced changes in adolescents. PMID:25701125

Electrophysiological and morphological properties of neurons in the prepositus hypoglossi nucleus that express both ChAT and VGAT in a double-transgenic rat model.

PubMed

Saito, Yasuhiko; Zhang, Yue; Yanagawa, Yuchio

2015-04-01

Although it has been proposed that neurons that contain both acetylcholine (ACh) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are present in the prepositus hypoglossi nucleus (PHN), these neurons have not been characterized because of the difficulty in identifying them. In the present study, PHN neurons that express both choline acetyltransferase and the vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT) were identified using double-transgenic rats, in which the cholinergic and inhibitory neurons express the fluorescent proteins tdTomato and Venus, respectively. To characterize the neurons that express both tdTomato and Venus (D+ neurons), the afterhyperpolarization (AHP) profiles and firing patterns of these neurons were investigated via whole-cell recordings of brainstem slice preparations. Regarding the three AHP profiles and four firing patterns that the D+ neurons exhibited, an AHP with an afterdepolarization and a firing pattern that exhibited a delay in the generation of the first spike were the preferential properties of these neurons. In the three morphological types classified, the multipolar type that exhibited radiating dendrites was predominant among the D+ neurons. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed that the VGAT-immunopositive axonal boutons that expressed tdTomato were primarily located in the dorsal cap of inferior olive (IO) and the PHN. Although the PHN receives cholinergic inputs from the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus and laterodorsal tegmental nucleus, D+ neurons were absent from these brain areas. Together, these results suggest that PHN neurons that co-express ACh and GABA exhibit specific electrophysiological and morphological properties, and innervate the dorsal cap of the IO and the PHN. © 2015 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Regional Morphology and Transport of PAMAM Dendrimers Across Isolated Rat Intestinal Tissue.

PubMed

Hubbard, Dallin; Bond, Tanner; Ghandehari, Hamidreza

2015-12-01

Intestinal permeability of PAMAM dendrimers has been observed, giving rationale for their use in oral drug delivery as potential carriers of associated molecules. This study assessed the apparent permeability coefficients (Papp) of dendrimers across isolated rat intestinal regional mucosae, along with estimation of the maximum non-toxic concentration. Caco-2 monolayers were also used to assess the comparative Papp values between isolated mucosae and cell culture models. Concentrations from 0.1 to 10 mM of anionic and cationic dendrimers were tested in mucosae to assess their Papp, membrane TEER, [(14)C]-mannitol Papp, and histology. 0.1 mM concentrations of dendrimers were assessed over 120 min in Caco-2 cell monolayers as concentrations above that were cytotoxic. Jejunal transport of dendrimers was higher than transport in colonic epithelium. Monolayer Papp values of dendrimers were comparable to those of jejunal mucosae. Mucosae exposed to dendrimer concentrations of 10 mM for 120 min caused significant reduction in TEER and changes in tissue morphology; however, G3.5 was the only analogue that caused significant TEER reduction and morphological changes at 1 mM concentrations. Transport in jejunal mucosae appears to be the greatest indicating that the small intestinal will be the most likely region to target for oral drug delivery using PAMAM dendrimers. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Molecular and morphological characterization of local apple cultivars in Southern Spain.

PubMed

Pérez-Romero, L F; Suárez, M P; Dapena, E; Rallo, P

2015-02-20

The number of local and traditional fruit cultivars in Andalusia (Southern Spain) has decreased dramatically since the 1970s when new commercial cultivars from breeding programs were introduced, replacing old varieties, and thus decreasing genetic diversity. The present study was included in a genetic resources project with the objective of identifying and preserving traditional fruit tree cultivars in Southern Spain. The goal of this study was to begin the characterization of 29 apple accessions (Malus x domestica Borkh) belonging to 13 traditional cultivar denominations. For molecular characterization studies, 12 simple sequence repeat markers previously developed for apple species were used. Morphological characterization was performed using 33 fruit traits. A total of 115 alleles were amplified for the 12 loci, ranging from 7 (CH01h01, CH01h10, and GD 12) to 13 alleles per locus (CH02c11). Forty-one alleles were unique to specific genotypes. The locus with the highest number of detected unique alleles was CH01f03b with 6 alleles. Expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.74 for CH01h10 to 0.88 for CH02c11, with an average of 0.82. Observed heterozygosity varied from 0.45 for CH01h01 to 1.0 for CH02d08, with an average of 0.86. Three homonyms were found for accessions belonging to varieties 'Maguillo', 'Pero Minguela', and 'Castellana'. The most discriminant morphological characters studied revealed no homonyms or synonyms among cultivar denominations, although they are useful for describing varietal characteristics that have not been previously defined.

Characterization of dynamic physiology of the bladder by optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Zhijia; Keng, Kerri; Pan, Rubin; Ren, Hugang; Du, Congwu; Kim, Jason; Pan, Yingtian

2012-03-01

Because of its high spatial resolution and noninvasive imaging capabilities, optical coherence tomography has been used to characterize the morphological details of various biological tissues including urinary bladder and to diagnose their alternations (e.g., cancers). In addition to static morphology, the dynamic features of tissue morphology can provide important information that can be used to diagnose the physiological and functional characteristics of biological tissues. Here, we present the imaging studies based on optical coherence tomography to characterize motion related physiology and functions of rat bladder detrusor muscles and compared the results with traditional biomechanical measurements. Our results suggest that optical coherence tomography is capable of providing quantitative evaluation of contractile functions of intact bladder (without removing bladder epithelium and connective tissue), which is potentially of more clinical relevance for future clinical diagnosis - if incorporated with cystoscopic optical coherence tomography.

Effects of adult dysthyroidism on the morphology of hippocampal granular cells in rats.

PubMed

Martí-Carbonell, Maria Assumpció; Garau, Adriana; Sala-Roca, Josefina; Balada, Ferran

2012-01-01

Thyroid hormones are essential for normal brain development and very important in the normal functioning of the brain. Thyroid hormones action in the adult brain has not been widely studied. The effects of adult hyperthyroidism are not as well understood as adult hypothyroidism, mainly in hippocampal granular cells. The purpose of the present study is to assess the consequences of adult hormone dysthyroidism (excess/deficiency of TH) on the morphology of dentate granule cells in the hippocampus by performing a quantitative study of dendritic arborizations and dendritic spines using Golgi impregnated material. Hypo-and hyperthyroidism were induced in rats by adding 0.02 percent methimazole and 1 percent L-thyroxine, respectively, to drinking water from 40 days of age. At 89 days, the animals' brains were removed and stained by a modified Golgi method and blood samples were collected in order to measure T4 serum levels. Neurons were selected and drawn using a camera lucida. Our results show that both methimazole and thyroxine treatment affect granule cell morphology. Treatments provoke alterations in the same direction, namely, reduction of certain dendritic-branching parameters that are more evident in the methimazole than in the thyroxine group. We also observe a decrease in spine density in both the methimazole and thyroxine groups.

The effect of sibutramine on platelet morphology of Spraque-Dawley rats fed a high energy diet.

PubMed

Oberholzer, Hester Magdalena; Van Der Schoor, Ciska; Pretorius, Etheresia

2013-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Sibutramine on platelet ultrastructure and discuss the morphological observations in relation to known physiological effects of the compound. Six-week-old, female Spraque-Dawley rats were used in this study. The animals were placed on a high energy diet after which sibutramine administration followed. Blood was drawn on the day of termination and platelet rich plasma was obtained to prepare plasma smears for analysis. Scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate the ultrastructure of the platelets. Platelets of the Sibutramine-treated animals showed smooth surface with limited pseudopodia formation when compared with that of the control animals. Higher magnification of the platelet surface showed membrane tears and swelling, typically seen in necrotic cells. It can therefore be concluded from these results that Sibutramine alters the membrane morphology of platelets to that typical of necrotic cells. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Functional morphology of the submandibular salivary glands of white rats during aging involution].

PubMed

Rybakova, M G

1979-12-01

Functional morphology of different zones of submandibular glands of albino rats was studied quantitatively with due regard for the stages of neuroendocrine system involution. It is shown that function of salivary glands during ageing is not altered; cyclic fluctuations with estral cycle phases are maintained similarly to those in young animals. But the basal level of proteins and mucopolysaccharides is reduced, their mean levels being equal to the minimal level in young animals. On the other hand, activation of enzymes responsible for energy and transport processes takes place and their relationships change. The data obtained prove the relationship between salivary and endocrine glands and confirm the viewpoint that in early age involution disintegration occurs between different parameters of the functional activity of salivary glands rather than there take place changes in their function.

Cortical astrocytes exposed to tributyltin undergo morphological changes in vitro.

PubMed

Mizuhashi, S; Ikegaya, Y; Nishiyama, N; Matsuki, N

2000-11-01

We investigated the effect of tributyltin (TBT), an endocrine-disrupting chemical, on the morphology and viability of cultured rat cortical astrocytes. Cultured astrocytes exhibited smooth and planiform morphology under normal conditions. Following exposure to TBT, however, they showed rapid morphological changes that are characterized by asteriated cell bodies and process formation in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Higher concentrations of TBT produced progressive cell death of the astrocytes. In serum-free medium, TBT at a concentration as low as 200 nM induced the stellation. Pharmacological studies revealed that the morphological changes were alleviated by application of diverse free radical scavengers or antioxidants such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, Trolox, ascorbic acid and N-acetyl-L-cysteine, suggesting that TBT-induced stellation is caused by oxidative stress involving free radicals, particularly reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, we found that the astrocyte stellation was abolished by treatment with inhibitors of phospholipase C, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase or tyrosine phosphatase. The data suggest that TBT causes the stellation through intracellular signaling cascades rather than its non-specific toxicity. These findings provide an important insight for reconciling the problems in assumed aversive actions of this environmental pollutant for mammals.

[Morphological changes in the thyroid gland of rats during various phases of the estral cycle].

PubMed

Pliner, L I; Ledovskaia, S M

1975-08-01

The functional state of the thyroid gland and the concentration of thyroid hormones in the peripheral blood were studied in 20 mature female albino rats during their estral cycle. Evaluation of the thyroid functional state was made according to data of histological, morphological (the diameter of folliculi, the height of the thyroid epithelium) and histochemical analysis (determination of NAD and NADP-dehydrogenase, succinatedehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, peroxydase, acid and alkaline phosphatase) as well as biochemical determination of iodine bound with protein (IBP) in the blood plasma and investigation of the ratio of the parameters in question under conditions of the sex cycle. The cyclic changes of the morphological state of the thyroid gland attended by the phases of the estral cycle were revealed. The activation of the organ was observed in proestrus and estrus which was evidenced by high levels of activity of the enzymes under study, high concentration of IBP in the blood and increased height of thyreocytes. A decreased function of the thyroid parenchyma was observed at the period of metaestrus-diestrus.

MAG-EPA reduces severity of DSS-induced colitis in rats.

PubMed

Morin, Caroline; Blier, Pierre U; Fortin, Samuel

2016-05-15

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic disease characterized by diffuse inflammation of the intestinal mucosa of the large bowel. Omega-3 (ω3) fatty acid supplementation has been associated with a decreased production of inflammatory cytokines involved in UC pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine the preventive and therapeutic potential of eicosapentaenoic acid monoglyceride (MAG-EPA) in an in vivo rats model of UC induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). DSS rats were untreated or treated per os with MAG-EPA. Morphological, histological, and biochemical analyses were performed following MAG-EPA administrations. Morphological and histological analyses revealed that MAG-EPA pretreatment (12 days pre-DSS) and treatment (6 days post-DSS) exhibited strong activity in reducing severity of disease in DSS rats. Following MAG-EPA administrations, tissue levels of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were markedly lower compared with rats treated only with DSS. MAG-EPA per os administration decrease neutrophil infiltration in colon tissues, as depicted by myelohyperoxidase activity. Results also revealed a reduced activation of NF-κB pathways correlated with a decreased expression of COX-2 in colon homogenates derived from MAG-EPA-pretreated and treated rats. Tension measurements performed on colon tissues revealed that contractile responses to methacholine and relaxing effect induced by sodium nitroprusside were largely increased following MAG-EPA treatment. The combined treatment of MAG-EPA and vitamin E displayed an antagonistic effect on anti-inflammatory properties of MAG-EPA in DSS rats. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

[Effect of Aβ1-42 injection on hippocampus cells in rats and protective role of polygona-polysaccharose for Alzheimer's disease].

PubMed

Yi, Yuxin; Wu, Shixing; Ye, Maosheng; Zeng, Yi; Zhang, Ping; Xie, Yiqun

2014-04-01

To determine the effect of polygona-polysaccharose (PP) on learning and memory ability in rats with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Forty five Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned into 3 groups. Rats in the sham-operated group were injected with normal saline. Rats in the Aβ group were injected with Aβ1-42. Rats in the PP group were injected with 16% PP solution for 45 days consecutively. The Morris water maze was used to investigate the ability of learning and memory in the rats. The effect of Aβ and PP on the hippocampus cells was observed by HE and Congo red staining of methanol. Rats in the sham-operated group had no obvious morphological change; and morphology of rats in the PP group was basicaly normal. The layer of pyramidal cells in the Aβ group was decreased. The cells appeared sparse and irregular and became smaller. Karyopyknosis and vacuolar degeneration cells were also found. More positive staining materials aggradated in the Aβ group compared with the PP group by Congo red staining (P<0.05). Aβ infusion into the hippocampus results in the impairment of the neuronal degeneration in the rats, which shows similar characterizations of AD. PP can reduce the deposition of Aβ in the hippocampus.

Aging Induces Changes in the Somatic Nerve and Postsynaptic Component without Any Alterations in Skeletal Muscles Morphology and Capacity to Carry Load of Wistar Rats

PubMed Central

Krause Neto, Walter; Silva, Wellington de Assis; Ciena, Adriano P.; de Souza, Romeu R.; Anaruma, Carlos A.; Gama, Eliane F.

2017-01-01

The present study aimed to analyze the morphology of the peripheral nerve, postsynaptic compartment, skeletal muscles and weight-bearing capacity of Wistar rats at specific ages. Twenty rats were divided into groups: 10 months-old (ADULT) and 24 months-old (OLD). After euthanasia, we prepared and analyzed the tibial nerve using transmission electron microscopy and the soleus and plantaris muscles for cytofluorescence and histochemistry. For the comparison of the results between groups we used dependent and independent Student's t-test with level of significance set at p ≤ 0.05. For the tibial nerve, the OLD group presented the following alterations compared to the ADULT group: larger area and diameter of both myelinated fibers and axons, smaller area occupied by myelinated and unmyelinated axons, lower numerical density of myelinated fibers, and fewer myelinated fibers with normal morphology. Both aged soleus and plantaris end-plate showed greater total perimeter, stained perimeter, total area and stained area compared to ADULT group (p < 0.05). Yet, aged soleus end-plate presented greater dispersion than ADULT samples (p < 0.05). For the morphology of soleus and plantaris muscles, density of the interstitial volume was greater in the OLD group (p < 0.05). No statistical difference was found between groups in the weight-bearing tests. The results of the present study demonstrated that the aging process induces changes in the peripheral nerve and postsynaptic compartment without any change in skeletal muscles and ability to carry load in Wistar rats. PMID:29326543

The olfactory bulbectomized rat model is not an appropriate model for studying depression based on morphological/stereological studies of the hippocampus.

PubMed

Yurttas, Canan; Schmitz, Christoph; Turgut, Mehmet; Strekalova, Tatyana; Steinbusch, Harry W M

2017-09-01

Bilateral olfactory bulbectomy (OBX) has been used as an animal model for major depression that results in behavioral, neurochemical, and neuroendocrinological changes were reversed by chronic treatment with antidepressants, including fluoxetine. However, both etiological and construct validities are lacking in OBX for rats. In the present study, we investigated the morphological changes in the hippocampi of rats undergoing OBX that were treated with fluoxetine (10mg/kg, p.o. once daily for 4 and 12 weeks) using stereological techniques. Our results revealed that OBX caused a reduction in the volumes of the CA1/2, CA3, and dentate gyrus regions 4 weeks after OBX without fluoxetine treatment. With fluoxetine treatment, these reductions were achieved 12 weeks after OBX and the volumes were comparable to normal control rats. Nevertheless, fluoxetine treatment did not reverse neuron loss in all hippocampal regions 12 weeks after OBX. Therefore, we suggest that the OBX rat model should not be used to detect the antidepressant activity of various pharmacological agents such as fluoxetine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Imaging of glial cell morphology, SOD1 distribution and elemental composition in the brainstem and hippocampus of the ALS hSOD1G93A rat.

PubMed

Stamenković, Stefan; Dučić, Tanja; Stamenković, Vera; Kranz, Alexander; Andjus, Pavle R

2017-08-15

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting motor and cognitive domains of the CNS. Mutations in the Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) cause 20% of familial ALS and provoke formation of intracellular aggregates and copper and zinc unbinding, leading to glial activation and neurodegeneration. Therefore, we investigated glial cell morphology, intracellular SOD1 distribution, and elemental composition in the brainstem and hippocampus of the hSOD1 G93A transgenic rat model of ALS. Immunostaining for astrocytes, microglia and SOD1 revealed glial proliferation and progressive tissue accumulation of SOD1 in both brain regions of ALS rats starting already at the presymptomatic stage. Glial cell morphology analysis in the brainstem of ALS rats revealed astrocyte activation occurring before disease symptoms onset, followed by activation of microglia. Hippocampal ALS astrocytes exhibited an identical reactive profile, while microglial morphology was unchanged. Additionally, ALS brainstem astrocytes demonstrated progressive SOD1 accumulation in the cell body and processes, while microglial SOD1 levels were reduced and its distribution limited to distal cell processes. In the hippocampus both glial cell types exhibited SOD1 accumulation in the cell body. X-ray fluorescence imaging revealed decreased P and increased Ca, Cl, K, Ni, Cu and Zn in the brainstem, and higher levels of Cl, Ni and Cu, but lower levels of Zn in the hippocampus of symptomatic ALS rats. These results bring new insights into the glial response during disease development and progression in motor as well as in non-motor CNS structures, and indicate disturbed tissue elemental homeostasis as a prominent hallmark of disease pathology. Copyright © 2017 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of amphetamine exposure on juvenile rats on the neuronal morphology of the limbic system at prepubertal, pubertal and postpubertal ages.

PubMed

Tendilla-Beltrán, Hiram; Arroyo-García, Luis Enrique; Diaz, Alfonso; Camacho-Abrego, Israel; de la Cruz, Fidel; Rodríguez-Moreno, Antonio; Flores, Gonzalo

2016-11-01

Amphetamines (AMPH) are psychostimulants widely used for therapy as well as for recreational purposes. Previous results of our group showed that AMPH exposure in pregnant rats induces physiological and behavioral changes in the offspring at prepubertal and postpubertal ages. In addition, several reports have shown that AMPH are capable of modifying the morphology of neurons in some regions of the limbic system. These modifications can cause some psychiatric conditions. However, it is still unclear if there are changes to behavioral and morphological levels when low doses of AMPH are administered at a juvenile age. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of AMPH administration (1mg/kg) in Sprague-Dawley rats (postnatal day, PD21-PD35) on locomotor activity in a novel environment and compare the neuronal morphology of limbic system areas at three different ages: prepubertal (PD 36), pubertal (PD50) and postpubertal (PD 62). We found that AMPH altered locomotor activity in the prepubertal group, but did not have an effect on the other two age groups. The Golgi-Cox staining method was used to describe the neural morphology of five limbic regions: (Layers 3 and 5) the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), the dorsal and ventral hippocampus, the nucleus accumbens and the amygdala, showing that AMPH induced changes at pubertal ages in arborization and spine density of these neurons, but interestingly these changes did not persist at postpubertal ages. Our findings suggest that even early-life AMPH exposure does not induce long-term behavioral and morphological changes, however it causes alterations at pubertal ages in the limbic system networks, a stage of life strongly associated with the development of substance abuse behaviors. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The morphological changes in lymphoid organs and peripheral blood indicators in rats after peroral administration of gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bucharskaya, A. B.; Pakhomy, S. S.; Zlobina, O. V.; Maslyakova, G. N.; Matveeva, O. V.; Bugaeva, I. O.; Navolokin, N. A.; Khlebtsov, B. N.; Bogatyrev, V. A.; Khlebtsov, N. G.; Tuchin, V. V.

2016-03-01

The wide application of nanotechnologies in medicine requires the careful study of various aspects of their potential safety. The effects of prolonged peroral administration of gold nanoparticles on morphological changes in lymphoid organs and indicators of peripheral blood of laboratory animals were investigated in experiment. The gold nanospheres functionalized with thiolated polyethylene glycol sizes 2, 15 and 50 nm were administered orally for 15 days to outbred white rats at a dosage of 190 μg/kg of animal body weight. The standard histological and hematological staining were used for morphological study of lymphoid organs and bone marrow smears. The size-dependent decrease of the number of neutrophils and lymphocytes was noted in the study of peripheral blood, especially pronounced after administration of gold nanoparticles with size of 50 nm. The stimulation of myelocytic germ of hematopoiesis was recorded at morphological study of the bone marrow. The signs of strengthening of the processes of differentiation and maturation of cellular elements were found in lymph nodes, which were showed as the increasing number of immunoblasts and large lymphocytes. The quantitative changes of cellular component morphology of lymphoid organs due to activation of migration, proliferation and differentiation of immune cells indicate the presence of immunostimulation effect of gold nanoparticles.

Morphological and electrophysiological changes in intratelencephalic-type pyramidal neurons in the motor cortex of a rat model of levodopa-induced dyskinesia.

PubMed

Ueno, Tatsuya; Yamada, Junko; Nishijima, Haruo; Arai, Akira; Migita, Keisuke; Baba, Masayuki; Ueno, Shinya; Tomiyama, Masahiko

2014-04-01

Levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) is a major complication of long-term dopamine replacement therapy for Parkinson's disease, and becomes increasingly problematic in the advanced stage of the disease. Although the cause of LID still remains unclear, there is accumulating evidence from animal experiments that it results from maladaptive plasticity, resulting in supersensitive excitatory transmission at corticostriatal synapses. Recent work using transcranial magnetic stimulation suggests that the motor cortex displays the same supersensitivity in Parkinson's disease patients with LID. To date, the cellular mechanisms underlying the abnormal cortical plasticity have not been examined. The morphology of the dendritic spines has a strong relationship to synaptic plasticity. Therefore, we explored the spine morphology of pyramidal neurons in the motor cortex in a rat model of LID. We used control rats, 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats (a model of Parkinson's disease), 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats chronically treated with levodopa (a model of LID), and control rats chronically treated with levodopa. Because the direct pathway of the basal ganglia plays a central role in the development of LID, we quantified the density and size of dendritic spines in intratelencephalic (IT)-type pyramidal neurons in M1 cortex that project to the striatal medium spiny neurons in the direct pathway. The spine density was not different among the four groups. In contrast, spine size became enlarged in the Parkinson's disease and LID rat models. The enlargement was significantly greater in the LID model than in the Parkinson's disease model. This enlargement of the spines suggests that IT-type pyramidal neurons acquire supersensitivity to excitatory stimuli. To confirm this possibility, we monitored miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) in the IT-type pyramidal neurons in M1 cortex using whole-cell patch clamp. The amplitude of the mEPSCs was significantly increased in the LID

Characterization of the discriminative stimulus effects of lorcaserin in rats.

PubMed

Serafine, Katherine M; Rice, Kenner C; France, Charles P

2016-09-01

Lorcaserin is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating obesity and is under consideration for treating substance use disorders; it has agonist properties at serotonin (5-HT)2C receptors and might also have agonist properties at other 5-HT receptor subtypes. This study used drug discrimination to investigate the mechanism(s) of action of lorcaserin. Male Sprague-Dawley rats discriminated 0.56 mg/kg i.p. lorcaserin from saline while responding under a fixed-ratio 5 schedule for food. Lorcaserin (0.178-1.0 mg/kg) dose-dependently increased lorcaserin-lever responding. The 5-HT2C receptor agonist mCPP and the 5-HT2A receptor agonist DOM each occasioned greater than 90% lorcaserin-lever responding in seven of eight rats. The 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT occasioned greater than 90% lorcaserin-lever responding in four of seven rats. The 5-HT2C receptor selective antagonist SB 242084 attenuated lorcaserin-lever responding in all eight rats and the 5-HT2A receptor selective antagonist MDL 100907 attenuated lorcaserin-lever responding in six of seven rats. These results suggest that, in addition to agonist properties at 5-HT2C receptors, lorcaserin also has agonist properties at 5-HT2A and 5-HT1A receptors. Because some drugs with 5-HT2A receptor agonist properties are abused, it is important to fully characterize the behavioral effects of lorcaserin while considering its potential for treating substance use disorders. © 2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

DNA barcoding of morphologically characterized mosquitoes belonging to the subfamily Culicinae from Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Weeraratne, Thilini Chathurika; Surendran, Sinnathamby Noble; Parakrama Karunaratne, S H P

2018-04-25

Vectors of mosquito-borne diseases in Sri Lanka, except for malaria, belong to the subfamily Culicinae, which includes nearly 84% of the mosquito fauna of the country. Hence, accurate and precise species identification of culicine mosquitoes is a crucial factor in implementing effective vector control strategies. During the present study, a combined effort using morphology and DNA barcoding was made to characterize mosquitoes of the subfamily Culicinae for the first time from nine districts of Sri Lanka. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene from the mitochondrial genome and the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region from the nuclear ribosomal DNA were used for molecular characterization. According to morphological identification, the field collected adult mosquitoes belonged to 5 genera and 14 species, i.e. Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus, Ae. pallidostriatus, Aedes sp. 1, Armigeres sp. 1, Culex bitaeniorhynchus, Cx. fuscocephala, Cx. gelidus, Cx. pseudovishnui, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, Cx. whitmorei, Mansonia uniformis and Mimomyia chamberlaini. Molecular analyses of 62 cox1 and 36 ITS2 sequences were exclusively comparable with the morphological identifications of all the species except for Ae. pallidostriatus and Aedes sp. 1. Although the species identification of Armigeres sp. 1 specimens using morphological features was not possible during this study, DNA barcodes of the specimens matched 100% with the publicly available Ar. subalbatus sequences, giving their species status. Analysis of all the cox1 sequences (14 clades supported by strong bootstrap value in the Neighbor-Joining tree and interspecific distances of > 3%) showed the presence of 14 different species. This is the first available DNA sequence in the GenBank records for morphologically identified Ae. pallidostriatus. Aedes sp. 1 could not be identified morphologically or by publicly available sequences. Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus and all Culex species reported during

Characterization of soil nematode communities in three cropping systems through morphological and DNA metabarcoding approaches

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Communities of soil nematodes impact ecosystem functions, including plant growth, decomposition, and nutrient cycling, all of which are vital processes in agriculture. We used complementary morphological and DNA metabarcoding analyses to characterize soil nematode communities in three cropping syste...

Alcoholism and traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage: an experimental study on vascular morphology and biomechanics.

PubMed

Wang, Haipeng; Yu, Xiaojun; Xu, Guohui; Xu, Guangtao; Gao, Guishan; Xu, Xiaohu

2011-01-01

Traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (TSAH) related to alcohol abuse is a notable risk factor. Here, we investigated the vascular morphology and biomechanics of TSAH in rat models of acute alcoholic intoxication and chronic alcoholism rats to explore the possible mechanisms of TSAH. Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into acute alcoholic intoxication and chronic alcoholism groups. Edible spirituous liquor (56% vol/vol) was intragastrically given (15 mL/kg) once to the rats in the acute group, and given twice daily (8 mL/kg for 2 weeks and 12 mL/kg for another 2 weeks) to rats in the chronic group. A self-made instrument was used to inflict head injury. Whole brain, arterial blood, and thoracic aorta of rats were sampled for morphologic and biomechanical examination. Compared with the acute alcoholic rats, the chronic alcoholic rats showed significant morphologic and biomechanical changes: (1) decreased body weight (p<0.05), (2) higher morbidity and mortality from TSAH (p<0.01), (3) greater mean thickness of vascular wall of subarachnoid small arteries and each layer thickness of thoracic aorta (p<0.05), (4) decreased failure load and corresponding extensibility (60 kPa and limit load) of thoracic aorta, and (5) increased elastic modulus (30 kPa, range in physiologic stress) (p<0.05). Chronic alcoholism can induce the morphologic and biomechanical changes in cerebral vessels and thoracic aorta. The synergistic effect of alcohol abuse and minor blow may be one of the mechanisms of TSAH. High blood pressure from long-term alcohol abuse is also a notable factor.

Pernicious effects of long-term, continuous 900-MHz electromagnetic field throughout adolescence on hippocampus morphology, biochemistry and pyramidal neuron numbers in 60-day-old Sprague Dawley male rats.

PubMed

Kerimoğlu, Gökçen; Hancı, Hatice; Baş, Orhan; Aslan, Ali; Erol, Hüseyin Serkan; Turgut, Alpgiray; Kaya, Haydar; Çankaya, Soner; Sönmez, Osman Fikret; Odacı, Ersan

2016-11-01

The central nervous system (CNS) begins developing in the intrauterine period, a process that continues until adulthood. Contact with chemical substances, drugs or environmental agents such as electromagnetic field (EMF) during adolescence therefore has the potential to disturb the development of the morphological architecture of components of the CNS (such as the hippocampus). The hippocampus is essential to such diverse functions as memory acquisition and integration and spatial maneuvering. EMF can result in severe damage to both the morphology of the hippocampus and its principal functions during adolescence. Although children and adolescents undergo greater exposure to EMF than adults, the information currently available regarding the effects of exposure to EMF during this period is as yet insufficient. This study investigated the 60-day-old male rat hippocampus following exposure to 900 megahertz (MHz) EMF throughout the adolescent period using stereological, histopathological and biochemical analysis techniques. Eighteen male Sprague Dawley rats aged 21days were assigned into control, sham and EMF groups on a random basis. No procedure was performed on the control group rats. The EMF group (EMFGr) was exposed to a 900-MHz EMF for 1h daily from beginning to end of adolescence. The sham group rats were held in the EMF cage but were not exposed to EMF. All rats were sacrificed at 60days of age. Their brains were extracted and halved. The left hemispheres were set aside for biochemical analyses and the right hemispheres were subjected to stereological and histopathological evaluation. Histopathological examination revealed increased numbers of pyknotic neurons with black or dark blue cytoplasm on EMFGr slides stained with cresyl violet. Stereological analyses revealed fewer pyramidal neurons in EMFGr than in the other two groups. Biochemical analyses showed an increase in malondialdehyde and glutathione levels, but a decrease in catalase levels in EMFGr. Our

Neurons immunoreactive for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in the rat primary somatosensory cortex: morphology and spatial relationship to barrel-related columns.

PubMed

Bayraktar, T; Welker, E; Freund, T F; Zilles, K; Staiger, J F

2000-05-08

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in neocortex affects neuronal excitability as well as cortical blood flow and metabolism. Interneurons immunoreactive for VIP (VIP-IR neurons) are characterized by their predominantly bipolar appearance and the radial orientation of their main dendrites. In order to determine whether the morphology of VIP-IR neurons is related to the functional organization of the cortex into vertical columns, we combined both immunostaining of neurons containing VIP and cytochrome oxidase histochemistry for visualizing barrels, morphological layer IV correlates of functional columns, in the primary somatosensory (barrel) cortex of rats. VIP-IR neurons were localized in supragranular (48%), granular (16%), and infragranular layers (36%) as well as in the white matter. In the granular layer, a clear trend that more neurons were located in interbarrel septa rather than in barrels could be observed, resulting in a neuronal density which was about one-third higher in the septal area. VIP-IR neurons from the different cortical layers were three-dimensionally reconstructed from serial sections by using a computer microscope system. The neurons were mostly bipolar. Striking morphological differences in both axonal and dendritic trees were found between neurons whose cell bodies were located in supragranular, granular, and the upper part of infragranular layers, and those whose cell bodies were located in the area below. The former had dendrites which often reached layer I, where they bifurcated several times, and axonal trees which were particularly oriented vertically, with a tangential extent smaller than the width of barrels. Therefore, these neurons were mostly confined to either a barrel- or septum-related column. By contrast, the dendrites of neurons of the latter group did not reach the granular layer. Furthermore, these neurons had axons with sometimes very long horizontal collaterals, which often spanned two, in one case three, barrel

Neonatal exposure to monosodium glutamate induces morphological alterations in suprachiasmatic nucleus of adult rat.

PubMed

Rojas-Castañeda, Julio César; Vigueras-Villaseñor, Rosa María; Chávez-Saldaña, Margarita; Rojas, Patricia; Gutiérrez-Pérez, Oscar; Rojas, Carolina; Arteaga-Silva, Marcela

2016-02-01

Neonatal exposure to monosodium glutamate (MSG) induces circadian disorders in several physiological and behavioural processes regulated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of neonatal exposure to MSG on locomotor activity, and on morphology, cellular density and expression of proteins, as evaluated by optical density (OD), of vasopressin (VP)-, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)- and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunoreactive cells in the SCN. Male Wistar rats were used: the MSG group was subcutaneously treated from 3 to 10 days of age with 3.5 mg/g/day. Locomotor activity was evaluated at 90 days of age using 'open-field' test, and the brains were processed for immunohistochemical studies. MSG exposure induced a significant decrease in locomotor activity. VP- and VIP-immunoreactive neuronal densities showed a significant decrease, while the somatic OD showed an increase. Major axes and somatic area were significantly increased in VIP neurons. The cellular and optical densities of GFAP-immunoreactive sections of SCN were significantly increased. These results demonstrated that newborn exposure to MSG induced morphological alterations in SCN cells, an alteration that could be the basis for behavioural disorders observed in the animals. © 2016 The Authors. International Journal of Experimental Pathology © 2016 International Journal of Experimental Pathology.

Morphological Characterization of Silicone Hydrogels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gido, Samuel

2007-03-01

Silicone hydrogel materials are used in the latest generation of extended wear soft contact lenses. To ensure comfort and eye health, these materials must simultaneously exhibit high oxygen permeability and high water permeability / hydrophilicity. The materials achieve these opposing requirements based on bicontinuous composite of nanoscale domains of oxygen permeable (silicones) and hydrophilic (water soluble polymer) materials. The microphase separated morphology of silicone hydrogel contact lens materials was imaged using field emission gun scanning transmission electron microscopy (FEGSTEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Additional morphological information was provided by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). These results all indicate a nanophase separated structure of silicone rich (oxygen permeable) and carbon rich (water soluble polymer) domains separated on a length scale of about 10 nm.

Morphological characterization of the anuran integument of the Proceratophrys and Odontophrynus genera (Amphibia, Anuran, Leptodactylidae).

PubMed

Felsemburgh, F A; Carvalho-e-Silva, S P; de Brito-Gitirana, L

2007-01-01

The morphological characteristics of the leptodactylid integument of Proceratophrys and Odontophrynus genera were investigated by means of stereoscopic, low vacuum scanning electron and light microscopy. The integument surface of Proceratophrys boiei, Proceratophrys laticeps and Proceratophrys appendiculata exhibited several projections, while the integument of Odontophrynus americanus had rounded elevations with smooth profile. Light microscopic observations showed the basic integument morphology for all anurans, i.e., an epidermis and a dermis, which is subdivided into a spongious layer and a compact layer. The epidermis is formed by basal, intermediary and cornified layers. However, in Proceratophrys genus the cornified layer had an irregular outline, while in O. americanus the external surface was smooth. In the spongious dermis, mucous and venom exocrine glands were observed, but in O. americanus an exclusive glandular type with apocrine secretory pattern was identified. The integument morphology showed peculiar characteristics that may be helpful for genus distinction. Thus, morphological methods may be considered as an efficient means to characterize and to differentiate anuran genera.

Formation of bone-like mineralized matrix by periodontal ligament cells in vivo: a morphological study in rats.

PubMed

Hiraga, Toru; Ninomiya, Tadashi; Hosoya, Akihiro; Takahashi, Masafumi; Nakamura, Hiroaki

2009-01-01

Periodontal ligament (PDL) is a unique connective tissue that not only connects cementum and alveolar bone to support teeth, but also plays an important role in reconstructing periodontal tissues. Previous studies have suggested that PDL cells have osteogenic potential; however, they lack precise histological examinations. Here, we studied bone-like matrix formation by PDL cells in rats using morphological techniques. Rat and human PDL cells exhibited substantial alkaline phosphatase activity and induced mineralization in vitro. RT-PCR analyses showed that PDL cells expressed the osteoblast markers, Runx2, osterix, and osteocalcin. These results suggest that PDL cells share similar phenotypes with osteoblasts. To examine the bone-like matrix formation in vivo, PDL cells isolated from green fluorescent protein (GFP)-transgenic rats were inoculated with hydroxyapatite (HA) disks into wild-type rats. Five weeks after the implantation, the pores in HA disks were occupied by GFP-positive cells. Mineralized matrix formation was also found on the surface of HA pores. At 12 weeks, some of the pores were filled with bone-like mineralized matrices (BLMM), which were positive for the bone matrix proteins, osteopontin, bone sialoprotein, and osteocalcin. Immunohistochemical examination revealed that most of the osteoblast- and osteocyte-like cells on or in the BLMM were GFP-positive, suggesting that the BLMM were directly formed by the inoculated PDL cells. On the pore surfaces, Sharpey's fiber-like structures embedded in cementum-like mineralized layers were also observed. These results collectively suggest that PDL cells have the ability to form periodontal tissues and could be a useful source for regenerative therapies of periodontal diseases.

Effect of acute heat stress on rat adrenal glands: a morphological and stereological study.

PubMed

Koko, Vesna; Djordjeviae, Jelena; Cvijiae, Gordana; Davidoviae, Vukosava

2004-11-01

The morphological and stereological structure of rat adrenal gland was analysed by light microscopy after an acute (60 min) exposure to high ambient temperature (38 degrees C). A significant increase in plasma corticotrophin (ACTH) and serum corticosterone (CORT) concentrations was observed, confirming that acute heat exposure has a strong stressful effect. Under these conditions the adrenal gland mass and volume were decreased, probably as the consequence of adrenal cortex reduction, especially that of the zona fasciculata (ZF). Histological examination revealed that many ZF cells were deprived of lipid droplets. Fibrosis was observed in all parts of the adrenal gland, both cortex and medulla, of heat stressed animals. Mitotic figures were absent in cortical cells after heat exposure, but there were no differences in ZF and zona reticularis (ZR) small blood vessels compared to nonstressed controls.

Nestin upregulation characterizes vascular remodeling secondary to hypertension in the rat.

PubMed

Tardif, Kim; Hertig, Vanessa; Duquette, Natacha; Villeneuve, Louis; El-Hamamsy, Ismail; Tanguay, Jean-François; Calderone, Angelino

2015-05-15

Proliferation and hypertrophy of vascular smooth muscle cells represent hallmark features of vessel remodeling secondary to hypertension. The intermediate filament protein nestin was recently identified in vascular smooth muscle cells and in other cell types directly participated in proliferation. The present study tested the hypothesis that vessel remodeling secondary to hypertension was characterized by nestin upregulation in vascular smooth muscle cells. Two weeks after suprarenal abdominal aorta constriction of adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, elevated mean arterial pressure increased the media area and thickness of the carotid artery and aorta and concomitantly upregulated nestin protein levels. In the normal adult rat carotid artery, nestin immunoreactivity was observed in a subpopulation of vascular smooth muscle cells, and the density significantly increased following suprarenal abdominal aorta constriction. Filamentous nestin was detected in cultured rat carotid artery- and aorta-derived vascular smooth muscle cells and an analogous paradigm observed in human aorta-derived vascular smooth muscle cells. ANG II and EGF treatment of vascular smooth muscle cells stimulated DNA and protein synthesis and increased nestin protein levels. Lentiviral short-hairpin RNA-mediated nestin depletion of carotid artery-derived vascular smooth muscle cells inhibited peptide growth factor-stimulated DNA synthesis, whereas protein synthesis remained intact. These data have demonstrated that vessel remodeling secondary to hypertension was characterized in part by nestin upregulation in vascular smooth muscle cells. The selective role of nestin in peptide growth factor-stimulated DNA synthesis has revealed that the proliferative and hypertrophic responses of vascular smooth muscle cells were mediated by divergent signaling events. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Novel Application of Micro-Computerized Tomography for Morphologic Characterization of the Murine Penis.

PubMed

O'Neill, Marisol; Huang, Gene O; Lamb, Dolores J

2017-12-01

The murine penis model has enriched our understanding of anomalous penile development. The morphologic characterization of the murine penis using conventional serial sectioning methods is labor intensive and prone to errors. To develop a novel application of micro-computerized tomography (micro-CT) with iodine staining for rapid, non-destructive morphologic study of murine penis structure. Penises were dissected from 10 adult wild-type mice and imaged using micro-CT with iodine staining. Images were acquired at 5-μm spatial resolution on a Bruker SkyScan 1272 micro-CT system. After images were acquired, the specimens were washed of any remaining iodine and embedded in paraffin for conventional histologic examination. Histologic and micro-CT measurements for all specimens were made by 2 independent observers. Measurements of penile structures were made on virtual micro-CT sections and histologic slides. The Lin concordance correlation coefficient demonstrated almost perfect strength of agreement for interobserver variability for histologic section (0.9995, 95% CI = 0.9990-0.9997) and micro-CT section (0.9982, 95% CI = 0.9963-0.9991) measurements. Bland-Altman analysis for agreement between the 2 modalities of measurement demonstrated mean differences of -0.029, 0.022, and -0.068 mm for male urogenital mating protuberance, baculum, and penile glans length, respectively. There did not appear to be a bias for overestimation or underestimation of measured lengths and limits of agreement were narrow. The enhanced ability offered by micro-CT to phenotype the murine penis has the potential to improve translational studies examining the molecular pathways contributing to anomalous penile development. The present study describes the first reported use of micro-CT with iodine staining for imaging the murine penis. Producing repeated histologic sections of identical orientation was limited by inherent imperfections in mounting and tissue sectioning, but this was

Transmission and scanning electron microscopy study of the characteristics and morphology of pericytes and novel desmin-immunopositive perivascular cells before and after castration in rat anterior pituitary gland.

PubMed

Jindatip, Depicha; Fujiwara, Ken; Kouki, Tom; Yashiro, Takashi

2012-09-01

Pericytes are perivascular cells associated with microcirculation. Typically, they are localized close to the capillary wall, underneath the basement membrane, and have sparse cytoplasm and poorly developed cell organelles. However, the specific properties of pericytes vary by organ and the conditions within organs. We recently demonstrated that pericytes in rat anterior pituitary gland produce type I and III collagens. The present study attempted to determine the morphological characteristics of these pituitary pericytes. Castrated rats were used as a model of hormonal and vascular changes in the gland. Pericytes, as determined by desmin immunohistochemistry, were more numerous and stained more intensely in castrated rats. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that pituitary pericytes displayed the typical characteristics of pericytes. In pituitary sections from castrated rats, the Golgi apparatus of pericytes was well developed and the rough endoplasmic reticulum was elongated. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy revealed four pericyte shapes: oval, elongate, triangular, and multiangular. As compared with normal rats, the proportion of oval pericytes was lower, and the proportions of the other three shapes were higher, in castrated rats. These results suggest that pericytes change their fine structure and cell shape in response to hormonal and vascular changes in the anterior pituitary gland. In addition, a novel type of perivascular cell was found by desmin immunoelectron microscopy. The morphological properties of these cells were dissimilar to those of pericytes. The cells were localized in the perivascular space, had no basement membrane, and contained dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum. This new cell type will require further study of its origin and characteristics.

The trophic effect of epidermal growth factor on morphological changes and polyamine metabolism in the small intestine of rats.

PubMed

Tsujikawa, T; Bamba, T; Hosoda, S

1990-06-01

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the morphological changes and polyamine metabolism in the atrophic small intestinal mucosa of rats caused by feeding elemental diet (ED; Elental, Ajinomoto, Tokyo) for several weeks. Four-week-old Wistar male rats were given ad libitum ED (1 kcal/ml) for 4 weeks. The body weight increased to the same extent as the control group fed a pellet diet. However, the small intestine became atrophic: the mucosal wet weight of the jejunum decreased to 70%, while that of the ileum decreased to 60%. EGF (10 micrograms/kg) was subcutaneously injected into these rats every 8 hours. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activities of the jejunal and ileal mucosa rose within 12 hours of the initial EGF administration. Mucosal DNA specific activities tended to increase. Next, EGF (30 micrograms/kg/day) was intraperitoneally administered with a Mini-osmotic pump for one week. The wet weight, protein and DNA contents of the ileal mucosa increased significantly compared with those of the saline administered controls, while the crypt cell production rate (CCPR) also increased. Histologically, increases in both villus height and crypt depth were confirmed. These findings indicate that EGF causes mucosal proliferation through polyamine metabolism even in the atrophic small intestine of mature rats after ED administration for 4 weeks.

Characterization of deltamethrin metabolism by rat plasma and liver microsomes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anand, Sathanandam S.; Bruckner, James V.; Haines, Wendy T.

2006-04-15

Deltamethrin, a widely used type II pyrethroid insecticide, is a relatively potent neurotoxicant. While the toxicity has been extensively examined, toxicokinetic studies of deltamethrin and most other pyrethroids are very limited. The aims of this study were to identify, characterize, and assess the relative contributions of esterases and cytochrome P450s (CYP450s) responsible for deltamethrin metabolism by measuring deltamethrin disappearance following incubation of various concentrations (2 to 400 {mu}M) in plasma (esterases) and liver microsomes (esterases and CYP450s) prepared from adult male rats. While the carboxylesterase metabolism in plasma and liver was characterized using an inhibitor, tetra isopropyl pyrophosphoramide (isoOMPA), CYP450more » metabolism was characterized using the cofactor, NADPH. Michaelis-Menten rate constants were calculated using linear and nonlinear regression as applicable. The metabolic efficiency of these pathways was estimated by calculating intrinsic clearance (Vmax/Km). In plasma, isoOMPA completely inhibited deltamethrin biotransformation at concentrations (2 and 20 {mu}M of deltamethrin) that are 2- to 10-fold higher than previously reported peak blood levels in deltamethrin-poisoned rats. For carboxylesterase-mediated deltamethrin metabolism in plasma, Vmax = 325.3 {+-} 53.4 nmol/h/ml and Km = 165.4 {+-} 41.9 {mu}M. Calcium chelation by EGTA did not inhibit deltamethrin metabolism in plasma or liver microsomes, indicating that A-esterases do not metabolize deltamethrin. In liver microsomes, esterase-mediated deltamethrin metabolism was completely inhibited by isoOMPA, confirming the role of carboxylesterases. The rate constants for liver carboxylesterases were Vmax = 1981.8 {+-} 132.3 nmol/h/g liver and Km = 172.5 {+-} 22.5 {mu}M. Liver microsomal CYP450-mediated biotransformation of deltamethrin was a higher capacity (Vmax = 2611.3 {+-} 134.1 nmol/h/g liver) and higher affinity (Km = 74.9 {+-} 5.9 {mu}M) process than

Characterization of White Matter Injury in a Rat Model of Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion.

PubMed

Choi, Bo-Ryoung; Kim, Dong-Hee; Back, Dong Bin; Kang, Chung Hwan; Moon, Won-Jin; Han, Jung-Soo; Choi, Dong-Hee; Kwon, Kyoung Ja; Shin, Chan Young; Kim, Bo-Ram; Lee, Jongmin; Han, Seol-Heui; Kim, Hahn Young

2016-02-01

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion can lead to ischemic white matter injury resulting in vascular dementia. To characterize white matter injury in vascular dementia, we investigated disintegration of diverse white matter components using a rat model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion was modeled in Wistar rats by permanent occlusion of the bilateral common carotid arteries. We performed cognitive behavioral tests, including the water maze task, odor discrimination task, and novel object test; histological investigation of neuroinflammation, oligodendrocytes, myelin basic protein, and nodal or paranodal proteins at the nodes of Ranvier; and serial diffusion tensor imaging. Cilostazol was administered to protect against white matter injury. Diverse cognitive impairments were induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. Disintegration of white matter was characterized by neuroinflammation, loss of oligodendrocytes, attenuation of myelin density, structural derangement at the nodes of Ranvier, and disintegration of white matter tracts. Cilostazol protected against cognitive impairments and white matter disintegration. White matter injury induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion can be characterized by disintegration of diverse white matter components. Cilostazol might be a therapeutic strategy against white matter disintegration in patients with vascular dementia. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Molecular Characterization of Growth Hormone-producing Tumors in the GC Rat Model of Acromegaly.

PubMed

Martín-Rodríguez, Juan F; Muñoz-Bravo, Jose L; Ibañez-Costa, Alejandro; Fernandez-Maza, Laura; Balcerzyk, Marcin; Leal-Campanario, Rocío; Luque, Raúl M; Castaño, Justo P; Venegas-Moreno, Eva; Soto-Moreno, Alfonso; Leal-Cerro, Alfonso; Cano, David A

2015-11-09

Acromegaly is a disorder resulting from excessive production of growth hormone (GH) and consequent increase of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-I), most frequently caused by pituitary adenomas. Elevated GH and IGF-I levels results in wide range of somatic, cardiovascular, endocrine, metabolic, and gastrointestinal morbidities. Subcutaneous implantation of the GH-secreting GC cell line in rats leads to the formation of tumors. GC tumor-bearing rats develop characteristics that resemble human acromegaly including gigantism and visceromegaly. However, GC tumors remain poorly characterized at a molecular level. In the present work, we report a detailed histological and molecular characterization of GC tumors using immunohistochemistry, molecular biology and imaging techniques. GC tumors display histopathological and molecular features of human GH-producing tumors, including hormone production, cell architecture, senescence activation and alterations in cell cycle gene expression. Furthermore, GC tumors cells displayed sensitivity to somatostatin analogues, drugs that are currently used in the treatment of human GH-producing adenomas, thus supporting the GC tumor model as a translational tool to evaluate therapeutic agents. The information obtained would help to maximize the usefulness of the GC rat model for research and preclinical studies in GH-secreting tumors.

Molecular Characterization of Growth Hormone-producing Tumors in the GC Rat Model of Acromegaly

PubMed Central

Martín-Rodríguez, Juan F.; Muñoz-Bravo, Jose L.; Ibañez-Costa, Alejandro; Fernandez-Maza, Laura; Balcerzyk, Marcin; Leal-Campanario, Rocío; Luque, Raúl M.; Castaño, Justo P.; Venegas-Moreno, Eva; Soto-Moreno, Alfonso; Leal-Cerro, Alfonso; Cano, David A.

2015-01-01

Acromegaly is a disorder resulting from excessive production of growth hormone (GH) and consequent increase of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-I), most frequently caused by pituitary adenomas. Elevated GH and IGF-I levels results in wide range of somatic, cardiovascular, endocrine, metabolic, and gastrointestinal morbidities. Subcutaneous implantation of the GH-secreting GC cell line in rats leads to the formation of tumors. GC tumor-bearing rats develop characteristics that resemble human acromegaly including gigantism and visceromegaly. However, GC tumors remain poorly characterized at a molecular level. In the present work, we report a detailed histological and molecular characterization of GC tumors using immunohistochemistry, molecular biology and imaging techniques. GC tumors display histopathological and molecular features of human GH-producing tumors, including hormone production, cell architecture, senescence activation and alterations in cell cycle gene expression. Furthermore, GC tumors cells displayed sensitivity to somatostatin analogues, drugs that are currently used in the treatment of human GH-producing adenomas, thus supporting the GC tumor model as a translational tool to evaluate therapeutic agents. The information obtained would help to maximize the usefulness of the GC rat model for research and preclinical studies in GH-secreting tumors. PMID:26549306

Preliminary Characterization of a Leptin Receptor Knockout Rat Created by CRISPR/Cas9 System.

PubMed

Bao, Dan; Ma, Yuanwu; Zhang, Xu; Guan, Feifei; Chen, Wei; Gao, Kai; Qin, Chuan; Zhang, Lianfeng

2015-11-05

Leptin receptor, which is encoded by the diabetes (db) gene and is highly expressed in the choroid plexus, regulatesenergy homeostasis, the balance between food intake and energy expenditure, fertility and bone mass. Here, using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we created the leptin receptor knockout rat. Homozygous leptin receptor null rats are characterized by obesity, hyperphagia, hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia and dyslipidemia. Due to long-term poor glycemic control, the leptin receptor knockout rats also develop some diabetic complications such as pancreatic, hepatic and renal lesions. In addition, the leptin receptor knockout rats show a significant decrease in bone volume and bone mineral density of the femur compared with their wild-type littermates. Our model has rescued some deficiency of the existing rodent models, such as the transient hyperglycemia of db/db mice in the C57BL/6J genetic background and the delayed onset of glucose intolerance in the Zucker rats, and it is proven to be a useful animal model for biomedical and pharmacological research on obesity and diabetes.

Characterization of the rat exploratory behavior in the elevated plus-maze with Markov chains.

PubMed

Tejada, Julián; Bosco, Geraldine G; Morato, Silvio; Roque, Antonio C

2010-11-30

The elevated plus-maze is an animal model of anxiety used to study the effect of different drugs on the behavior of the animal. It consists of a plus-shaped maze with two open and two closed arms elevated 50cm from the floor. The standard measures used to characterize exploratory behavior in the elevated plus-maze are the time spent and the number of entries in the open arms. In this work, we use Markov chains to characterize the exploratory behavior of the rat in the elevated plus-maze under three different conditions: normal and under the effects of anxiogenic and anxiolytic drugs. The spatial structure of the elevated plus-maze is divided into squares, which are associated with states of a Markov chain. By counting the frequencies of transitions between states during 5-min sessions in the elevated plus-maze, we constructed stochastic matrices for the three conditions studied. The stochastic matrices show specific patterns, which correspond to the observed behaviors of the rat under the three different conditions. For the control group, the stochastic matrix shows a clear preference for places in the closed arms. This preference is enhanced for the anxiogenic group. For the anxiolytic group, the stochastic matrix shows a pattern similar to a random walk. Our results suggest that Markov chains can be used together with the standard measures to characterize the rat behavior in the elevated plus-maze. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of acute hypoxic shock on the rat brain morphology and tripeptidyl peptidase I activity.

PubMed

Petrova, Emilia B; Dimitrova, Mashenka B; Ivanov, Ivaylo P; Pavlova, Velichka G; Dimitrova, Stella G; Kadiysky, Dimitar S

2016-06-01

Hypoxic events are known to cause substantial damage to the hippocampus, cerebellum and striatum. The impact of hypoxic shock on other brain parts is not sufficiently studied. Recent studies show that tripeptidyl peptidase I (TPPI) activity in fish is altered after a hypoxic stress pointing out at a possible enzyme involvement in response to hypoxia. Similar studies are not performed in mammals. In this work, the effect of sodium nitrite-induced acute hypoxic shock on the rat brain was studied at different post-treatment periods. Morphological changes in cerebral cortex, cerebellum, medulla oblongata, thalamus, mesencephalon and pons were assessed using silver-copper impregnation for neurodegeneration. TPPI activity was biochemically assayed and localized by enzyme histochemistry. Although less vulnerable to oxidative stress, the studied brain areas showed different histopathological changes, such as neuronal loss and tissue vacuolization, dilatation of the smallest capillaries and impairment of neuronal processes. TPPI activity was strictly regulated following the hypoxic stress. It was found to increase 12-24h post-treatment, then decreased followed by a slow process of recovery. The enzyme histochemistry revealed a temporary enzyme deficiency in all types of neurons. These findings indicate a possible involvement of the enzyme in rat brain response to hypoxic stress. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Morphological differences in skeletal muscle atrophy of rats with motor nerve and/or sensory nerve injury★

PubMed Central

Zhao, Lei; Lv, Guangming; Jiang, Shengyang; Yan, Zhiqiang; Sun, Junming; Wang, Ling; Jiang, Donglin

2012-01-01

Skeletal muscle atrophy occurs after denervation. The present study dissected the rat left ventral root and dorsal root at L4-6 or the sciatic nerve to establish a model of simple motor nerve injury, sensory nerve injury or mixed nerve injury. Results showed that with prolonged denervation time, rats with simple motor nerve injury, sensory nerve injury or mixed nerve injury exhibited abnormal behavior, reduced wet weight of the left gastrocnemius muscle, decreased diameter and cross-sectional area and altered ultrastructure of muscle cells, as well as decreased cross-sectional area and increased gray scale of the gastrocnemius muscle motor end plate. Moreover, at the same time point, the pathological changes were most severe in mixed nerve injury, followed by simple motor nerve injury, and the changes in simple sensory nerve injury were the mildest. These findings indicate that normal skeletal muscle morphology is maintained by intact innervation. Motor nerve injury resulted in larger damage to skeletal muscle and more severe atrophy than sensory nerve injury. Thus, reconstruction of motor nerves should be considered first in the clinical treatment of skeletal muscle atrophy caused by denervation. PMID:25337102

Histological assessment of ovaries and uterus of rats subjected to nandrolone decanoate treatment.

PubMed

Gerez, Juliana Rubira; Frei, Fernando; Camargo, Isabel Cristina Cherici

2005-07-01

This study aimed to analyze the effects of nandrolone decanoate on the ovaries and uterus of adult females rats. This drug was administered intraperitoneally, at one, two and three doses of 3 mg nandrolone decanoate/kg of body weight, respectively, in the first, second and third week of treatment. The females of the control group received a physiological solution. The rats treated with nandrolone decanoate showed estral acyclicity and there was destruction of follicular units and an absence of corpus luteum in the ovaries. In the uterus, the drug promoted morphological alterations, characterized by vacuolated epithelium and endometrial stroma fibrosis. Ovary, uterus and pituitary weights were not affected by the steroid treatment. Nandrolone decanoate affects the sexual cycle and promotes histological alterations in the ovaries and uterus of adult female rats.

Disparate Changes in Plasma and Brainstem Cytokine Levels in Adult and Ageing Rats Associated with Age-Related Changes in Facial Motor Neuron Number, Snout Muscle Morphology, and Exploratory Behavior.

PubMed

Katharesan, Viythia; Lewis, Martin David; Vink, Robert; Johnson, Ian Paul

2016-01-01

An overall increase in inflammatory cytokines with age in both the blood and the central nervous system (CNS) has been proposed to explain many aspects of ageing, including decreased motor function and neurodegeneration. This study tests the hypothesis that age-related increases in inflammatory cytokines in the blood and CNS lead to facial motor neuron degeneration. Groups of 3-5 female Sprague-Dawley rats aged 3, 12-18, and 24 months were used. Twelve cytokines interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-13, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), interferon-γ, and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor were measured in blood plasma and compared with those in the brainstem after first flushing blood from its vessels. The open-field test was used to measure exploratory behavior, and the morphology of the peripheral target muscle of facial motor neurons quantified. Total numbers of facial motor neurons were determined stereologically in separate groups of 3- and 24-month-old rats. Ageing rats showed a significant 30-42% decrease in blood plasma (peripheral) concentrations of IL-12p70 and TNFα and a significant 43-49% increase in brainstem (central) concentrations of IL-1α, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and TNFα. They also showed significant reductions in motor neuron number in the right but not left facial nucleus, reduced exploratory behavior, and increase in peripheral target muscle size. Marginal age-related facial motoneuronal loss occurs in the ageing rat and is characterized by complex changes in the inflammatory signature, rather than a general increase in inflammatory cytokines.

Characterization of biliary conjugates of 4,4'-methylenedianiline in male versus female rats

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Kan; Cole, Richard B.; Santa Cruz, Vicente

2008-10-15

4,4'-Methylenedianiline (4,4'-diaminodiphenylmethane; DAPM) is an aromatic diamine used in the production of numerous polyurethane foams and epoxy resins. Previous studies in rats revealed that DAPM initially injures biliary epithelial cells of the liver, that the toxicity is greater in female than in male rats, and that the toxic metabolites of DAPM are excreted into bile. Since male and female rats exhibit differences in the expression of both phase I and phase II enzymes, our hypothesis was that female rats either metabolize DAPM to more toxic metabolites or have a decreased capacity to conjugate metabolites to less toxic intermediates. Our objectivemore » was thus to isolate, characterize, and quantify DAPM metabolites excreted into bile in both male and female bile duct-cannulated Sprague Dawley rats. The rats were gavaged with [{sup 14}C]-DAPM, and the collected bile was subjected to reversed-phase HPLC with radioisotope detection. Peaks eluting from HPLC were collected and analyzed using electrospray MS and NMR spectroscopy. HPLC analysis indicated numerous metabolites in both sexes, but male rats excreted greater amounts of glutathione and glucuronide conjugates than females. Electrospray MS and NMR spectra of HPLC fractions revealed that the most prominent metabolite found in bile of both sexes was a glutathione conjugate of an imine metabolite of a 4'-nitroso-DAPM. Seven other metabolites were identified, including acetylated, cysteinyl-glycine, glutamyl-cysteine, glycine, and glucuronide conjugates. While our prior studies demonstrated increased covalent binding of DAPM in the liver and bile of female compared to male rats, in these studies, SDS-PAGE with autoradiography revealed 4-5 radiolabeled protein bands in the bile of rats treated with [{sup 14}C]-DAPM. In addition, these bands were much more prominent in female than in male rats. These studies thus suggest that a plausible mechanism for the increased sensitivity of female rats to DAPM toxicity

Effects of Hindlimb Unweighting on MBP and GDNF Expression and Morphology in Rat Dorsal Root Ganglia Neurons.

PubMed

Zhang, Heng; Ren, Ning-Tao; Zhou, Fang-Qiang; Li, Jie; Lei, Wei; Liu, Ning; Bi, Long; Wu, Zi-Xiang; Zhang, Ran; Zhang, Yong-Gang; Cui, Geng

2016-09-01

With the development of technology and space exploration, studies on long-duration space flights have shown that microgravity induces damage to multiple organs, including the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). However, very little is known about the effects of long-term microgravity on DRG neurons. This study investigated the effects of microgravity on lumbar 5 (L5) DRG neurons in rats using the hindlimb unweighting (HU) model. Male (M) and female (F) Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into M- and F-control (CON) groups and M- and F-HU groups, respectively (n = 10). At the end of HU treatment for 4 weeks, morphological changes were detected. Myelin basic protein (MBP) and degenerated myelin basic protein (dgen-MBP) expressions were analyzed by immunofluorescence and western blot assays. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) protein and mRNA expressions were also analyzed by immunohistochemistry, western blot, and RT-PCR analysis, respectively. Compared with the corresponding CON groups, the HU groups exhibited slightly loose junctions between DRG neurons, some separated ganglion cells and satellite cells, and lightly stained Nissl bodies that were of smaller size and had a scattered distribution. High levels of dgen-MBP and low MBP expressions were appeared and GDNF expressions were significantly decreased in both HU groups. Changes were more pronounced in the F-HU group than in the M-HU group. In conclusion, HU treatment induced damage of L5 DRG neurons, which was correlated with decreased total MBP protein expression, increased dgen-MBP expression, and reduced GDNF protein and mRNA expression. Importantly, these changes were more severe in F-HU rats compared with M-HU rats.

Abnormal morphology of the penis in male rats exposed neonatally to diethylstilbestrol is associated with altered profile of estrogen receptor-alpha protein, but not of androgen receptor protein: a developmental and immunocytochemical study.

PubMed

Goyal, H O; Braden, T D; Williams, C S; Dalvi, P; Mansour, M M; Mansour, M; Williams, J W; Bartol, F F; Wiley, A A; Birch, L; Prins, G S

2004-05-01

Objectives of the study were to determine developmental changes in morphology and expression of androgen receptor (AR) and estrogen receptor (ER)alpha in the body of the rat penis exposed neonatally to diethylstilbestrol (DES). Male pups received DES at a dose of 10 microg per rat on alternate days from Postnatal Day 2 to Postnatal Day 12. Controls received olive oil vehicle only. Tissue samples were collected on Days 18 (prepuberty), 41 (puberty), and 120 (adult) of age. DES-induced abnormalities were evident at 18 days of age and included smaller, lighter, and thinner penis, loss of cavernous spaces and associated smooth muscle cells, and increased deposition of fat cells in the corpora cavernosa penis. Fat cells virtually filled the entire area of the corpora cavernosa at puberty and adulthood. Plasma testosterone (T) was reduced to an undetectable level, while LH was unaltered in all treated groups. AR-positive cells were ubiquitous and their profile (incidence and staining intensity) did not differ between control and treated rats of the respective age groups. Conversely, ERalpha-positive cells were limited to the stroma of corpus spongiosus in all age groups of both control and treated rats, but the expression in treated rats at 18 days was up-regulated in stromal cells of corpora cavernosa, coincident with the presence of morphological abnormalities. Hence, this study reports for the first time DES-induced developmental, morphological abnormalities in the body of the penis and suggests that these abnormalities may have resulted from decreased T and/or overexpression of ERalpha.

Characterization of enamel caries lesions in rat molars using synchrotron X-ray microtomography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Free, R. D.; DeRocher, K.; Stock, S. R.

Dental caries is a ubiquitous infectious disease with a nearly 100% lifetime prevalence. Rodent caries models are widely used to investigate the etiology, progression and potential prevention or treatment of the disease. To explore the suitability of these models for deeper investigations of intact surface zones during enamel caries, the structures of early-stage carious lesions in rats were characterized and compared with previous reports on white spot enamel lesions in humans. Synchrotron X-ray microcomputed tomography non-destructively mapped demineralization in carious rat molar specimens across a range of caries severity, identifying 52 lesions across the 30 teeth imaged. Of these lesions,more » 13 were shown to have intact surface zones. Depth profiles of fractional mineral density were qualitatively similar to lesions in human teeth. However, the thickness of the surface zone in the rat model ranges from 10 to 58 µm, and is therefore significantly thinner than in human enamel. These results indicate that a fraction of lesions in rat caries possess an intact surface zone and are qualitatively similar to human lesions at the micrometer scale. This suggests that rat caries models may be a suitable analog through which to investigate the structure of surface zone enamel and its role during dental caries.« less

Morphological and electromechanical characterization of ionic liquid/Nafion polymer composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, Matthew; Leo, Donald

2005-05-01

Ionic liquids have shown promise as replacements for water in ionic polymer transducers. Ionic liquids are non-volatile and have a larger electrochemical stability window than water. Therefore, transducers employing ionic liquids can be operated for long periods of time in air and can be actuated with higher voltages. Furthermore, transducers based on ionic liquids do not exhibit the characteristic back relaxation that is common with water-swollen materials. However, the physics of transduction in the ionic liquid-swollen materials is not well understood. In this paper, the morphology of Nafion/ionic liquid composites is characterized using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The electromechanical transduction behavior of the composites is also investigated. For this testing, five different counterions and two ionic liquids are used. The results reveal that both the morphology and transduction performance of the composites is affected by the identity of the ionic liquid, the cation, and the swelling level of ionic liquid within the membrane. Specifically, speed of response is found to be lower for the membranes that were exchanged with the smaller lithium and potassium ions. The response speed is also found to increase with increased content of ionic liquid. Furthermore, for the two ionic liquids studied, the actuators swollen with the less viscous ionic liquid exhibited a slower response. The slower speed of response corresponds to less contrast between the ionically conductive phase and the inert phase of the polymer. This suggests that disruption of the clustered morphology in the ionic liquid-swollen membranes as compared to water-swollen membranes attenuates ion mobility within the polymer. This attenuation is attributed to swelling of the non-conductive phase by the ionic liquids.

Study on the Property Change of Rhizoma Coptidis and Its Ginger Juice Processed Products Based on 5-Ht Level and Brain Tissues Morphology of Rats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Lingyun; Tong, Hengli; Lv, Mu; Deng, Yufen

2017-09-01

According to the theory of traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), all Chinese materia medica need to be processed using Pao zhi which is a processing technology before being used in clinic. Ginger juice, made from dried or fresh ginger, is one of the main TCM processing accessories and always used to help change some Chinese materia medica’s properties for its warm or hot nature. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the influence of ginger juice on Rhizoma Coptidis (RC) by determining 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) content and observing morphological changes in the harns tissue of rats. Raw Rhizoma Coptidis (RRC), fresh ginger juice processed Rhizoma Coptidis (FGJPRC), dried juice processed Rhizoma Coptidis (DGJPRC), dried ginger juice (DGJ) and fresh ginger juice (FGJ) were prepared using appropriate methods. Immunohistochemical staining was used to observe the distribution of 5-HT and fluorescence spectrophotometry was applied to determine 5-hydroxytryptamine content in the brain tissue of rats. 5 - HT in brain tissue of the rats of RRC group was distributed most densely, with the highest content. Compared to the blank group, RRC and different ginger processed RC groups could lead to increasing content of 5-HT in rat encephalon, and significant differences in RRC. Compared with the RRC, the 5-HT content in rat encephalon in DGJPRC, FGJPRC, FGJ and DGJ groups reduced, and DGJPRC, FGJPRC groups showed significant difference, FGJ and DGJ groups showed extreme significant differences. The research showed that processing with hot, warm accessories would moderate the cold nature of RC. The cold and hot nature of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica could be expressed by the difference of 5-HT contents and morphological changes of rats’ brain tissue. Simultaneously, the research showed the different excipient of ginger juice would have different effects on the processing of RC.

Repeated immobilization stress alters rat hippocampal and prefrontal cortical morphology in parallel with endogenous agmatine and arginine decarboxylase levels

PubMed Central

Zhu, Meng-Yang; Wang, Wei-Ping; Huang, Jingjing; Feng, Yang-Zheng; Regunathan, Soundar; Bissette, Garth

2008-01-01

Agmatine, an endogenous amine derived from decarboxylation of L-arginine catalyzed by arginine decarboxylase, has been proposed as a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator in the brain. In the present study we examined whether agmatine has neuroprotective effects against repeated immobilization-induced morphological changes in brain tissues and possible effects of immobilization stress on endogenous agmatine levels and arginine decarboxylase expression in rat brains. Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to two hour immobilization stress daily for seven days. This paradigm significantly increased plasma corticosterone levels, and the glutamate efflux in the hippocampus as measured by in vivo microdialysis. Immunohistochemical staining with β-tubulin III showed that repeated immobilization caused marked morphological alterations in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex that were prevented by simultaneous treatment with agmatine (50 mg/kg/day, i.p.). Likewise, endogenous agmatine levels measured by high performance liquid chromatography in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum and hypothalamus were significantly increased by immobilization, as compared to controls. The increased endogenous agmatine levels, ranging from 92% to 265% of controls, were accompanied by a significant increase of arginine decarboxylase protein levels in the same regions. These results demonstrate that administration of exogenous agmatine protects the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex against neuronal insults caused by repeated immobilization. The parallel increase in endogenous brain agmatine and arginine decarboxylase protein levels triggered by repeated immobilization indicates that the endogenous agmatine system may play an important role in adaptation to stress as a potential neuronal self-protection mechanism. PMID:18832001

Construction of two novel reciprocal conplastic rat strains and characterization of cardiac mitochondria

PubMed Central

Kumarasamy, Sivarajan; Gopalakrishnan, Kathirvel; Abdul-Majeed, Shakila; Partow-Navid, Rod; Farms, Phyllis

2013-01-01

Because of the lack of appropriate animal models, the potentially causal contributions of inherited mitochondrial genomic factors to complex traits are less well studied compared with inherited nuclear genomic factors. We previously detected variations between the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of the Dahl salt-sensitive (S) rat and the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). Specifically, multiple variations were detected in mitochondrial genes coding for subunits of proteins essential for electron transport, in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production, and within the D-loop region. To evaluate the effects of these mtDNA variations in the absence of the corresponding nuclear genomic factors as confounding variables, novel reciprocal strains of S and SHR were constructed and characterized. When compared with that of the S rat, the heart tissue from the S.SHRmt conplastic strain wherein the mtDNA of the S rat was substituted with that of the SHR had a significant increase in mtDNA copy number and decrease in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production. A corresponding increase in aerobic treadmill running capacity and a significant increase in survival that was not related to changes in blood pressure were observed in the S.SHRmt rats compared with the S rat. The reciprocal SHR.Smt rats did not differ from the SHR in any phenotype tested, suggesting lower penetrance of the S mtDNA on the nuclear genomic background of the SHR. These novel conplastic strains serve as invaluable tools to further dissect the relationship between heart function, aerobic fitness, cardiovascular disease progression, and mortality. PMID:23125210

Molecular and agro-morphological characterization of ancient wheat landraces of turkey.

PubMed

Gurcan, Kahraman; Demirel, Fatih; Tekin, Mehmet; Demirel, Serap; Akar, Taner

2017-11-14

Turkey is one of the important gene centers for many crop species. In this research, some ancient wheats such as tetraploid and diploid hulled wheats together with hexaploid tir wheats (Triticum aestivum ssp. leucospermum Korn.) landraces mainly adapted to harsh winter conditions of Eastern Anatolian region of Turkey were characterized at agro-morphological and molecular level. Totally 50 hulled wheat population from Kastamonu, Konya and Kayseri provinces and 15 tir wheats from Kars provinces of Turkey were in-situ collected for characterization in 2013. Some quantitative and qualitative traits of each population were determined. Twenty three hulled wheat population collected from Kastamonu province were distinguished into nine emmer and 14 einkorn wheats at morphological level. Additionally, Konya, Kayseri and Kars population were characterized as einkorn, emmer and tir wheat, respectively. Among the evaluated traits, protein ratios of hulled wheats were strikingly higher than registered cultivars. All the populations were also examined by molecular level by using fluorescently labelled 11 polymorphic SSRs primers. The primers exhibited 104 bands, ranging from 6 to 16 with a mean value 9.45 per loci. The clustering analysis separated the germplasm into two clusters which were also divided into two subclusters based on genetic similarity coefficient. Sixty-five population and five checks were analyzed to estimate mean number of alleles (N), expected and observed heterozygoties (He and Ho), polymorphism information content (PIC), Wright fix index (F), genetic deviation from Hardy-Weinberg expectation (Fit-Fis) and genetic variation (Fst) were determined as 9.45, 0.71, 0.07, 0.67, 0.90, 0.39, 0.87 and 0.39, respectively. A clear genetic deviation from Hardy - Weinberg expectation was observed among population in particular. These results showed considerable genetic variation among landraces rather than within population. These molecular information has revealed

Chemical characterization and cerebroprotective effect of methanolic root extract of Colebrookea oppositifolia in rats.

PubMed

Viswanatha, Gollapalle Lakshminarayanashastry; Venkataranganna, Marikunte V; Prasad, Nunna Bheema Lingeswara; Hanumanthappa, Shylaja

2018-09-15

Colebrookea oppositifolia Smith is one of the extensively used plants to treat neurological conditions such as epilepsy by the various ethnic communities in sub-Himalayan regions of India such as Bhoxa, Tharu and nomadic Gujjars. This study was conducted to evaluate the cerebroprotective effect of C. oppositifolia methanolic root (MeCO) extract in Wistar rats. The MeCO was characterized for total phenolic content and later subjected for detailed liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Further, it was evaluated for in vitro antioxidant activity using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, ferric reducing antioxidant power and oxygen radical absorbance capacity assays. In addition, the MeCO was investigated on generation of ROS, nitrite, and TNF-α in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cell lines. Finally, the cerebroprotective effect of MeCO was examined against global ischemia and reperfusion (I/R)-induced brain injury in Wistar rats. Male Wistar rats were allocated in to five groups (G-I to G-V, n = 10). G-I and G-II served as sham control and I/R control, respectively, and received only vehicle (0.5% w/v carboxy methyl cellulose, 10 ml/kg, p.o.). G-III served as reference standard and received quercetin (20 mg/kg, p.o.). G-IV and G-V animals received 200 and 400 mg/kg oral doses of MeCO, respectively. All the treatments were given for a period of seven days and the parameters such as neurobehavioral (neurological, and cognitive), and motor functions, biochemical (enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, ICAM-I), morphological (cerebral edema and infarct area) and histopathological evaluations were performed. The MeCO showed a total phenolic content of 137.28 mg gallic acid equivalents/g, and LC-MS/MS analysis of MeCO showed presence of acteoside, gossypin, quercetin and ferulic acid as major ingredients (6680.3, 1.55, 3.52 and 431.1 ng/mg). In in vitro antioxidant assays, the MeCO exhibited potent activity with IC 50 of 49.10�

Morphology engineering - Osmolality and its effect on Aspergillus niger morphology and productivity

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger is a widely used strain in a broad range of industrial processes from food to pharmaceutical industry. One of the most intriguing and often uncontrollable characteristics of this filamentous organism is its complex morphology, ranging from dense spherical pellets to viscous mycelia depending on culture conditions. Optimal productivity correlates strongly with a specific morphological form, thus making high demands on process control. Results In about 50 2L stirred tank cultivations the influence of osmolality on A. niger morphology and productivity was investigated. The specific productivity of fructofuranosidase producing strain A. niger SKAn 1015 could be increased notably from 0.5 to 9 U mg-1 h-1 around eighteen fold, by increasing the culture broth osmolality by addition of sodium chloride. The specific productivity of glucoamylase producing strain A. niger AB1.13, could be elevated using the same procedure. An optimal producing osmolality was shown to exist well over the standard osmolality at about 3.2 osmol kg-1 depending on the strain. Fungal morphology of all cultivations was examined by microscope and characterized by digital image analysis. Particle shape parameters were combined to a dimensionless Morphology number, which enabled a comprehensive characterization of fungal morphology correlating closely with productivity. A novel method for determination of germination time in submerged cultivations by laser diffraction, introduced in this study, revealed a decelerated germination process with increasing osmolality. Conclusions Through the introduction of the versatile Morphology number, this study provides the means for a desirable characterization of fungal morphology and demonstrates its relation to productivity. Furthermore, osmolality as a fairly new parameter in process engineering is introduced and found to affect fungal morphology and productivity. Osmolality might provide an auspicious and

Interconnected network motifs control podocyte morphology and kidney function.

PubMed

Azeloglu, Evren U; Hardy, Simon V; Eungdamrong, Narat John; Chen, Yibang; Jayaraman, Gomathi; Chuang, Peter Y; Fang, Wei; Xiong, Huabao; Neves, Susana R; Jain, Mohit R; Li, Hong; Ma'ayan, Avi; Gordon, Ronald E; He, John Cijiang; Iyengar, Ravi

2014-02-04

Podocytes are kidney cells with specialized morphology that is required for glomerular filtration. Diseases, such as diabetes, or drug exposure that causes disruption of the podocyte foot process morphology results in kidney pathophysiology. Proteomic analysis of glomeruli isolated from rats with puromycin-induced kidney disease and control rats indicated that protein kinase A (PKA), which is activated by adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP), is a key regulator of podocyte morphology and function. In podocytes, cAMP signaling activates cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) to enhance expression of the gene encoding a differentiation marker, synaptopodin, a protein that associates with actin and promotes its bundling. We constructed and experimentally verified a β-adrenergic receptor-driven network with multiple feedback and feedforward motifs that controls CREB activity. To determine how the motifs interacted to regulate gene expression, we mapped multicompartment dynamical models, including information about protein subcellular localization, onto the network topology using Petri net formalisms. These computational analyses indicated that the juxtaposition of multiple feedback and feedforward motifs enabled the prolonged CREB activation necessary for synaptopodin expression and actin bundling. Drug-induced modulation of these motifs in diseased rats led to recovery of normal morphology and physiological function in vivo. Thus, analysis of regulatory motifs using network dynamics can provide insights into pathophysiology that enable predictions for drug intervention strategies to treat kidney disease.

Interconnected Network Motifs Control Podocyte Morphology and Kidney Function

PubMed Central

Azeloglu, Evren U.; Hardy, Simon V.; Eungdamrong, Narat John; Chen, Yibang; Jayaraman, Gomathi; Chuang, Peter Y.; Fang, Wei; Xiong, Huabao; Neves, Susana R.; Jain, Mohit R.; Li, Hong; Ma’ayan, Avi; Gordon, Ronald E.; He, John Cijiang; Iyengar, Ravi

2014-01-01

Podocytes are kidney cells with specialized morphology that is required for glomerular filtration. Diseases, such as diabetes, or drug exposure that causes disruption of the podocyte foot process morphology results in kidney pathophysiology. Proteomic analysis of glomeruli isolated from rats with puromycin-induced kidney disease and control rats indicated that protein kinase A (PKA), which is activated by adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP), is a key regulator of podocyte morphology and function. In podocytes, cAMP signaling activates cAMP response element–binding protein (CREB) to enhance expression of the gene encoding a differentiation marker, synaptopodin, a protein that associates with actin and promotes its bundling. We constructed and experimentally verified a β-adrenergic receptor–driven network with multiple feedback and feedforward motifs that controls CREB activity. To determine how the motifs interacted to regulate gene expression, we mapped multicompartment dynamical models, including information about protein subcellular localization, onto the network topology using Petri net formalisms. These computational analyses indicated that the juxtaposition of multiple feedback and feedforward motifs enabled the prolonged CREB activation necessary for synaptopodin expression and actin bundling. Drug-induced modulation of these motifs in diseased rats led to recovery of normal morphology and physiological function in vivo. Thus, analysis of regulatory motifs using network dynamics can provide insights into pathophysiology that enable predictions for drug intervention strategies to treat kidney disease. PMID:24497609

MRI-based morphological modeling, synthesis and characterization of cardiac tissue-mimicking materials.

PubMed

Kossivas, Fotis; Angeli, S; Kafouris, D; Patrickios, C S; Tzagarakis, V; Constantinides, C

2012-06-01

This study uses standard synthetic methodologies to produce tissue-mimicking materials that match the morphology and emulate the in vivo murine and human cardiac mechanical and imaging characteristics, with dynamic mechanical analysis, atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and magnetic resonance imaging. In accordance with such aims, poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) elastomeric materials were synthesized (at two different glycerol (G)-sebacic (S) acid molar ratios; the first was synthesized using a G:S molar ratio of 2:2, while the second from a 2:5 G:S molar ratio, resulting in PGS2:2 and PGS2:5 elastomers, respectively). Unlike the synthesized PGS2:2 elastomers, the PGS2:5 materials were characterized by an overall mechanical instability in their loading behavior under the three successive loading conditions tested. An oscillatory response in the mechanical properties of the synthesized elastomers was observed throughout the loading cycles, with measured increased storage modulus values at the first loading cycle, stabilizing to lower values at subsequent cycles. These elastomers were characterized at 4 °C and were found to have storage modulus values of 850 and 1430 kPa at the third loading cycle, respectively, in agreement with previously reported values of the rat and human myocardium. SEM of surface topology indicated minor degradation of synthesized materials at 10 and 20 d post-immersion in the PBS buffer solution, with a noted cluster formation on the PGS2:5 elastomers. AFM nanoindentation experiments were also conducted for the measurement of the Young modulus of the sample surface (no bulk contribution). Correspondingly, the PGS2:2 elastomer indicated significantly decreased surface Young's modulus values 20 d post-PBS immersion, compared to dry conditions (Young's modulus = 1160 ± 290 kPa (dry) and 200 ± 120 kPa (20 d)). In addition to the two-dimensional (2D) elastomers, an integrative platform for accurate construction of

Effect of chronic intake of liquid nutrition on stomach and duodenum morphology.

PubMed

Vrabcova, Michaela; Mikuska, Livia; Vazan, Rastislav; Miko, Michal; Varga, Ivan; Mravec, Boris

2016-05-01

Changes in the quantity and/or quality of food intake have been shown to be associated with morphological and functional alterations of the gastrointestinal system. To examine this, we investigated the effect of chronic liquid nutrition intake (Fresubin) on stomach and duodenum morphology in Wistar rats fed liquid nutrition during different developmental periods. We used four groups of rats: a) control group (CON) fed pelleted chow for 130days; b) liquid nutrition group (LN) fed liquid nutrition for 130days; c) liquid nutrition juvenile group (LNJ) fed liquid nutrition for 70days and then pelleted food for 60days; d) liquid nutrition adult group (LNA) fed pelleted chow for 70days and then liquid nutrition for 60days. We found that LN and LNA rats showed a significant reduction of empty stomach mass compared to CON animals, while stomach and duodenal longitudinal muscle layer thickness did not differ between groups. Villus height was increased only in LNA animals, while villus width was increased in both LN and LNA rats. Crypt depth was reduced in LNJ. However, liquid nutrition intake did not affect villus height/crypt depth ratio, nor number of goblet cells. We found that chronic intake of liquid nutrition affects some morphological parameters of the stomach and duodenum but these changes were not homogenous between experimental groups. Interestingly, transition from liquid nutrition to solid food reversed the alterations of stomach weight as well as villus width induced by intake of liquid nutrition in LNA rats. Our data indicate that morphological and functional changes in the gastrointestinal system induced by qualitative and quantitative changes in food intake are at least partially reversible. Therefore, specific diets may be used potentially as adjuvant treatment for modulating the progression of gastrointestinal diseases by affecting stomach and small intestine morphology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

D1 Receptors Regulate Dendritic Morphology in Normal and Stressed Prelimbic Cortex

PubMed Central

Lin, Grant L.; Borders, Candace B.; Lundewall, Leslie J.; Wellman, Cara L.

2014-01-01

Both stress and dysfunction of prefrontal cortex are linked to psychological disorders, and structure and function of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are altered by stress. Chronic restraint stress causes dendritic retraction in the prelimbic region (PL) of mPFC in rats. Dopamine release in mPFC increases during stress, and chronic administration of dopaminergic agonists results in dendritic remodeling. Thus, stress-induced alterations in dopaminergic transmission in PL may contribute to dendritic remodeling. We examined the effects of dopamine D1 receptor (D1R) blockade in PL during daily restraint stress on dendritic morphology in PL. Rats either underwent daily restraint stress (3 h/day, 10 days) or remained unstressed. In each group, rats received daily infusions of either the D1R antagonist SCH23390 or vehicle into PL prior to restraint; unstressed and stressed rats that had not undergone surgery were also examined. On the final day of restraint, rats were euthanized and brains were processed for Golgi histology. Pyramidal neurons in PL were reconstructed and dendritic morphology was quantified. Vehicle-infused stressed rats demonstrated dendritic retraction compared to unstressed rats, and D1R blockade in PL prevented this effect. Moreover, in unstressed rats, D1R blockade produced dendritic retraction. These effects were not due to attenuation of the HPA axis response to acute stress: plasma corticosterone levels in a separate group of rats that underwent acute restraint stress with or without D1R blockade were not significantly different. These findings indicate that dopaminergic transmission in mPFC during stress contributes directly to the stress-induced retraction of apical dendrites, while dopamine transmission in the absence of stress is important in maintaining normal dendritic morphology. PMID:25305546

D1 receptors regulate dendritic morphology in normal and stressed prelimbic cortex.

PubMed

Lin, Grant L; Borders, Candace B; Lundewall, Leslie J; Wellman, Cara L

2015-01-01

Both stress and dysfunction of prefrontal cortex are linked to psychological disorders, and structure and function of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are altered by stress. Chronic restraint stress causes dendritic retraction in the prelimbic region (PL) of mPFC in rats. Dopamine release in mPFC increases during stress, and chronic administration of dopaminergic agonists results in dendritic remodeling. Thus, stress-induced alterations in dopaminergic transmission in PL may contribute to dendritic remodeling. We examined the effects of dopamine D1 receptor (D1R) blockade in PL during daily restraint stress on dendritic morphology in PL. Rats either underwent daily restraint stress (3h/day, 10 days) or remained unstressed. In each group, rats received daily infusions of either the D1R antagonist SCH23390 or vehicle into PL prior to restraint; unstressed and stressed rats that had not undergone surgery were also examined. On the final day of restraint, rats were euthanized and brains were processed for Golgi histology. Pyramidal neurons in PL were reconstructed and dendritic morphology was quantified. Vehicle-infused stressed rats demonstrated dendritic retraction compared to unstressed rats, and D1R blockade in PL prevented this effect. Moreover, in unstressed rats, D1R blockade produced dendritic retraction. These effects were not due to attenuation of the HPA axis response to acute stress: plasma corticosterone levels in a separate group of rats that underwent acute restraint stress with or without D1R blockade were not significantly different. These findings indicate that dopaminergic transmission in mPFC during stress contributes directly to the stress-induced retraction of apical dendrites, while dopamine transmission in the absence of stress is important in maintaining normal dendritic morphology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A New Experimental Polytrauma Model in Rats: Molecular Characterization of the Early Inflammatory Response

PubMed Central

Weckbach, Sebastian; Perl, Mario; Heiland, Tim; Braumüller, Sonja; Stahel, Philip F.; Flierl, Michael A.; Ignatius, Anita; Gebhard, Florian; Huber-Lang, Markus

2012-01-01

Background. The molecular mechanisms of the immune response after polytrauma are highly complex and far from fully understood. In this paper, we characterize a new standardized polytrauma model in rats based on the early molecular inflammatory and apoptotic response. Methods. Male Wistar rats (250 g, 6–10/group) were anesthetized and exposed to chest trauma (ChT), closed head injury (CHI), or Tib/Fib fracture including a soft tissue trauma (Fx + STT) or to the following combination of injuries: (1) ChT; (2) ChT + Fx + STT; (3) ChT + CHI; (4) CHI; (5) polytrauma (PT = ChT + CHI + Fx + STT). Sham-operated rats served as negative controls. The inflammatory response was quantified at 2 hours and 4 hours after trauma by analysis of “key” inflammatory mediators, including selected cytokines and complement components, in serum and bronchoalveolar (BAL) fluid samples. Results. Polytraumatized (PT) rats showed a significant systemic and intrapulmonary release of cytokines, chemokines, and complement anaphylatoxins, compared to rats with isolated injuries or selected combinations of injuries. Conclusion. This new rat model appears to closely mimic the early immunological response of polytrauma observed in humans and may provide a valid basis for evaluation of the complex pathophysiology and future therapeutic immune modulatory approaches in experimental polytrauma. PMID:22481866

Morphological characterization of several strains of the rice-pathogenic bacterium Burkholderia glumae in North Sumatra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasibuan, M.; Safni, I.; Lisnawita; Lubis, K.

2018-02-01

Burkholderia glumae is a quarantine seed-borne bacterial pathogen causing panicle blight disease on rice. This pathogen has been detected in some locations in Java, and recently, farmers in North Sumatra have reported rice yield loss with symptoms similar with those on rice infeced by the rice-pathogenic bacterium B. glumae. This research was aimed to isolate several bacterial strains from several rice varieties in various locations in North Sumatra and characterize the morphology of the strains to detect and identify the unknown bacterial strains presumably B. glumae. Several rice seed varieties were collected from Medan and Deli Serdang Districts. The seed samples were extracted, isolated and purified, then grown in semi-selective media PPGA. The morphological characteristics of the bacterial strains were determined including Gram staining, bacterial colony’s and bacterial cell’s morphology. The results showed that of eleven strains isolated, two strains were Gram negative and nine strains were Gram positive. On the basis of colony morphology, all strains had circular form, flat elevation and cream colour while the colony margin varied, i.e. entire and undulate. Most strains had bacillus/rod shape (8 strains) and only 3 strains were coccus.

RatMap--rat genome tools and data.

PubMed

Petersen, Greta; Johnson, Per; Andersson, Lars; Klinga-Levan, Karin; Gómez-Fabre, Pedro M; Ståhl, Fredrik

2005-01-01

The rat genome database RatMap (http://ratmap.org or http://ratmap.gen.gu.se) has been one of the main resources for rat genome information since 1994. The database is maintained by CMB-Genetics at Goteborg University in Sweden and provides information on rat genes, polymorphic rat DNA-markers and rat quantitative trait loci (QTLs), all curated at RatMap. The database is under the supervision of the Rat Gene and Nomenclature Committee (RGNC); thus much attention is paid to rat gene nomenclature. RatMap presents information on rat idiograms, karyotypes and provides a unified presentation of the rat genome sequence and integrated rat linkage maps. A set of tools is also available to facilitate the identification and characterization of rat QTLs, as well as the estimation of exon/intron number and sizes in individual rat genes. Furthermore, comparative gene maps of rat in regard to mouse and human are provided.

RatMap—rat genome tools and data

PubMed Central

Petersen, Greta; Johnson, Per; Andersson, Lars; Klinga-Levan, Karin; Gómez-Fabre, Pedro M.; Ståhl, Fredrik

2005-01-01

The rat genome database RatMap (http://ratmap.org or http://ratmap.gen.gu.se) has been one of the main resources for rat genome information since 1994. The database is maintained by CMB–Genetics at Göteborg University in Sweden and provides information on rat genes, polymorphic rat DNA-markers and rat quantitative trait loci (QTLs), all curated at RatMap. The database is under the supervision of the Rat Gene and Nomenclature Committee (RGNC); thus much attention is paid to rat gene nomenclature. RatMap presents information on rat idiograms, karyotypes and provides a unified presentation of the rat genome sequence and integrated rat linkage maps. A set of tools is also available to facilitate the identification and characterization of rat QTLs, as well as the estimation of exon/intron number and sizes in individual rat genes. Furthermore, comparative gene maps of rat in regard to mouse and human are provided. PMID:15608244

The gut morphology of the African ice rat, Otomys sloggetti robertsi, shows adaptations to cold environments and sex-specific seasonal variation.

PubMed

Schwaibold, U; Pillay, N

2003-11-01

We studied the gut morphology of the ice rat Otomys sloggetti robertsi, a non-hibernating murid rodent endemic to the sub-alpine and alpine regions of the southern African Drakensberg and Maluti mountains. The gut structure of O. s. robertsi is well adapted for a high fibre, herbivorous diet, as is the case with other members of its subfamily Otomyinae. Despite the broad similarity in gross gut morphology with mesic- and arid-occurring otomyines, O. s. robertsi has a larger small intestine, caecum, stomach volume and parts of the colon, which we suggest are adaptations for increased energy uptake and/or poor diet quality in alpine environments. However, O. s. robertsi has a smaller larger intestine than other otomyines, perhaps because it occupies a mesic habitat. Seasonal sexual differences occurred, with females increasing dimensions of the stomach, small intestine length, caecum, and large intestine in summer. Sexual asymmetry in gut morphology may be related to increased energy requirements of females during pregnancy and lactation, indicating phenotypic plasticity in response to poor quality vegetation and a shorter growing season in alpine habitats.

Morphological study on the pressure ulcer-like dermal lesions formed in the rat heel skin after transection of the sciatic nerves.

PubMed

Haba, Daijiro; Minami, Chie; Miyagawa, Miki; Arakawa, Takamitsu; Miki, Akinori

2017-01-01

Due to transection of bilateral sciatic nerves, pressure ulcer-like dermal lesion occurred in the hairy skin covering of the heel skin in almost all rats. In the present study, chronological changes of the rat heel skin after the transection were morphologically and immunohistochemically examined. In the heel skin, redness and swelling began by 3days after the operation, and open wound formed by 17days. At the redness and swelling stage, edema extensively occurred in the dermis. At the thickening stage, the epidermis at the pressed site became transiently thicker, and at the whitening stage, rapidly thinner. At these stages, the epidermis in the skin surrounding the pressed site became gradually thicker. At the yellow scar stage, the skin was covered only by necrotic tissues and horny layer. These layers were scratched during walking and turning, and the yellow scar stage became the open wound stage. Inflammatory reaction began at the thickening stage, and at the yellow scar and open wound stages, necrosis, infiltration of inflammatory cells and dilation of small blood vessels were observed. These morphological features are quite similar to those in the human pressure ulcer. These findings suggest that these dermal injuries could compare the human pressure ulcer for medical treatment and depressurization in future study. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Colon luminal content and epithelial cell morphology are markedly modified in rats fed with a high-protein diet.

PubMed

Andriamihaja, Mireille; Davila, Anne-Marie; Eklou-Lawson, Mamy; Petit, Nathalie; Delpal, Serge; Allek, Fadhila; Blais, Anne; Delteil, Corine; Tomé, Daniel; Blachier, François

2010-11-01

Hyperproteic diets are used in human nutrition to obtain body weight reduction. Although increased protein ingestion results in an increased transfer of proteins from the small to the large intestine, there is little information on the consequences of the use of such diets on the composition of large intestine content and on epithelial cell morphology and metabolism. Rats were fed for 15 days with either a normoproteic (NP, 14% protein) or a hyperproteic isocaloric diet (HP, 53% protein), and absorptive colonocytes were observed by electron microscopy or isolated for enzyme activity studies. The colonic luminal content was recovered for biochemical analysis. Absorbing colonocytes were characterized by a 1.7-fold reduction in the height of the brush-border membranes (P = 0.0001) after HP diet consumption when compared with NP. This coincided in the whole colon content of HP animals with a 1.8-fold higher mass content (P = 0.0020), a 2.2-fold higher water content (P = 0.0240), a 5.2-fold higher protease activity (P = 0.0104), a 5.5-fold higher ammonia content (P = 0.0008), and a more than twofold higher propionate, valerate, isobutyrate, and isovalerate content (P < 0.05). The basal oxygen consumption of colonocytes was similar in the NP and HP groups, but ammonia was found to provoke a dose-dependent decrease of oxygen consumption in the isolated absorbing colonocytes. The activity of glutamine synthetase (which condenses ammonia and glutamate) was found to be much higher in colonocytes than in small intestine enterocytes and was 1.6-fold higher (P = 0.0304) in colonocytes isolated from HP animals than NP. Glutaminase activity remained unchanged. Thus hyperproteic diet ingestion causes marked changes both in the luminal environment of colonocytes and in the characteristics of these cells, demonstrating that hyperproteic diet interferes with colonocyte metabolism and morphology. Possible causal relationships between energy metabolism, reduced height of colonocyte

Dendritic morphology of amygdala and hippocampal neurons in more and less predator stress responsive rats and more and less spontaneously anxious handled controls

PubMed Central

Adamec, Robert; Hebert, Mark; Blundell, Jacqueline; Mervis, Ronald F.

2013-01-01

We investigated the neurobiological bases of variation in response to predator stress (PS). Sixteen days after treatment (PS or handling), rats were grouped according to anxiety in the elevated plus maze (EPM). Acoustic startle was also measured. We examined the structure of dendritic trees of basolateral amygdala (BLA) output neurons (stellate and pyramidal cells) and of dorsal hippocampal (DHC) dentate granule cells of less anxious (LA) and more (extremely) anxious (MA) stressed animals (PSLA and PSMA). Handled controls (HC) which were less anxious (HCLA) and spontaneously more anxious (HCMA) equivalently to predator stressed subgroups were also studied. Golgi analysis revealed BLA output neurons of HCMA rats exhibited longer, more branched dendrites with higher spine density than the other groups of rats, which did not differ. Finally, spine density of DHC granule cells was equally depressed in HCMA and PSMA rats relative to HCLA and PSLA rats. Total dendritic length of BLA pyramidal and stellate cells (positive predictor) and DHC spine density (negative predictor) together accounted for 96% of the variance of anxiety of handled rats. DHC spine density was a negative predictor of PSMA and PSLA anxiety, accounting for 70% of the variance. Data are discussed in the context of morphological differences as phenotypic markers of a genetic predisposition to anxiety in handled controls, and a possible genetic vulnerability to predator stress expressed as reduced spine density in the DHC. Significance of findings for animal models of anxiety and hyperarousal comorbidities of PTSD are discussed. PMID:21925210

Morphology characterization of organic solar cell materials and blends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roehling, John Daniel

The organization of polymers and fullerenes, both in their pure states and mixed together, have a large impact on their macroscopic properties. For mixtures used in organic solar cells, the morphology of the mixture has a very large impact upon the mixture's ability to efficiently convert sunlight into useful electrical energy. Understanding how the morphology can change under certain processing conditions and in turn, affect the characteristics of the solar cell is therefore important to improving the function of organic solar cells. Conventional poly(3-hexylthiophene):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) solar cells have served as a staple system to study organic solar cell function for nearly a decade. Much of the understanding of how to make these "poorly"conductive organic materials efficiently convert sunlight into electricity has come from the study of P3HT:PCBM. It has long been understood that in order for a polymer:fullerene (electron donor and acceptor, respectively) mixture to function well as a solar cell, two major criteria for the morphology must be met; first, the interface between the two materials must be large to efficiently create charges, and secondly, there must be continous pathways through the "pure" materials for charges to be efficiently collected at the electrodes. This makes it advantageous for OPV materials to phase-separate into interconnected domains with very small domain sizes, a structure that P3HT:PCBM seems to naturally self-assemble. Despite P3HT:PCBM's ability to reach an optimal morphology, a complete understanding of exactly how the morphology affects device performance has not been realized. Completely different morphological models can end up predicting the same device performance characteristics. Much of the problem comes from the assumed morphology within a particular model, which can often be incorrect. The problem lies in the fact that obtaining real, accurate morphological information is difficult. An often

A novel autosomal-recessive mutation, whitish chalk-like teeth, resembling amelogenesis imperfecta, maps to rat chromosome 14 corresponding to human 4q21.

PubMed

Masuyama, Taku; Miyajima, Katsuhiro; Ohshima, Hayato; Osawa, Masaru; Yokoi, Norihide; Oikawa, Toshihiro; Taniguchi, Kazuyuki

2005-12-01

A rat mutant, whitish chalk-like teeth (wct), with white, chalk-like abnormal incisors, was discovered and morphologically and genetically characterized. The mutant rats showed tooth enamel defects that were similar to those of human amelogenesis imperfecta. The wct mutation was found to disturb the morphological transition of ameloblasts from secretory to maturation stages and to induce cyst formation. This mutation also disturbs the transfer of iron into the enamel, resulting in the whitish chalk-like incisors. A genetic linkage study indicated that the wct locus maps to a specific interval of rat chromosome 14 between D14Got13 and D14Wox2. Interestingly, the human chromosomal region orthologous to wct, a 5.5-Mb interval in human chromosome 4q21, is a critical region for the locus of human amelogenesis imperfecta AIH2. These results strongly suggest that this wct mutant is a useful model for the identification of genes responsible for amelogenesis imperfecta and molecular mechanisms of tooth development.

Characterization of beta-cell mass and insulin resistance in diet-induced obese and diet-resistant rats.

PubMed

Paulsen, Sarah J; Jelsing, Jacob; Madsen, Andreas N; Hansen, Gitte; Lykkegaard, Kirsten; Larsen, Leif K; Larsen, Philip J; Levin, Barry E; Vrang, Niels

2010-02-01

The selectively bred diet-induced obese (DIO) and diet-resistant (DR) rats represent a polygenetic animal model mimicking most clinical variables characterizing the human metabolic syndrome. When fed a high-energy (HE) diet DIO rats develop visceral obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, and insulin resistance but never frank diabetes. To improve our understanding of the underlying cause for the deteriorating glucose and insulin parameters, we have investigated possible adaptive responses in DIO and DR rats at the level of the insulin-producing beta-cells. At the time of weaning, DR rats were found to have a higher body weight and beta-cell mass compared to DIO rats, and elevated insulin and glucose responses to an oral glucose load. However, at 2.5 months of age, and for the remaining study period, the effect of genotype became evident: the chow-fed DIO rats steadily increased their body weight and beta-cell mass, as well as insulin and glucose levels compared to the DR rats. HE feeding affected both DIO and DR rats leading to an increased body weight and an increased beta-cell mass. Interestingly, although the beta-cell mass in DR rats and chow-fed DIO rats appeared to constantly increase with age, the beta-cell mass in the HE-fed DIO rats did not continue to do so. This might constitute part of an explanation for their reduced glucose tolerance. Collectively, the data support the use of HE-fed DIO rats as a model of human obesity and insulin resistance, and accentuate its relevance for studies examining the benefit of pharmaceutical compounds targeting this disease complex.

Levonorgestrel decreases cilia beat frequency of human fallopian tubes and rat oviducts without changing morphological structure.

PubMed

Zhao, Weihong; Zhu, Qian; Yan, Mingxing; Li, Cheng; Yuan, Jiangjing; Qin, Guojuan; Zhang, Jian

2015-02-01

Levonorgestrel, a derivative of progesterone, effectively protects women against unwanted pregnancy as an emergency contraceptive. Previous studies have not been successful in determining the mechanism by which levonorgestrel acts. In the present study we analysed cilia beat action and cilia morphology following levonorgestrel exposure in vitro and in vivo using both light and electron microscopy. There was a significant decrease in the ciliary beat frequency (CBF) of human fallopian tubes between mucosal explants bathed in 5 μmol/L levonorgestrel and those bathed in medium alone (P < 0.05). There was a tendency for CBF to decrease more in the ampulla than in isthmus, but there were no differences between the proliferative and secretory phases. In rat oviducts, levonorgestrel produced a similar reduction in CBF (~ 10%) compared with the saline control group (P < 0.05). Histological and ultrastructural analysis demonstrated no changes in the percentage of ciliated cells or in the classic '9 + 2' structure of cilia following levonorgestrel treatment in either system. Thus, levonorgestrel reduces CBF without damaging cilia morphology. Decreases in CBF may indicate a pathological role for levonorgestrel in the transportation of the ovum and zygote in the fallopian tube. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

[Morphologic studies of the protective role of catechin on kanamycin otoneurotoxicity in SD rats].

PubMed

Liu, Guo-hui; Xie, Ding-hua; Wu, Wei-jing

2002-12-28

To determine the protection of catechin on aminoglycoside antibiotics otoneurotoxicity in SD rats, and observe the morphologic changes of cochlear efferent nerve terminals and outer hair cells after the injection of kanamycin and the feeding of catechin by the stomach tube. Thirty-eight SD rats were randomly assigned into three experimental groups (KM-treated, catechin-treated, KM and catechin in combination) and one control group. The KM-treated group was given kanamycin in a dose of 500 mg.(kg.d)-1 for 14 days. The catechin-treated group was given catechin once by the stomach tube in a dose of 400 mg.(kg.d)-1. Two kinds of medicine were simultaneously given in the KM+ catechin group. Transmission electron microscopy was utilized to observe the subcellular structure of efferent nerve fibers and outer hair cells. The densities of efferent nerve fibers and terminals were examined and the numbers of efferent nerve fibers and terminals were numerated by the surface preparation using modified histochemical staining for acetylcholinesterase (AchE). The damage in the group protected by catechin was relieved compared with the unprotected group. No damage was found in the catechin-treated alone group and controls. The densities and numbers of efferent nerve fibers and terminals were obviously fewer in the unprotected group than in the protected group and controls(P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the numbers of efferent nerve fibers and terminals of the group protected by catechin compared with the controls and the catechin-treated group (P > 0.05). Catechin significantly protects MOC efferent nerves in kanamycin otoneurotoxicity.

Clofibrate prevents and reverses the hemodynamic manifestations of hyperthyroidism in rats.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Gómez, Isabel; Cruz, Antonio; Moreno, Juan Manuel; Soler, Agatángelo; Osuna, Antonio; Vargas, Félix

2008-03-01

This study analyzed the effects of the chronic administration of clofibrate, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPARalpha) agonist, on the development and established hemodynamic, morphologic, metabolic, and renal manifestations of hyperthyroidism in rats. The prevention study used four groups of male Wistar rats: control, clofibrate (240 mg/kg/day by gavage), T(4)(75 microg thyroxine/rat/day s.c.), and T(4)+clofibrate. All treatments were maintained for 3 weeks. Body weight (BW), tail systolic blood pressure (SBP), and heart rate (HR) were recorded weekly. Finally, temperature, SBP, pulse pressure (PP) and HR were recorded in conscious rats, and morphologic, metabolic, plasma, and renal variables were measured. The reversion study used two groups of rats, T(4)(treated for 6 weeks) and T(4)+clofibrate, measuring their hemodynamic variables and temperature for 3 weeks. T(4) increased BP, HR, PP, and temperature when compared with control rats. Clofibrate prevented and reversed the increase in SBP, HR, PP, and temperature produced by T(4) administration, reduced plasma thyroid hormone levels, and increased plasma thyroid-stimulating hormone values and phenol-uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyl-transferase (UGT) activity. However, clofibrate did not modify the cardiac or renal hypertrophy, polyphagia, polydipsia, or proteinuria of hyperthyroid rats. In normal rats, clofibrate treatment did not significantly change thyroid hormone levels, phenol-UGT activity, or any hemodynamic, morphologic, or renal variables. Chronic clofibrate treatment suppressed the hemodynamic manifestations and increased temperature of hyperthyroidism, an effect that can be produced by direct antithyroid effects. However, clofibrate administration did not modify the morphologic, metabolic, or renal alterations of hyperthyroid rats, indicating specificity in the antithyroid actions of clofibrate.

Purification and characterization of the protein kinase eEF-2 isolated from rat liver cells.

PubMed

Gajko, A; Gałasiński, W; Gindzieński, A

1994-01-01

The elongation factor 2 (eEF-2) protein kinase was isolated from rat liver cells, purified and partly characterized. It was found that the enzyme exists in an inactive form in the homogenate of rat liver. The active fraction of kinase eEF-2 was obtained after removal of the inhibitory substance by hydroxyapatite column chromatography. The purified enzyme is an electrophoretically homogeneous protein with relative molecular mass of approximately 90,000 and isoelectric point, pI = 5.9. The enzyme specifically phosphorylates the elongation factor eEF-2 in the presence of calmodulin and Ca2+.

CLONING, EXPRESSION, AND CHARACTERIZATION OF RAT S-ADENOSYL-L-METHIONINE: ARSENIC (III) METHYLTRANSFERASE (CYT19)

EPA Science Inventory

CLONING, EXPRESSION, AND CHARACTERIZATION OF RAT S-ADENOSYL-L-METHIONINE: ARSENIC(III) METHYLTRANSFERASE (cyt19)

Stephen B. Waters1 , Felicia Walton1 , Miroslav Styblo1 , Karen Herbin-Davis2, and David J. Thomas2 1 School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chape...

Subretinal transplantation of rat MSCs and erythropoietin gene modified rat MSCs for protecting and rescuing degenerative retina in rats.

PubMed

Guan, Y; Cui, L; Qu, Z; Lu, L; Wang, F; Wu, Y; Zhang, J; Gao, F; Tian, H; Xu, L; Xu, G; Li, W; Jin, Y; Xu, G-T

2013-11-01

For degenerative retinal diseases, like the acquired form exemplified by age-related macular degeneration (AMD), there is currently no cure. This study was to explore a stem cell therapy and a stem cell based gene therapy for sodium iodate (SI)-induced retinal degeneration in rats. Three cell types, i.e., rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) alone, erythropoietin (EPO) gene modified rMSCs (EPO-rMSCs) or doxycycline (DOX) inducible EPO expression rMSCs (Tet-on EPO-rMSCs), were transplanted into the subretinal spaces of SI-treated rats. The rMSCs were prepared for transplantation after 3 to 5 passages or modified with EPO gene. During the 8 weeks after the transplantation, the rats treated with rMSCs alone or with two types of EPO-rMSCs were all monitored with fundus examination, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and electroretinogram. The transplantation efficiency of donor cells was examined for their survival, integration and differentiation. Following the transplantation, labeled donor cells were observed in subretinal space and adopted RPE morphology. EPO concentration in vitreous and retina of SI-treated rats which were transplanted with EPO-rMSCs or Tet-on EPO-rMSCs was markedly increased, in parallel with the improvement of retinal morphology and function. These findings suggest that rMSCs transplantation could be a new therapy for degenerative retinal diseases since it can protect and rescue RPE and retinal neurons, while EPO gene modification to rMSCs could be an even better option.

Characterization and distribution of natriuretic peptide receptors in the rat uterus.

PubMed

Dos Reis, A M; Fujio, N; Dam, T V; Mukaddam-Daher, S; Jankowski, M; Tremblay, J; Gutkowska, J

1995-10-01

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) receptors were characterized in rat uterus. The binding of [125I]ANP to uterine membranes was completely competed for by increasing concentrations of unlabeled ANP (Kd = 0.39 nM) and brain natriuretic peptide (Kd = 1.24 nM) and partially by C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP; Kd = 80.4 nM), but not by C-ANF. Also, [125I]Tyr-CNP bound to uterine membranes was completely competed by unlabeled CNP (Kd = 1.12 nM). Cross-linking of [125I]ANP to uterine membranes revealed the presence of one band of 130 kilodaltons, corresponding to the guanylyl cyclase (GC-A and/or GC-B) subtypes of natriuretic peptide receptors. The presence of messenger RNA coding for genes of both GC-A and GC-B receptors was shown by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, ANP and, to a lesser degree, CNP stimulated the production of cGMP in rat uterus. Autoradiographic studies localized the highest binding of [125I]ANP in the endometrium, whereas [125I]Tyr-CNP binding was distributed in the endometrium as well as in the myometrium. These results demonstrate that rat uterine ANP receptors are of the guanylyl cyclase-coupled subtypes. The uterus is a target of natriuretic peptides where ANP induces its biological effects through the production of cGMP.

Simultaneous characterization of metabolic, cardiac, vascular and renal phenotypes of lean and obese SHHF rats.

PubMed

Youcef, Gina; Olivier, Arnaud; L'Huillier, Clément P J; Labat, Carlos; Fay, Renaud; Tabcheh, Lina; Toupance, Simon; Rodriguez-Guéant, Rosa-Maria; Bergerot, Damien; Jaisser, Frédéric; Lacolley, Patrick; Zannad, Faiez; Laurent Vallar; Pizard, Anne

2014-01-01

Individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS) are prone to develop heart failure (HF). However, the deleterious effects of MetS on the continuum of events leading to cardiac remodeling and subsequently to HF are not fully understood. This study characterized simultaneously MetS and cardiac, vascular and renal phenotypes in aging Spontaneously Hypertensive Heart Failure lean (SHHF(+/?) regrouping (+/+) and (+/cp) rats) and obese (SHHF(cp/cp), "cp" defective mutant allele of the leptin receptor gene) rats. We aimed to refine the milestones and their onset during the progression from MetS to HF in this experimental model. We found that SHHF(cp/cp )but not SHHF(+/?) rats developed dyslipidemia, as early as 1.5 months of age. This early alteration in the lipidic profile was detectable concomitantly to impaired renal function (polyuria, proteinuria but no glycosuria) and reduced carotid distensibility as compared to SHHF(+/?) rats. By 3 months of age SHHFcp/cp animals developed severe obesity associated with dislipidemia and hypertension defining the onset of MetS. From 6 months of age, SHHF(+/?) rats developed concentric left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) while SHHF(cp/cp) rats developed eccentric LVH apparent from progressive dilation of the LV dimensions. By 14 months of age only SHHF(cp/cp) rats showed significantly higher central systolic blood pressure and a reduced ejection fraction resulting in systolic dysfunction as compared to SHHF(+/?). In summary, the metabolic and hemodynamic mechanisms participating in the faster decline of cardiac functions in SHHF(cp/cp) rats are established long before their physiological consequences are detectable. Our results suggest that the molecular mechanisms triggered within the first three months after birth of SHHF(cp/cp) rats should be targeted preferentially by therapeutic interventions in order to mitigate the later HF development.

Simultaneous Characterization of Metabolic, Cardiac, Vascular and Renal Phenotypes of Lean and Obese SHHF Rats

PubMed Central

Youcef, Gina; Olivier, Arnaud; L'Huillier, Clément P. J.; Labat, Carlos; Fay, Renaud; Tabcheh, Lina; Toupance, Simon; Rodriguez-Guéant, Rosa-Maria; Bergerot, Damien; Jaisser, Frédéric; Lacolley, Patrick; Zannad, Faiez; Laurent Vallar; Pizard, Anne

2014-01-01

Individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS) are prone to develop heart failure (HF). However, the deleterious effects of MetS on the continuum of events leading to cardiac remodeling and subsequently to HF are not fully understood. This study characterized simultaneously MetS and cardiac, vascular and renal phenotypes in aging Spontaneously Hypertensive Heart Failure lean (SHHF+/? regrouping +/+ and +/cp rats) and obese (SHHFcp/cp, “cp” defective mutant allele of the leptin receptor gene) rats. We aimed to refine the milestones and their onset during the progression from MetS to HF in this experimental model. We found that SHHFcp/cp but not SHHF+/? rats developed dyslipidemia, as early as 1.5 months of age. This early alteration in the lipidic profile was detectable concomitantly to impaired renal function (polyuria, proteinuria but no glycosuria) and reduced carotid distensibility as compared to SHHF+/? rats. By 3 months of age SHHFcp/cp animals developed severe obesity associated with dislipidemia and hypertension defining the onset of MetS. From 6 months of age, SHHF+/? rats developed concentric left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) while SHHFcp/cp rats developed eccentric LVH apparent from progressive dilation of the LV dimensions. By 14 months of age only SHHFcp/cp rats showed significantly higher central systolic blood pressure and a reduced ejection fraction resulting in systolic dysfunction as compared to SHHF+/?. In summary, the metabolic and hemodynamic mechanisms participating in the faster decline of cardiac functions in SHHFcp/cp rats are established long before their physiological consequences are detectable. Our results suggest that the molecular mechanisms triggered within the first three months after birth of SHHFcp/cp rats should be targeted preferentially by therapeutic interventions in order to mitigate the later HF development. PMID:24831821

Penile histomorphometrical evaluation in hypertensive rats treated with sildenafil or enalapril alone or in combination: a comparison with normotensive and untreated hypertensive rats.

PubMed

Felix-Patrício, Bruno; Medeiros, Jorge L; De Souza, Diogo B; Costa, Waldemar S; Sampaio, Francisco J B

2015-01-01

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is frequently associated to hypertension and antihypertensive drugs; however, the penile morphological aspects on these situations are poorly known. Evaluate the penile morphology of untreated hypertensive rats and rats treated with enalapril or sildenafil alone or in combination to verify the hypothesis that morphological alterations promoted by hypertension on corpus cavernosum could be ameliorated by the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and/or phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors. Fifty male rats were assigned into five groups: normotensive rats, untreated spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), and SHR treated with enalapril or sildenafil alone or in combination. Blood pressure was measured weekly. At the conclusion of the study, the rats were euthanized, and their penises were collected for histomorphometrical analysis. The cross-sectional areas of the penis, tunica albuginea, and corpus cavernosum were measured. The density of the corpus cavernosum structures was quantified. Both groups of SHR rats treated with enalapril became normotensive. Untreated SHR showed no difference in penile and cavernosal cross-sectional area compared with normotensive rats; however, those rats treated with enalapril or sildenafil alone demonstrated an increase in these parameters. Rats receiving combination therapy showed no cross-sectional area differences compared with normotensive rats. Cavernosal connective tissue density was increased, while the sinusoidal spaces were diminished in untreated SHR. All treatments were effective in maintaining connective tissue density in comparison with normotensive animals. Cavernosal smooth muscle density was similar in all groups, with the exception of the combination therapy group, which demonstrated a reduction in smooth muscle. Hypertension promoted structural alterations in the corpus cavernosum that may be related to ED. Enalapril- and sildenafil-treated animals had preservation of normal corpus

Intrinsic physiological properties of rat retinal ganglion cells with a comparative analysis.

PubMed

Wong, Raymond C S; Cloherty, Shaun L; Ibbotson, Michael R; O'Brien, Brendan J

2012-10-01

Mammalian retina contains 15-20 different retinal ganglion cell (RGC) types, each of which is responsible for encoding different aspects of the visual scene. The encoding is defined by a combination of RGC synaptic inputs, the neurotransmitter systems used, and their intrinsic physiological properties. Each cell's intrinsic properties are defined by its morphology and membrane characteristics, including the complement and localization of the ion channels expressed. In this study, we examined the hypothesis that the intrinsic properties of individual RGC types are conserved among mammalian species. To do so, we measured the intrinsic properties of 16 morphologically defined rat RGC types and compared these data with cat RGC types. Our data demonstrate that in the rat different morphologically defined RGC types have distinct patterns of intrinsic properties. Variation in these properties across cell types was comparable to that found for cat RGC types. When presumed morphological homologs in rat and cat retina were compared directly, some RGC types had very similar properties. The rat A2 cell exhibited patterns of intrinsic properties nearly identical to the cat alpha cell. In contrast, rat D2 cells (ON-OFF directionally selective) had a very different pattern of intrinsic properties than the cat iota cell. Our data suggest that the intrinsic properties of RGCs with similar morphology and suspected visual function may be subject to variation due to the behavioral needs of the species.

Effects of Arginase Inhibition in Hypertensive Hyperthyroid Rats.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Gómez, Isabel; Manuel Moreno, Juan; Jimenez, Rosario; Quesada, Andrés; Montoro-Molina, Sebastian; Vargas-Tendero, Pablo; Wangensteen, Rosemary; Vargas, Félix

2015-12-01

This study analyzed the effects of chronic administration of N[omega]-hydroxy-nor-l-arginine (nor-NOHA), an inhibitor of arginase, on the hemodynamic, oxidative stress, morphologic, metabolic, and renal manifestations of hyperthyroidism in rats. Four groups of male Wistar rats were used: control, nor-NOHA-treated (10 mg/kg/day), thyroxine (T4)-treated (75 μg/rat/day), and thyroxine- plus nor-NOHA-treated rats. All treatments were maintained for 4 weeks. Body weight, tail systolic blood pressure (SBP), and heart rate (HR) were recorded weekly. Finally, morphologic, metabolic, plasma, and renal variables were measured. Arginase I and II protein abundance and arginase activity were measured in aorta, heart, and kidney. The T4 group showed increased arginase I and II protein abundance, arginase activity, SBP, HR, plasma nitrates/nitrites (NOx), brainstem and urinary isoprostanes, proteinuria and cardiac and renal hypertrophy in comparison to control rats. In hyperthyroid rats, chronic nor-NOHA prevented the increase in SBP and HR and decreased proteinuria in association with an increase in plasma NOx and a decrease in brainstem and urinary isoprostanes. In normal rats, nor-NOHA treatment did not significantly change any hemodynamic, morphologic, or renal variables. Acute nor-NOHA administration did not affect renal or systemic hemodynamic variables in normal or T4-treated rats. Hyperthyroidism in rats is associated with the increased expression and activity of arginase in aorta, heart, and kidney. Chronic arginase inhibition with nor-NOHA suppresses the characteristic hemodynamic manifestations of hyperthyroidism in association with a reduced oxidative stress. These results indicate an important role for arginase pathway alterations in the cardiovascular and renal abnormalities of hyperthyroidism. © American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd 2015. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Post-Exposure Antioxidant Treatment in Rats Decreases Airway Hyperplasia and Hyperreactivity Due to Chlorine Inhalation

PubMed Central

Bracher, Andreas; Doran, Stephen F.; Squadrito, Giuseppe L.; Fernandez, Solana; Postlethwait, Edward M.; Bowen, Larry; Matalon, Sadis

2012-01-01

We assessed the safety and efficacy of combined intravenous and aerosolized antioxidant administration to attenuate chlorine gas–induced airway alterations when administered after exposure. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to air or 400 parts per million (ppm) chlorine (a concentration likely to be encountered in the vicinity of industrial accidents) in environmental chambers for 30 minutes, and returned to room air, and they then received a single intravenous injection of ascorbic acid and deferoxamine or saline. At 1 hour and 15 hours after chlorine exposure, the rats were treated with aerosolized ascorbate and deferoxamine or vehicle. Lung antioxidant profiles, plasma ascorbate concentrations, airway morphology, and airway reactivity were evaluated at 24 hours and 7 days after chlorine exposure. At 24 hours after exposure, chlorine-exposed rats had significantly lower pulmonary ascorbate and reduced glutathione concentrations. Treatment with antioxidants restored depleted ascorbate in lungs and plasma. At 7 days after exposure, in chlorine-exposed, vehicle-treated rats, the thickness of the proximal airways was 60% greater than in control rats, with twice the amount of mucosubstances. Airway resistance in response to methacholine challenge was also significantly elevated. Combined treatment with intravenous and aerosolized antioxidants restored airway morphology, the amount of airway mucosubstances, and airway reactivity to control levels by 7 days after chlorine exposure. Our results demonstrate for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, that severe injury to major airways in rats exposed to chlorine, as characterized by epithelial hyperplasia, mucus accumulation, and airway hyperreactivity, can be reversed in a safe and efficacious manner by the post-exposure administration of ascorbate and deferoxamine. PMID:22162906

Morphology and characterization of 3D micro-porous structured chitosan scaffolds for tissue engineering.

PubMed

Hsieh, Wen-Chuan; Chang, Chih-Pong; Lin, Shang-Ming

2007-06-15

This research studies the morphology and characterization of three-dimensional (3D) micro-porous structures produced from biodegradable chitosan for use as scaffolds for cells culture. The chitosan 3D micro-porous structures were produced by a simple liquid hardening method, which includes the processes of foaming by mechanical stirring without any chemical foaming agent added, and hardening by NaOH cross linking. The pore size and porosity were controlled with mechanical stirring strength. This study includes the morphology of chitosan scaffolds, the characterization of mechanical properties, water absorption properties and in vitro enzymatic degradation of the 3D micro-porous structures. The results show that chitosan 3D micro-porous structures were successfully produced. Better formation samples were obtained when chitosan concentration is at 1-3%, and concentration of NaOH is at 5%. Faster stirring rate would produce samples of smaller pore diameter, but when rotation speed reaches 4000 rpm and higher the changes in pore size is minimal. Water absorption would reduce along with the decrease of chitosan scaffolds' pore diameter. From stress-strain analysis, chitosan scaffolds' mechanical properties are improved when it has smaller pore diameter. From in vitro enzymatic degradation results, it shows that the disintegration rate of chitosan scaffolds would increase along with the processing time increase, but approaching equilibrium when the disintegration rate reaches about 20%.

Semen characteristics and sperm morphology of Pistia stratiotes Linn. (Araceae) protected male albino rats (Wistar strain) exposed to sodium arsenite.

PubMed

Ola-Davies, Olufunke; Ajani, O Samuel

2016-09-01

Sodium arsenite has been proven to be abundant in nature and released into the environment through human activities, including agricultural and industrial processes. The objective of our study was to investigate the sperm protective potential of Pistia stratiotes Linn. in arsenic-treated rats. The sperm protective potential of P. stratiotes Linn. (Araceae) was carried out in arsenic-exposed rats using 24 male albino rats (225 to 228 g) aged between 14 and 16 weeks old. They were grouped into 4 (A-D), each group containing 6 rats. Group A animals were orally treated with 100 mg/kg ethanol leaf extract of P. stratiotes Linn. daily for 14 days; group B (sodium arsenite at 2.5 mg/kg body weight; positive control); group C (P. stratiotes extract for 14 days and single dose of sodium arsenite on day 14; group D (0.1 mL propylene glycol; negative control/vehicle). Group B had a significantly lower (p<0.05) percentage sperm motility (26.7±6.67 %) while group A had a significantly (p<0.05) higher mean value (63.3±3.33 %) when compared across the groups. The sperm motility of rats in group D was significantly higher (p<0.05) than groups B and C. This implies that P. stratiotes extract had no adverse effect on sperm motility. The presence of P. stratiotes with sodium arsenite alleviated its harmful effect on sperm motility. The mean value obtained for sperm viability, semen volume and sperm count followed a similar pattern although the difference was not significant (p>0.05) for semen volume and the sperm count of rats across the groups. Total sperm abnormality was 10.44 and 14.27 % with the sodium arsenite treated group having the highest value when compared with groups A treated with P. stratiotes extract and D treated with propylene, although the differences were not significant (p>0.05). The study concluded that ethanol leaf extract of P. stratiotes has no negative effect on sperm motility, viability and morphology and also protected spermatozoa against

Isolation and characterization of Candida albicans morphological mutants derepressed for the formation of filamentous hypha-type structures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gil, C.; Pomes, R.; Nombela, C.

1990-05-01

Several Candida albicans morphological mutants were obtained by a procedure based on a combined treatment with nitrous acid plus UV irradiation and a double-enrichment step to increase the proportion of mutants growing as long filamentous structures. Altered cell morphogenesis in these mutants correlated with an altered colonial phenotype. Two of these mutants, C. albicans NEL102 and NEL103, were selected and characterized. Mutant blastoconidia initiated budding but eventually gave rise to filamentous hypha-type formations. These filaments were long and septate, and they branched very regularly at positions near septa. Calcofluor white (which is known to bind chitin-rich areas) stained septa, branchingmore » zones, and filament tips very intensely, as observed under the fluorescence microscope. Wild-type hybrids were obtained by fusing protoplasts of strain NEL102 with B14, another morphological mutant previously described as being permanently pseudomycelial, indicating that genetic determinants responsible for the two altered phenotypes are different. The mutants characterized in this work seemed to sequentially express the morphogenic characteristics of C. albicans, from blastoconidia to hyphae, in the absence of any inducer. Further characterization of these strains could be relevant to gain understanding of the genetic control of dimorphism in this species.« less

Morphological evidence for local microcircuits in rat vestibular maculae

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, M. D.

1997-01-01

Previous studies suggested that intramacular, unmyelinated segments of vestibular afferent nerve fibers and their large afferent endings (calyces) on type I hair cells branch. Many of the branches (processes) contain vesicles and are presynaptic to type II hair cells, other processes, intramacular nerve fibers, and calyces. This study used serial section transmission electron microscopy and three-dimensional reconstruction methods to document the origins and distributions of presynaptic processes of afferents in the medial part of the adult rat utricular macula. The ultrastructural research focused on presynaptic processes whose origin and termination could be observed in a single micrograph. Results showed that calyces had 1) vesiculated, spine-like processes that invaginated type I cells and 2) other, elongate processes that ended on type II cells pre- as well as postsynaptically. Intramacular, unmyelinated segments of afferent nerve fibers gave origin to branches that were presynaptic to type II cells, calyces, calyceal processes, and other nerve fibers in the macula. Synapses with type II cells occurred opposite subsynaptic cisternae (C synapses); all other synapses were asymmetric. Vesicles were pleomorphic but were differentially distributed according to process origin. Small, clear-centered vesicles, approximately 40-60 nm in diameter, predominated in processes originating from afferent nerve fibers and basal parts of calyces. Larger vesicles approximately 70-120 nm in diameter having approximately 40-80 nm electron-opaque cores were dominant in processes originating from the necks of calyces. Results are interpreted to indicate the existence of a complex system of intrinsic feedforward (postsynaptic)-feedback (presynaptic) connections in a network of direct and local microcircuits. The morphological findings support the concept that maculae dynamically preprocess linear acceleratory information before its transmission to the central nervous system.

Characterization of central and peripheral components of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in the inbred Roman rat strains.

PubMed

Carrasco, Javier; Márquez, Cristina; Nadal, Roser; Tobeña, Adolfo; Fernández-Teruel, Albert; Armario, Antonio

2008-05-01

Several studies performed in outbred Roman high- and low-avoidance lines (RHA and RLA, respectively) have demonstrated that the more anxious line (RLA) is characterized by a higher hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) response to certain stressors than the less anxious one (RHA). However, inconsistent results have also been reported. Taking advantage of the generation of an inbred colony of RLA and RHA rats (RHA-I and RLA-I, respectively), we have characterized in the two strains not only resting and stress levels of peripheral HPA hormones but also central components of the HPA axis, including CRF gene expression in extra-hypothalamic areas. Whereas resting levels of ACTH and corticosterone did not differ between the strains, a greater response to a novel environment was found in RLA-I as compared to RHA-I rats. RLA-I rats showed enhanced CRF gene expression in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus, with normal arginin-vasopressin gene expression in both parvocellular and magnocellular regions of the PVN. This enhanced CRF gene expression is not apparently related to altered negative corticosteroid feedback as similar levels of expression of brain glucorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors were found in the two rat strains. CRF gene expression tended to be higher in the central amygdala and it was significantly higher in the dorsal region of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) of RLA-I rats, while no differences appeared in the ventral region of BNST. Considering the involvement of CRF and the BNST in anxiety and stress-related behavioral alterations, the present data suggest that the CRF system may be a critical neurobiological substrate underlying differences between the two rat strains.

GLUTAMATE NEUROTOXICITY IN THE DEVELOPING RAT COCHLEA: PHYSIOLOGICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL APPROACHES

EPA Science Inventory

The neurotoxic effects of exogenous glutamate were studied in the rat cochlea. lutamate-treated rats (4g/kg/day ip, postnatal days 2 through 9) exhibited electrophysiologically-measured elevations in high frequency thresholds usually associated with hair cell loss in the basal re...

Islet inflammation, hemosiderosis, and fibrosis in intrauterine growth-restricted and high fat-fed Sprague-Dawley rats.

PubMed

Delghingaro-Augusto, Viviane; Madad, Leili; Chandra, Arin; Simeonovic, Charmaine J; Dahlstrom, Jane E; Nolan, Christopher J

2014-05-01

Prenatal and postnatal factors such as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and high-fat (HF) diet contribute to type 2 diabetes. Our aim was to determine whether IUGR and HF diets interact in type 2 diabetes pathogenesis, with particular attention focused on pancreatic islet morphology including assessment for inflammation. A surgical model of IUGR (bilateral uterine artery ligation) in Sprague-Dawley rats with sham controls was used. Pups were fed either HF or chow diets after weaning. Serial measures of body weight and glucose tolerance were performed. At 25 weeks of age, rat pancreases were harvested for histologic assessment. The birth weight of IUGR pups was 13% lower than that of sham pups. HF diet caused excess weight gain, dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, and mild glucose intolerance, however, this was not aggravated further by IUGR. Markedly abnormal islet morphology was evident in 0 of 6 sham-chow, 5 of 8 sham-HF, 4 of 8 IUGR-chow, and 8 of 9 IUGR-HF rats (chi-square, P = 0.007). Abnormal islets were characterized by larger size, irregular shape, inflammation with CD68-positive cells, marked fibrosis, and hemosiderosis. β-Cell mass was not altered by IUGR. In conclusion, HF and IUGR independently contribute to islet injury characterized by inflammation, hemosiderosis, and fibrosis. This suggests that both HF and IUGR can induce islet injury via converging pathways. The potential pathogenic or permissive role of iron in this process of islet inflammation warrants further investigation. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Morphological characteristics of renal artery and kidney in rats.

PubMed

Yoldas, Atilla; Dayan, Mustafa Orhun

2014-01-01

The gross anatomy and morphometry of the kidney and renal arteries were studied in the strains of laboratory rat: Sprague-Dawley (Sp) and Wistar (W) rats. Total of 106 three-dimensional endocasts of the intrarenal arteries of kidney that were prepared using standard injection-corrosion techniques were examined. A single renal artery was observed in 100% of the cases. The renal arteries were divided into a dorsal and a ventral branch. The dorsal and ventral branches were divided into two branches, the cranial and caudal branch. Renal arteries were classified into types I and II, depending on the cranial and caudal branches and their made of branching. The present study also showed that the right kidney was slightly heavier than the left one and that the kidney of the male was generally larger than that of the female. The mean live weights of the Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats were found to be 258.26 ± 5.9 and 182.4 ± 19.05 g, respectively. The kidney weights were significantly correlated (P < 0.01) with body weights. The kidney weights were not found significantly correlated (P > 0.01) with the length of renal arteries.

Morphological Characteristics of Renal Artery and Kidney in Rats

PubMed Central

Yoldas, Atilla; Dayan, Mustafa Orhun

2014-01-01

The gross anatomy and morphometry of the kidney and renal arteries were studied in the strains of laboratory rat: Sprague-Dawley (Sp) and Wistar (W) rats. Total of 106 three-dimensional endocasts of the intrarenal arteries of kidney that were prepared using standard injection-corrosion techniques were examined. A single renal artery was observed in 100% of the cases. The renal arteries were divided into a dorsal and a ventral branch. The dorsal and ventral branches were divided into two branches, the cranial and caudal branch. Renal arteries were classified into types I and II, depending on the cranial and caudal branches and their made of branching. The present study also showed that the right kidney was slightly heavier than the left one and that the kidney of the male was generally larger than that of the female. The mean live weights of the Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats were found to be 258.26 ± 5.9 and 182.4 ± 19.05 g, respectively. The kidney weights were significantly correlated (P < 0.01) with body weights. The kidney weights were not found significantly correlated (P > 0.01) with the length of renal arteries. PMID:24737971

Identification of M2 macrophages in anterior pituitary glands of normal rats and rats with estrogen-induced prolactinoma.

PubMed

Fujiwara, Ken; Yatabe, Megumi; Tofrizal, Alimuddin; Jindatip, Depicha; Yashiro, Takashi; Nagai, Ryozo

2017-05-01

Macrophages are present throughout the anterior pituitary gland. However, the features and function of macrophages in the gland are poorly understood. Recent studies have indicated that there are two main macrophage classes: M1 (classically activated) and M2 (alternatively activated). In this study, we examine whether both M1 and M2 macrophages are present in the anterior pituitary gland of rats. Our findings indicate that macrophages that are positive for CD68 (a pan-macrophage marker) were localized near capillaries in rat anterior pituitary gland. These macrophages were positive for iNOS or mannose receptor (MR), which are markers of M1 and M2 macrophages, respectively. To determine the morphological characteristics of M2 macrophages under pathological conditions, diethylstilbestrol (DES)-treated rats were used as an animal model of prolactinoma. After 2 weeks of DES treatment, a number of MR-immunopositive cells were present in the gland. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that MR-immunopositive M2 macrophages had many small vesicles and moderately large vacuoles in cytoplasm. Phagosomes were sometimes present in cytoplasm. Interestingly, M2 macrophages in prolactinoma tissues did not usually exhibit distinct changes or differences during the normal, hyperplasia and adenoma stages. This study is the first to confirm that both M1 and M2 macrophages are present in the anterior pituitary gland of rats. Moreover, the number of M2 macrophages was greatly increased in rats with DES-induced prolactinoma. Future studies should attempt to characterize the functional role of M2 macrophages in the gland.

Characterization of 3D joint space morphology using an electrostatic model (with application to osteoarthritis)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Qian; Thawait, Gaurav; Gang, Grace J.; Zbijewski, Wojciech; Reigel, Thomas; Brown, Tyler; Corner, Brian; Demehri, Shadpour; Siewerdsen, Jeffrey H.

2015-02-01

Joint space morphology can be indicative of the risk, presence, progression, and/or treatment response of disease or trauma. We describe a novel methodology of characterizing joint space morphology in high-resolution 3D images (e.g. cone-beam CT (CBCT)) using a model based on elementary electrostatics that overcomes a variety of basic limitations of existing 2D and 3D methods. The method models each surface of a joint as a conductor at fixed electrostatic potential and characterizes the intra-articular space in terms of the electric field lines resulting from the solution of Gauss’ Law and the Laplace equation. As a test case, the method was applied to discrimination of healthy and osteoarthritic subjects (N = 39) in 3D images of the knee acquired on an extremity CBCT system. The method demonstrated improved diagnostic performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, AUC > 0.98) compared to simpler methods of quantitative measurement and qualitative image-based assessment by three expert musculoskeletal radiologists (AUC = 0.87, p-value = 0.007). The method is applicable to simple (e.g. the knee or elbow) or multi-axial joints (e.g. the wrist or ankle) and may provide a useful means of quantitatively assessing a variety of joint pathologies.

Characterization of Paecilomyces variotii and Talaromyces amestolkiae in Korea Based on the Morphological Characteristics and Multigene Phylogenetic Analyses

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Thi Thuong Thuong; Paul, Narayan Chandra

2016-01-01

During fungal diversity surveys of the order Eurotiales in Korea, two fungal strains, EML-DG33-1 and EML-NCP50, were isolated from samples of rat dung and fig tree leaf collected at a garden located in Gwangju in 2014. To complete the National Species List of Korea, it is a prerequisite to verify whether many questionable species, which were previously recorded but not confirmed, indeed present in Korea. Herein, the isolates were confirmed as undescribed species, Paecilomyces variotii and Talaromyces amestolkiae based on the combination of morphological and phylogenetic analyses of multigenes including the rDNA internal transcribed spacer, β-tubulin, and RNA polymerase II subunit 2. PMID:28154482

Persistent estrus rat models of polycystic ovary disease: an update.

PubMed

Singh, Krishna B

2005-10-01

To critically review published articles on polycystic ovary (PCO) disease in rat models, with a focus on delineating its pathophysiology. Review of the English-language literature published from 1966 to March 2005 was performed through PubMed search. Keywords or phrases used were persistent estrus, chronic anovulation, polycystic ovary, polycystic ovary disease, and polycystic ovary syndrome. Articles were also located via bibliographies of published literature. University Health Sciences Center. Articles on persistent estrus and PCO in rats were selected and reviewed regarding the methods for induction of PCO disease. Changes in the reproductive cycle, ovarian morphology, hormonal parameters, and factors associated with the development of PCO disease in rat models were analyzed. Principal methods for inducing PCO in the rat include exposure to constant light, anterior hypothalamic and amygdaloidal lesions, and the use of androgens, estrogens, antiprogestin, and mifepristone. The validated rat PCO models provide useful information on morphologic and hormonal disturbances in the pathogenesis of chronic anovulation in this condition. These studies have aimed to replicate the morphologic and hormonal characteristics observed in the human PCO syndrome. The implications of these studies to human condition are discussed.

Morphological and biochemical examination of Cosmos 1887 rat heart tissue. Part 1: Ultrastructure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Philpott, D. E.; Popova, I. A.; Kato, K.; Stevenson, J.; Miquel, J.; Sapp, W.

1990-01-01

Morphological changes were observed in the left ventricle of rat heart tissue from animals flown on the Cosmos 1887 biosatellite for 12.5 days. These tissues were compared to the synchronous and vivarium control hearts. While many normal myofibrils were observed, others exhibited ultrastructural alterations, i.e., damaged and irregular-shaped mitochondria and generalized myofibrillar edema. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the volume density data revealed a statistically significant increase in glycogen and a significant decrease in mitochondria compared to the synchronous and vivarium controls. Point counting indicated an increase in lipid and myeloid bodies and a decrease in microtubules, but these changes were not statistically significant. In addition, the flight animals exhibited some patchy loss of protofibrils (actin and myosin filaments) and some abnormal supercontracted myofibrils that were not seen in the controls. This study was undertaken to gain insight into the mechanistic aspects of cardiac changes in both animals and human beings as a consequence of space travel. Cardiac hypotrophy and fluid shifts have been observed after actual or simulated weightlessness and raise concerns about the functioning of the heart and circulatory system during and after travel in space.

Genetic characterization of Okinawan black rats showing coat color polymorphisms of white spotting and melanism.

PubMed

Kambe, Yoshikazu; Nakata, Katsushi; Yasuda, Shumpei P; Suzuki, Hitoshi

2012-01-01

We examined pelage color variation in wild populations of black rats (the Rattus rattus species complex) in the Yambaru forest area, northern Okinawa Island, Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. Our field study revealed that 8.7% (38/438) and 0.2% (4/2500) of rats exhibited two types of coat color: white spotting and melanism, respectively. Using 34 representative animals, the phylogeography of the population was inferred using a nuclear gene marker, i.e., sequences (954 bp) of the melanocortin-1 receptor (Mc1r) gene responsible for the melanistic form in black rats. Four sequences from Okinawa were characterized as R. tanezumi, the Asian strain of black rat. Notably, neither of the phenotypic characters of white spotting or melanism was associated with the Mc1r haplotypes. Analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cytb) sequences (1140 bp) revealed that four haplotypes recovered from Okinawa clustered with the clade of R. tanezumi and differed by one or more bases from haplotypes at other localities in Japan and Asian countries. Thus, both variants may have arisen in the native rat population of Okinawa without interaction with the lineage of R. rattus, which exhibits a worldwide distribution and displays such coat color variants. The Yambaru population of black rats has thus experienced its own evolutionary history in allopatry for a substantial period of time (e.g., 10,000 years), which has preserved valuable genetic polymorphisms and will be useful for assessing the ecological consequences of genetic variation in natural populations.

Morphological and immunohistochemical characterization of isolated tumor cells by p53 status in gastrointestinal tumors.

PubMed

Milsmann, C; Füzesi, L; Heinmöller, E; Krause, P; Werner, C; Becker, H; Horstmann, O

2008-01-01

Isolated tumor cells (ITCs) in cancer patients are retrieved mostly using immunohistochemistry with antibodies directed against antiepithelial antigens (for example Ber-EP4), which are supposed not to be present in metastatic-free tissue. To date, there has been ongoing controversy whether those cells have biologic significance and are linked with tumor progression and impaired patient's prognosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to further characterize Ber-EP4-positive cells in various tissues, with special emphasis on their tumorigenic origin. The frequency and prognostic impact of ITCs in lymph nodes displayed by means of monoclonal antibody Ber-EP4 were evaluated in retrospective (n = 292) and prospective (n = 100) collectives of various gastrointestinal carcinomas free of metastatic disease in conventional histopathology (pN0). Furthermore, the frequency of ITCs in the peritoneal cavity and bone marrow was analyzed in case of absence of overt distant metastasis (pM0) in the prospective collective. Ber-EP4-immunoreactive cells were further characterized for tumorigenic origin using morphological criteria and immunohistochemical double staining for Ber-EP4 and p53. Ber-EP4-positive cells could be revealed in lymph nodes in 44.3% of pN0-gastrointestinal carcinomas, in the peritoneal cavity in 19%, and in the bone marrow in 10%. In lymph nodes, BerEP4-immunoreactive cells exhibited a metastatic-atypical morphology in 59%; however, it was always typical for true tumor cells in the peritoneal cavity or bone marrow. The cumulative 5-year survival rate was adversely affected by Ber-EP4-immunoreactive cells in uni- and multivariate analysis, irrespective of the underlying cell morphology (68% for Ber-EP4 negative, 41% for Ber-EP4 positive with atypical and typical morphology each). In the case of a p53-positive primary tumor, 70% of the corresponding ITCs also overexpressed p53, while the remainder was deemed p53 negative (p = 0.002). ITCs detected by the

Experimental autologous immune deposit nephritis in rats associated with mercuric chloride administration.

PubMed

Kelchner, J; McIntosh, J R; Boedecker, E; Guggenheim, S; McIntosh, R M

1976-09-15

Serial administration of mercuric chloride to rats was followed by development of antibodies to tubular basement membrane and renal tubular epithelial antigen (RTE) and glomerulonephritis characterized by granular deposits of hosts IgG, C3 and RTE along the glomerular capillary walls. The glomerular fixed antibody was directed against RTE. These studies suggest that tubular injury by mercury may lead to release of RTE and autosensitization and subsequent antibody production to this antigen result in formation of and glomerular deposition of circulating immunopathogenic complexes (RTE-anti-RTE) and glomerular morphologic alterations.

Reversible electropermeabilisation of human and rat blood platelets: evaluation of morphological and functional integrity 'in vitro' and 'in vivo'.

PubMed

Hughes, K; Crawford, N

1989-06-06

A high-voltage discharge procedure has been developed for permeabilising the plasma membranes of both human and rat blood platelets. The cells can be resealed by incubation at 37 degrees C, show less than 4% loss of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) implying minimal cell lysis and also have well maintained morphological and functional integrity. The prototype apparatus used at field strengths between 6 and 8 kV/cm produces membrane pores which allow free diffusion of low molecular weight substances such as adenine nucleotides, inositol phosphate and fluorescent dyes. Two properties, namely Ca2+-induced secretion of granule stored 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-induced release of intracellularly sequestered 45Ca, which are both well expressed immediately after permeabilisation, are essentially abolished after resealing. The efficiency of permeabilisation and resealing can be simply monitored by shifts in 'apparent platelet volume' using a resistive particle counter (Coulter). Permeabilised platelets show a shift in modal volumes from a control range 4-7 fl to 10-15 fl. Resealing restores these modal volumes to the original control range. Encapsulation of the fluorochrome, Lucifer yellow (Mr 550), during permeabilisation revealed that after resealing greater than 85% of rat platelets, and close to 100% human platelets, contained the encapsulated dye. The initial rates and % aggregation responses of both human and rat platelets to collagen, thrombin and the thromboxane A2-mimetic U46619 remained essentially normal after permeabilisation and resealing further illustrating the maintenance of functional competence following treatment. Resealed rat platelets reinfused into the circulation after labelling with [111In]indium oxine gave survival curves similar to those of control platelets. Therefore, this reversible permeabilisation procedure may allow the use of autologous or heterologous platelets as carrier vehicles for the delivery of drugs

Characterization of fibroblasts from hypertrophied right ventricle of pulmonary hypertensive rats.

PubMed

Imoto, Keisuke; Okada, Muneyoshi; Yamawaki, Hideyuki

2018-06-02

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which is characterized by an elevation of pulmonary arterial resistance, leads to a lethal right heart failure. It is an urgent issue to clarify the pathogenesis of PAH-induced right heart failure. The present study aimed to elucidate the characteristics of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) isolated from hypertrophied right ventricles of monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH model rats. CFs were isolated from the right ventricles of MCT-injected rats (MCT-CFs) and saline-injected control rats (CONT-CFs). Expression of α-smooth muscle actin and collagen type I in MCT-CFs was lower than that in CONT-CFs. On the other hand, proliferation, migration, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 production were significantly enhanced in MCT-CFs. In MCT-CFs, phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) II was significantly enhanced. In addition to mRNA expression of Orai1, a Ca 2+ release-activated Ca 2+ channel, and stromal interaction molecules (STIM) 1, an endoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ sensor, the associated store-operated Ca 2+ entry (SOCE) was significantly higher in MCT-CFs than CONT-CFs. Pharmacological inhibition of ERK1/2 pathway prevented the enhanced proliferation of MCT-CFs. The enhanced migration of MCT-CFs was prevented by a pharmacological inhibition of ERK1/2, JNK, CaMKII, or SOCE pathway. The enhanced MMP-9 production in MCT-CFs was prevented by a pharmacological inhibition of ERK1/2, CaMKII, or SOCE pathway but not JNK. The present results suggested that MCT-CFs exhibit proliferative and migratory phenotypes perhaps through multiple signaling pathways. This study for the first time determined the characteristics of CFs isolated from hypertrophied right ventricles of MCT-induced PAH model rats.

Radiosensitivity study and radiation effects on morphology characterization of grey oyster mushroom Pleurotus sajor-caju

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rashid, Rosnani Abdul; Daud, Fauzi; Senafi, Sahidan; Awang, Mat Rasol; Mohamad, Azhar; Mutaat, Hassan Hamdani; Maskom, Mohd Meswan

2014-09-01

Radiosensitive dosage and morphology characterization of irradiated grey oyster mushroom Pleurotus sajor-caju by gamma rays was investigated due to effects of irradiation. In order to establish the effect, mycelium of P. sajor-caju was irradiated by gamma rays at dose 0.1 to 8.0 kGy with dose rate 0.227 Gy sec-1. The irradiation of mycelia was carried out at the radiation facility in Malaysian Nuclear Agency. The radiosensitivity study was performed by evaluating the percentage of survival irradiated mycelia. The lethal dose of the mycelium P. sajor-caju was determined at 4.0 kGy and LD50 to be equal at 2.2 kGy. The radiation effects on morphology were evaluated based on growth rate of irradiated mycelia, mycelia types, colonization period on substrate, morphology of fruit bodies and yields. The results shown growth rate of irradiated mycelium was slightly lower than the control and decreased as the dose increased. Irradiation was found can induced the primordia formation on PDA and the BE of irradiated seed is higher than to control. The irradiation is proven to be useful for generating new varieties of mushroom with commercial value to the industry.

Pancreatic Effects of a Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase Small-molecule Inhibitor in Rats Are Strain-dependent.

PubMed

Bhaskaran, Manoj; Cornwell, Paul D; Sorden, Steven D; Elwell, Michael R; Russell, Natalie R; Pritt, Michael L; Vahle, John L

2018-01-01

Inhibitors of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) are under development as potential therapies for various autoimmune diseases. In repeat-dose toxicity studies, small-molecule BTK inhibitors (BTKi) have been reported to cause a constellation of histologic effects at the pancreatic endocrine-exocrine interface in male rats; however, similar findings were not reported in other species. Since the BTKi-induced pancreatic effect is morphologically similar to well-documented spontaneous changes (predominantly characterized by insular/peri-insular hemorrhage, pigment deposition, chronic inflammation, and fibrosis) that are known to vary by rat strain, we investigated potential strain-dependent differences in the pancreatic effects of a small-molecule BTKi, LY3337641. Following 13 weeks of LY3337641 treatment, Crl:CD(SD) rats were most sensitive, Crl:WI(Han) rats were of intermediate sensitivity, and Hsd:SD rats were least sensitive. These strain differences appear to be related to differences in rate of weight gain across strains and sexes; however, a definitive mechanism was not determined. This study demonstrated that BTKi-induced pancreatic effects were highly dependent on rat strain and correlated with differences in the incidence and severity of the spontaneous background change. When considered with the lack of pancreas effects in nonrat species, these changes in rats are unlikely predictive of similar changes in humans administered a BTK inhibitor.

Isolation, separation, and characterization of epithelial and connective cells from rat palate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Terranova, Victor Paul

1979-01-01

Epithelial and connective tissue cells were isolated from rat palate by sequential collagenase, hyaluronidase and trypsin digestion of the extracellular matrix. Differences between the two populations were noted with respect to total cell protein, total cell water, proline uptake and incorporation, percent collagen synthesized, effects of parathyroid hormone, metabolism of D-valine and cell density. Basal epithelial cells were subsequently separated from the heterogeneous epithelial cell population on shallow linear density gradients by velocity centrifugation. The type of collagen synthesized by the basal epithelial cells was compared to the type of collagen synthesized by the connective tissue cells by means ofmore » labeled amino acid incorporation ratios. Cells isolated from the epithelial and connective tissue were compared. From these studies it can be concluded that epithelial and connective tissue cells can be isolated from rat palate as viable and distinct populations with respect to the biochemical parameters examined. Furthermore, subpopulations can be separated and biochemically characterized.« less

Molecular characterization of insulin resistance and glycolytic metabolism in the rat uterus

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yuehui; Sun, Xue; Sun, Xiaoyan; Meng, Fanci; Hu, Min; Li, Xin; Li, Wei; Wu, Xiao-Ke; Brännström, Mats; Shao, Ruijin; Billig, Håkan

2016-01-01

Peripheral insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism are the primary features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, how insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism affect uterine function and contribute to the pathogenesis of PCOS are open questions. We treated rats with insulin alone or in combination with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and showed that peripheral insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism alter uterine morphology, cell phenotype, and cell function, especially in glandular epithelial cells. These defects are associated with an aberration in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway that is used as an indicator for the onset of insulin resistance in classical metabolic tissues. Concomitantly, increased GSK3β (Ser-9) phosphorylation and decreased ERK1/2 phosphorylation in rats treated with insulin and hCG were also observed. We also profiled the expression of glucose transporter (Glut) isoform genes in the uterus under conditions of insulin resistance and/or hyperandrogenism. Finally, we determined the expression pattern of glycolytic enzymes and intermediates during insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism in the uterus. These findings suggest that the PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways play a role in the onset of uterine insulin resistance, and they also suggest that changes in specific Glut isoform expression and alterations to glycolytic metabolism contribute to the endometrial dysfunction observed in PCOS patients. PMID:27461373

Response of the iron-deficient erythrocyte in the rat to hyperoxia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Larkin, E. C.; Kimzey, S. L.; Siler, K.

1978-01-01

Normal and iron-deficient rats were exposed to 90% O2 at 760 Torr for 24 or 48 h. Erythrocyte response to hyperoxia was monitored by potassium (rubidium) influx studies, by storage stress, and by ultrastructural studies. Normal rat erythrocytes exhibited morphological changes and decrease of ouabain-sensitive potassium influx compared to unexposed controls. Both components of erythrocyte potassium influx were affected by iron deficiency. Erythrocytes from unexposed iron-deficient rats showed a 50% increase in ouabain-sensitive potassium influx compared to controls. Iron-deficient rats exposed to hyperoxia for 24 or 48 h, had erythrocytes with morphological changes. Erythrocytes of iron-deficient rats exposed for 24 h showned no influx change; those exposed for 48 h showed a decrease of ouabain-sensitive influx compared to erythrocytes of controls.

Extraction, characterization and evaluation of Kaempferia galanga L. (Zingiberaceae) rhizome extracts against acute and chronic inflammation in rats.

PubMed

Jagadish, Puralae Channabasavaiah; Latha, Kotehal Parameshwarappa; Mudgal, Jayesh; Nampurath, Gopalan Kutty

2016-12-24

The rhizomes of an acaulescent perennial herb, Kaempferia galanga Linn (Family: Zingiberaceae), used as traditional ayurvedic herb to get relief from indigestion, swelling, pain, high blood pressure and dyslipidemia. To prepare and characterize various extracts of Kaempferia galanga (K. galanga) for their comparative evaluation for the identification of the most efficacious extract and its possible pharmacological implication in acute and chronic inflammatory paradigm. Dried and powdered rhizome of K. galanga was subjected to alcoholic extraction as well as successive extractions with various solvents. After phytochemical characterization, all the extracts were standardized for the presence of ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate. The extracts, and the isolated compound, were tested against carrageenan-induced acute inflammation in rats. The most promising extract was tested against adjuvant-induced chronic inflammation in rats. Further, local myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels were investigated to establish the possible mechanism of action. Among the extracts, petroleum ether extract (SKG-1) and crude alcoholic extract (KG) had the maximum quantity of ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate. SKG-1 (300mg/kg) was found effective against acute inflammation in rats. Further, SKG-1 (100mg/kg) reversed the inflammation and elevated MPO levels found in the chronic model. The results suggest that among all the extracts of K. galanga, SKG-1 effectively suppresses the progression of acute and chronic inflammation in rats by inhibition of neutrophil infiltration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

SERUM HORMONE CHARACTERIZATION AND EXOGENEOUS HORMONE RESCUE OF BROMODICHLOROMETHANE-INDUCED PREGNANCY LOSS IN THE F344 RAT

EPA Science Inventory

SERUM HORMONE CHARACTERIZATION AND EXOGENEOUS HORMONE RESCUE OF BROMODICHLOROMETHANE-INDUCED
PREGNANCY LOSS IN THE F344 RAT
Susan R. Bielmeier*, Deborah S. Best^, and Michael G. Narotsky^

ABSTRACT
Previously, we demonstrated that bromodichloromethane (BDCM), a d...

Neonatal treatment with monosodium glutamate lastingly facilitates spreading depression in the rat cortex.

PubMed

Lima, Cássia Borges; Soares, Geórgia de Sousa Ferreira; Vitor, Suênia Marcele; Castellano, Bernardo; Andrade da Costa, Belmira Lara da Silveira; Guedes, Rubem Carlos Araújo

2013-09-17

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a neuroexcitatory amino acid used in human food to enhance flavor. MSG can affect the morphological and electrophysiological organization of the brain. This effect is more severe during brain development. Here, we investigated the electrophysiological and morphological effects of MSG in the developing rat brain by characterizing changes in the excitability-related phenomenon of cortical spreading depression (CSD) and microglial reaction. From postnatal days 1-14, Wistar rat pups received 2 or 4 g/kg MSG (groups MSG-2 and MSG-4, respectively; n=9 in each group), saline (n=10) or no treatment (naïve group; n=5) every other day. At 45-60 days, CSD was recorded on two cortical points for 4h. The CSD parameters velocity, and amplitude and duration of the negative potential change were calculated. Fixative-perfused brain sections were immunolabeled with anti-IBA-1 antibodies to identify and quantify cortical microglia. MSG-4 rats presented significantly higher velocities (4.59 ± 0.34 mm/min) than the controls (saline, 3.84 ± 0.20mm/min; naïve, 3.71 ± 0.8mm/min) and MSG-2 group (3.75 ± 0.10mm/min). The amplitude (8.8 ± 2.2 to 11.2 ± 1.9 mV) and duration (58.2 ± 7.1 to 73.6 ± 6.0s) of the negative slow potential shift was similar in all groups. MSG-treatment dose-dependently increased the microglial immunolabeling. The results demonstrate a novel, dose-dependent action of MSG in the developing brain, characterized by acceleration of CSD and significant microglial reaction in the cerebral cortex. The CSD effect indicates that MSG can influence cortical excitability, during brain development, as evaluated by CSD acceleration. Data suggest caution when consuming MSG, especially in developing organisms. © 2013.

Missing secretory granules, dilated endoplasmic reticulum, and nuclear dislocation in the thyroid gland of rdw rats with hereditary dwarfism.

PubMed

Sakai, Y; Yamashina, S; Furudate, S I

2000-05-01

Previous studies on the rdw rat have suggested that its dwarfism is caused primarily by dysfunction of the thyroid gland. In this study, rat thyroid glands were analyzed endocrinologically and morphologically to clarify the primary cause of dwarfism in the rdw rat. The rdw rat showed lowered thyroid hormone (T4 and T3) levels but elevated TSH in serum. The rdw thyroid gland was almost proportional in size and it was not goiter in gross inspection. Our histological investigation produced three results that may lend important evidence in understanding the problem in the thyroid gland of rdw rats. First of all, secretory granules could not be detected in the follicular epithelial cells of the rdw. Secondly, thyroglobulin was found at very low levels in the follicular lumen by immunohistochemical analysis. In contrast, it could be detected in a substantial quantity inside the dilated rER and in the huge vacuoles that are formed by swelling of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) at the basal side of the follicular epithelial cells. Additionally, the nucleus of the follicular epithelial cells was pressed to the luminal side by the enlarged rER. These morphological changes would indicate that the transport of thyroglobulin is stopped at or before the formation of the secretory granules and thyroglobulin is not secreted into the follicular lumen. The rdw characterization strongly supports that rdw dwarfism is induced by hypothyroidism due to some defect(s) in the thyroid gland. Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Cosmos 1887: morphology, histochemistry, and vasculature of the growing rat tibia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doty, S. B.; Morey-Holton, E. R.; Durnova, G. N.; Kaplansky, A. S.

1990-01-01

Light microscopy, electron microscopy, and enzyme histochemistry were used to study the effects of spaceflight on metaphyseal and cortical bone of the rat tibia. Cortical cross-sectional area and perimeter were not altered by a 12.5-day spaceflight in 3-month-old male rats. The endosteal osteoblast population and the vasculature near the periosteal surface in flight rats compared with ground controls showed more pronounced changes in cortical bone than in metaphyseal bone. The osteoblasts demonstrated greater numbers of transitional Golgi vesicles, possibly caused by a decreased cellular metabolic energy source, but no difference in the large Golgi saccules or the cell membrane-associated alkaline phosphatase activity. The periosteal vasculature in the diaphysis of flight rats often showed lipid accumulations within the lumen of the vessels, occasional degeneration of the vascular wall, and degeneration of osteocytes adjacent to vessels containing intraluminal deposits. These changes were not found in the metaphyseal region of flight animals. The focal vascular changes may be due to ischemia of bone or a developing fragility of the vessel walls as a result of spaceflight.

Collagen from the Marine Sponges Axinella cannabina and Suberites carnosus: Isolation and Morphological, Biochemical, and Biophysical Characterization.

PubMed

Tziveleka, Leto-Aikaterini; Ioannou, Efstathia; Tsiourvas, Dimitris; Berillis, Panagiotis; Foufa, Evangelia; Roussis, Vassilios

2017-05-29

In search of alternative and safer sources of collagen for biomedical applications, the marine demosponges Axinella cannabina and Suberites carnosus , collected from the Aegean and the Ionian Seas, respectively, were comparatively studied for their insoluble collagen, intercellular collagen, and spongin-like collagen content. The isolated collagenous materials were morphologically, physicochemically, and biophysically characterized. Using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy the fibrous morphology of the isolated collagens was confirmed, whereas the amino acid analysis, in conjunction with infrared spectroscopy studies, verified the characteristic for the collagen amino acid profile and its secondary structure. Furthermore, the isoelectric point and thermal behavior were determined by titration and differential scanning calorimetry, in combination with circular dichroism spectroscopic studies, respectively.

Optical, morphological and structural characterization of Langmuir-Schaefer films of a functionalized copper phthalocyanine.

PubMed

Giancane, Gabriele; Filippo, Emanuela; Manno, Daniela; Serra, Antonio; Valli, Ludovico

2011-11-01

Langmuir-Schaefer (LS) films of copper(II) tetrakis-(isoprpoxy-carbonyl)-phthalocyanine (TiPCuPc) have been deposited onto various solid supports. Its floating film have been characterized at the air-water interface by means of Brewster Angle Microscopy and Langmuir curves. Vibrational modes of multilayer transferred LS film have been studied by Raman spectroscopy and the optical parameters (refractive index n and extinction coefficient k) have been determined in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Linearly polarized light absorbance measurements have been performed at room temperature in the 400-800 nm spectral range and the average orientation of the phthalocyanine rings have been estimated. Transmission electron microscopy has been also used to characterize the morphological properties of the LS film and a close packed arrangement of the deposited molecules has been observed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Morphological and functional rescue in RCS rats after RPE cell line transplantation at a later stage of degeneration.

PubMed

Wang, Shaomei; Lu, Bin; Girman, Sergej; Holmes, Toby; Bischoff, Nicolas; Lund, Raymond D

2008-01-01

It is well documented that grafting of cells in the subretinal space of Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats limits deterioration of vision and loss of photoreceptors if performed early in postnatal life. What is unclear is whether cells introduced later, when photoreceptor degeneration is already advanced, can still be effective. This possibility was examined in the present study, using the human retinal pigment epithelial cell line, ARPE-19. Dystrophic RCS rats (postnatal day [P] 60) received subretinal injection of ARPE-19 cells (2 x 10(5)/3 microL/eye). Spatial frequency was measured by recording optomotor responses at P100 and P150, and luminance threshold responses were recorded from the superior colliculus at P150. Retinas were stained with cresyl violet, retinal cell-specific markers, and a human nuclear marker. Control animals were injected with medium alone. Animals comparably treated with grafts at P21 were available for comparison. All animals were treated with immunosuppression. Later grafts preserved both spatial frequency and threshold responses over the control and delayed photoreceptor degeneration. There were two to three layers of rescued photoreceptors even at P150, compared with a scattered single layer in sham and untreated control retinas. Retinal cell marker staining showed an orderly array of the inner retinal lamination. The morphology of the second-order neurons was better preserved around the grafted area than in regions distant from graft. Sham injection had little effect in rescuing the photoreceptors. RPE cell line transplants delivered later in the course of degeneration can preserve not only the photoreceptors and inner retinal lamination but also visual function in RCS rats. However, early intervention can achieve better rescue.

Reproductive toxicity assessment of chronic dietary exposure to soy isoflavones in male rats.

PubMed

Faqi, Ali S; Johnson, William D; Morrissey, Robert L; McCormick, David L

2004-06-01

Epidemiologic and experimental data suggest that consumption of diets that are rich in isoflavones may decrease cancer risk in the breast, prostate, and other tissues. Isoflavones such as genistein and daidzein are structurally similar to endogenous estrogens, and demonstrate both estrogenic and weak anti-estrogenic activities; these activities may underlie the impaired fertility and reproductive tract disorders reported in animals exposed to high doses of isoflavones. To identify possible effects of isoflavones on male fertility, we evaluated reproductive parameters in Wistar-Unilever rats receiving dietary exposure to PTI G-2535, a characterized mixture of soy-derived isoflavones containing 45% genistein, 23% daidzein, and 4% glycitein. Beginning at 10 weeks of age, rats received chronic dietary exposure to the soy isoflavone mixture (200 or 2000 mg/kg diet) for a minimum of 12 months. Controls received unsupplemented chow diet only for the same period. Dietary exposure to isoflavones induced no gross toxicity or alterations in body weight gain. Absolute and relative weights of the testis and epididymis in groups receiving high or low doses of isoflavones were comparable to those of controls, and histopathologic evaluations demonstrated that testicular morphology was similar in all study groups. Isoflavone exposure had no significant effects on spermatid count, sperm production, or sperm morphology in any group. These data suggest that the reproductive system of adult male rats is relatively insensitive to isoflavone toxicity at dose levels that demonstrate significant activity in cancer chemoprevention, and that male reproductive function is unlikely to be affected by long-term administration of isoflavones for cancer prevention or other purposes. The results of this study conducted in adult male rats differ from the significant alterations in reproductive parameters that have been reported in female rats receiving prenatal or juvenile exposure to isoflavones.

Effects of electromagnetic radiation on spatial memory and synapses in rat hippocampal CA1☆

PubMed Central

Li, Yuhong; Shi, Changhua; Lu, Guobing; Xu, Qian; Liu, Shaochen

2012-01-01

In this study, we investigated the effects of mobile phone radiation on spatial learning, reference memory, and morphology in related brain regions. After the near-field radiation (0.52–1.08 W/kg) was delivered to 8-week-old Wistar rats 2 hours per day for 1 month, behavioral changes were examined using the Morris water maze. Compared with the sham-irradiated rats, the irradiated rats exhibited impaired performance. Morphological changes were investigated by examining synaptic ultrastructural changes in the hippocampus. Using the physical dissector technique, the number of pyramidal neurons, the synaptic profiles, and the length of postsynaptic densities in the CA1 region were quantified stereologically. The morphological changes included mitochondrial degenerations, fewer synapses, and shorter postsynaptic densities in the radiated rats. These findings indicate that mobile phone radiation can significantly impair spatial learning and reference memory and induce morphological changes in the hippocampal CA1 region. PMID:25709623

Wetting morphologies on randomly oriented fibers.

PubMed

Sauret, Alban; Boulogne, François; Soh, Beatrice; Dressaire, Emilie; Stone, Howard A

2015-06-01

We characterize the different morphologies adopted by a drop of liquid placed on two randomly oriented fibers, which is a first step toward understanding the wetting of fibrous networks. The present work reviews previous modeling for parallel and touching crossed fibers and extends it to an arbitrary orientation of the fibers characterized by the tilting angle and the minimum spacing distance. Depending on the volume of liquid, the spacing distance between fibers and the angle between the fibers, we highlight that the liquid can adopt three different equilibrium morphologies: 1) a column morphology in which the liquid spreads between the fibers, 2) a mixed morphology where a drop grows at one end of the column or 3) a single drop located at the node. We capture the different morphologies observed using an analytical model that predicts the equilibrium configuration of the liquid based on the geometry of the fibers and the volume of liquid.

The Morphology of Titanium Dioxide Aerogels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Zhu

The morphology of titanium dioxide TiO _2 aerogels has been characterized by four major techniques. This work will discuss these complementary techniques such as nitrogen adsorption, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), electron microscopies (EM- TEM, SEM), and small angle neutron scattering (SANS). The results of these characterizations have shown that the morphology of titanium dioxide TiO_2 aerogels can be characterized in terms of two length scales: 5 nm diameter, crystalline nanoparticles of anatase closely packed into mesoaggregates about 50 nm in size. The mesoaggregates are, in turn, packed into a loosely linked structure with an overall porosity of 80%.

Gravitational Biology: The Rat Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

In this session, Session JP3, the discussion focuses on the following topics: Morphology of brain, pituitary and thyroid in the rats exposed to altered gravity; Biochemical Properties of B Adrenoceptors After Spaceflight (LMS-STS78) or Hindlimb Suspension in Rats; Influence of Hypergravity on the Development of Monoaminergic Systems in the Rat Spinal Cord; A Vestibular Evoked Potentials (VsEPs) Study of the Function of the Otolith Organs in Different Head Orientations with respect to Earth Gravity Vector in the Rat; Quantitative Observations on the Structure of Selected Proprioceptive Components in Adult Rats that Underwent About Half of their Fetal Development in Space; Effects of a Nine-Day Shuttle Mission on the Development of the Neonatal Rat Nervous System, A Behavioral Study; Muscle Atrophy Associated to Microgravity in Rat, Basic Data For Countermeasures; Simulated Weightlessness by Unloading in the Rat, Results of a Time Course Study of Biochemical Events Occurring During Unloading and Lack of Effect of a rhBNP-2 Treatment on Bone Formation and Bone Mineral Content in Unloading Rats; and Cytological Mechanism of the Osteogenesis Under Microgravity Conditions.

Hemodynamic flow improves rat hepatocyte morphology, function, and metabolic activity in vitro.

PubMed

Dash, A; Simmers, M B; Deering, T G; Berry, D J; Feaver, R E; Hastings, N E; Pruett, T L; LeCluyse, E L; Blackman, B R; Wamhoff, B R

2013-06-01

In vitro primary hepatocyte systems typically elicit drug induction and toxicity responses at concentrations much higher than corresponding in vivo or clinical plasma C(max) levels, contributing to poor in vitro-in vivo correlations. This may be partly due to the absence of physiological parameters that maintain metabolic phenotype in vivo. We hypothesized that restoring hemodynamics and media transport would improve hepatocyte architecture and metabolic function in vitro compared with nonflow cultures. Rat hepatocytes were cultured for 2 wk either in nonflow collagen gel sandwiches with 48-h media changes or under controlled hemodynamics mimicking sinusoidal circulation within a perfused Transwell device. Phenotypic, functional, and metabolic parameters were assessed at multiple times. Hepatocytes in the devices exhibited polarized morphology, retention of differentiation markers [E-cadherin and hepatocyte nuclear factor-4α (HNF-4α)], the canalicular transporter [multidrug-resistant protein-2 (Mrp-2)], and significantly higher levels of liver function compared with nonflow cultures over 2 wk (albumin ~4-fold and urea ~5-fold). Gene expression of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes was significantly higher (fold increase over nonflow: CYP1A1: 53.5 ± 10.3; CYP1A2: 64.0 ± 15.1; CYP2B1: 15.2 ± 2.9; CYP2B2: 2.7 ± 0.8; CYP3A2: 4.0 ± 1.4) and translated to significantly higher basal enzyme activity (device vs. nonflow: CYP1A: 6.26 ± 2.41 vs. 0.42 ± 0.015; CYP1B: 3.47 ± 1.66 vs. 0.4 ± 0.09; CYP3A: 11.65 ± 4.70 vs. 2.43 ± 0.56) while retaining inducibility by 3-methylcholanthrene and dexamethasone (fold increase over DMSO: CYP1A = 27.33 and CYP3A = 4.94). These responses were observed at concentrations closer to plasma levels documented in vivo in rats. The retention of in vivo-like hepatocyte phenotype and metabolic function coupled with drug response at more physiological concentrations emphasizes the importance of restoring in vivo physiological transport

Chronic ethanol exposure during adolescence through early adulthood in female rats induces emotional and memory deficits associated with morphological and molecular alterations in hippocampus.

PubMed

Oliveira, Ana Ca; Pereira, Maria Cs; Santana, Luana N da Silva; Fernandes, Rafael M; Teixeira, Francisco B; Oliveira, Gedeão B; Fernandes, Luanna Mp; Fontes-Júnior, Enéas A; Prediger, Rui D; Crespo-López, Maria E; Gomes-Leal, Walace; Lima, Rafael R; Maia, Cristiane do Socorro Ferraz

2015-06-01

There is increasing evidence that heavy ethanol exposure in early life may produce long-lasting neurobehavioral consequences, since brain structural maturation continues until adolescence. It is well established that females are more susceptible to alcohol-induced neurotoxicity and that ethanol consumption is increasing among women, especially during adolescence. In the present study, we investigated whether chronic ethanol exposure during adolescence through early adulthood in female rats may induce hippocampal histological damage and neurobehavioral impairments. Female rats were treated with distilled water or ethanol (6.5 g/kg/day, 22.5% w/v) by gavage from the 35(th)-90(th) day of life. Ethanol-exposed animals displayed reduced exploration of the central area and increased number of fecal boluses in the open field test indicative of anxiogenic responses. Moreover, chronic high ethanol exposure during adolescence induced marked impairments on short-term memory of female rats addressed on social recognition and step-down inhibitory avoidance tasks. These neurobehavioral deficits induced by ethanol exposure during adolescence through early adulthood were accompanied by the reduction of hippocampal formation volume as well as the loss of neurons, astrocytes and microglia cells in the hippocampus. These results indicate that chronic high ethanol exposure during adolescence through early adulthood in female rats induces long-lasting emotional and memory deficits associated with morphological and molecular alterations in the hippocampus. © The Author(s) 2015.

Comparison of effects of albendazole sulfoxide on in vitro produced bovine embryos and rat embryos.

PubMed

Piscopo, S E; Smoak, I W

1997-09-01

To evaluate and compare effects of albendazole sulfoxide (ABZSO) on rat embryos and bovine embryos produced in vitro. In vitro produced bovine embryos. Rat embryos recovered from naturally bred Sprague-Dawley rats. 4- and 8-cell bovine embryos were randomly allocated to ABZSO or vehicle control groups. After 48 hours, embryos were evaluated for cell number and blastomere morphology. Rat embryos of similar stages, flushed from the uterine tube on gestational day 2-5, were randomly allocated to treatment or control groups. After 24 hours, embryos were evaluated as described previously. 44% of control bovine embryos divided in culture (> or = 16-cell stage). Fifteen percent of the controls had morphologic abnormalities, including disparity in blastomere size and cytoplasmic vacuoles and stippling. Treated (> or = 1 microgram of ABZSO/ml) bovine embryos differed (P < 0.0001) from controls, with 4% development and 93% abnormal morphology. Forty-five percent of control rat embryos divided in culture. Treated (> or = 500 ng of ABZSO/ml) rat embryos differed (P < 0.0003) from controls with regard to ability to divide. There were no consistent morphologic abnormalities in rat embryos. In vitro produced bovine embryos were susceptible to ABZSO at a concentration > or = 1 microgram/ ml, resulting in decreased ability to divide and presence of gross morphologic abnormalities. Rat embryos produced in vivo and exposed in vitro to ABZSO at a concentration > or = 500 ng/ml had decreased ability to divide in culture. Despite severe effects of ABZSO (> or = 1 microgram/ml) on bovine embryo development in vitro, it is beyond the scope of this study to speculate whether a therapeutic dosage of albendazole (10 mg/kg of body weight) would result in necessary concentrations of ABZSO in vivo to disrupt embryogenesis.

Radiosensitivity study and radiation effects on morphology characterization of grey oyster mushroom Pleurotus sajor-caju

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rashid, Rosnani Abdul; Awang, Mat Rasol; Mohamad, Azhar

2014-09-03

Radiosensitive dosage and morphology characterization of irradiated grey oyster mushroom Pleurotus sajor-caju by gamma rays was investigated due to effects of irradiation. In order to establish the effect, mycelium of P. sajor-caju was irradiated by gamma rays at dose 0.1 to 8.0 kGy with dose rate 0.227 Gy sec{sup −1}. The irradiation of mycelia was carried out at the radiation facility in Malaysian Nuclear Agency. The radiosensitivity study was performed by evaluating the percentage of survival irradiated mycelia. The lethal dose of the mycelium P. sajor-caju was determined at 4.0 kGy and LD{sub 50} to be equal at 2.2 kGy.more » The radiation effects on morphology were evaluated based on growth rate of irradiated mycelia, mycelia types, colonization period on substrate, morphology of fruit bodies and yields. The results shown growth rate of irradiated mycelium was slightly lower than the control and decreased as the dose increased. Irradiation was found can induced the primordia formation on PDA and the BE of irradiated seed is higher than to control. The irradiation is proven to be useful for generating new varieties of mushroom with commercial value to the industry.« less

Depth profiling and morphological characterization of AlN thin films deposited on Si substrates using a reactive sputter magnetron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macchi, Carlos; Bürgi, Juan; García Molleja, Javier; Mariazzi, Sebastiano; Piccoli, Mattia; Bemporad, Edoardo; Feugeas, Jorge; Sennen Brusa, Roberto; Somoza, Alberto

2014-08-01

It is well-known that the characteristics of aluminum nitride thin films mainly depend on their morphologies, the quality of the film-substrate interfaces and the open volume defects. A study of the depth profiling and morphological characterization of AlN thin films deposited on two types of Si substrates is presented. Thin films of thicknesses between 200 and 400 nm were deposited during two deposition times using a reactive sputter magnetron. These films were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction and imaging techniques (SEM and TEM). To analyze the composition of the films, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was applied. Positron annihilation spectroscopy, specifically Doppler broadening spectroscopy, was used to gather information on the depth profiling of open volume defects inside the films and the AlN films-Si substrate interfaces. The results are interpreted in terms of the structural changes induced in the films as a consequence of changes in the deposition time (i.e., thicknesses) and of the orientation of the substrates.

Characterization and classification of zebrafish brain morphology mutants

PubMed Central

Lowery, Laura Anne; De Rienzo, Gianluca; Gutzman, Jennifer H.; Sive, Hazel

2010-01-01

The mechanisms by which the vertebrate brain achieves its three-dimensional structure are clearly complex, requiring the functions of many genes. Using the zebrafish as a model, we have begun to define genes required for brain morphogenesis, including brain ventricle formation, by studying 16 mutants previously identified as having embryonic brain morphology defects. We report the phenotypic characterization of these mutants at several time-points, using brain ventricle dye injection, imaging, and immunohistochemistry with neuronal markers. Most of these mutants display early phenotypes, affecting initial brain shaping, while others show later phenotypes, affecting brain ventricle expansion. In the early phenotype group, we further define four phenotypic classes and corresponding functions required for brain morphogenesis. Although we did not use known genotypes for this classification, basing it solely on phenotypes, many mutants with defects in functionally related genes clustered in a single class. In particular, class 1 mutants show midline separation defects, corresponding to epithelial junction defects; class 2 mutants show reduced brain ventricle size; class 3 mutants show midbrain-hindbrain abnormalities, corresponding to basement membrane defects; and class 4 mutants show absence of ventricle lumen inflation, corresponding to defective ion pumping. Later brain ventricle expansion requires the extracellular matrix, cardiovascular circulation, and transcription/splicing-dependent events. We suggest that these mutants define processes likely to be used during brain morphogenesis throughout the vertebrates. PMID:19051268

FlowerMorphology: fully automatic flower morphometry software.

PubMed

Rozov, Sergey M; Deineko, Elena V; Deyneko, Igor V

2018-05-01

The software FlowerMorphology is designed for automatic morphometry of actinomorphic flowers. The novel complex parameters of flowers calculated by FlowerMorphology allowed us to quantitatively characterize a polyploid series of tobacco. Morphological differences of plants representing closely related lineages or mutants are mostly quantitative. Very often, there are only very fine variations in plant morphology. Therefore, accurate and high-throughput methods are needed for their quantification. In addition, new characteristics are necessary for reliable detection of subtle changes in morphology. FlowerMorphology is an all-in-one software package to automatically image and analyze five-petal actinomorphic flowers of the dicotyledonous plants. Sixteen directly measured parameters and ten calculated complex parameters of a flower allow us to characterize variations with high accuracy. The program was developed for the needs of automatic characterization of Nicotiana tabacum flowers, but is applicable to many other plants with five-petal actinomorphic flowers and can be adopted for flowers of other merosity. A genetically similar polyploid series of N. tabacum plants was used to investigate differences in flower morphology. For the first time, we could quantify the dependence between ploidy and size and form of the tobacco flowers. We found that the radius of inner petal incisions shows a persistent positive correlation with the chromosome number. In contrast, a commonly used parameter-radius of outer corolla-does not discriminate 2n and 4n plants. Other parameters show that polyploidy leads to significant aberrations in flower symmetry and are also positively correlated with chromosome number. Executables of FlowerMorphology, source code, documentation, and examples are available at the program website: https://github.com/Deyneko/FlowerMorphology .

The effect of exercise, resveratrol or their combination on Sarcopenia in aged rats via regulation of AMPK/Sirt1 pathway.

PubMed

Liao, Zhi-Yin; Chen, Jin-Liang; Xiao, Ming-Han; Sun, Yue; Zhao, Yu-Xing; Pu, Die; Lv, An-Kang; Wang, Mei-Li; Zhou, Jing; Zhu, Shi-Yu; Zhao, Ke-Xiang; Xiao, Qian

2017-11-01

Sarcopenia is an age-related syndrome characterized by progressive loss of muscle mass and function. Exercise is an important strategy to prolong life and increase muscle mass, and resveratrol has been shown a variety beneficial effects on skeletal muscle. In the present study, we investigated the potential efficacy of using short-term exercise (six weeks), resveratrol (150mg/kg/day), or combined exercise+resveratrol (150mg/kg/day) on gastrocnemius muscle mass, grip strength, cross-sectional area and microscopic morphology in aged rats, and explored the potential mechanism at the apoptosis level. Six months old SD rats were used as young control group and 24months old SD rats were adopted as aged group. After six weeks intervention, the data provide evidence that exercise, resveratrol or their combination significantly increase the relative grip strength and muscle mass in aged rats (P<0.05). Electron microscopy discovered a significant increase in sarcomere length, I-band and H-zone in aged rats (P<0.05), and exercise, resveratrol or their combination significantly reduced the increasement (P<0.05). Moreover, light microscopy revealed a significant increase on Feret's diameter and cross-sectional area (CSA) in aged rats (P<0.05), but exercise and resveratrol did not show significant effects on them (P>0.05). Furthermore, exercise, resveratrol or their combination significantly increased the expression of p-AMPK and SIRT1, decreased the expression of acetyl P53 and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in aged rats (P<0.05). These findings show that aged rats show significant changes in gastrocnemius muscle morphology and ultrastructure, and the protective effects of exercise, resveratrol and their combination are probably associated with anti-apoptotic signaling pathways through activation of AMPK/Sirt1. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Morphologic variations in the pineal gland of the albino rat after a chronic alcoholisation process.

PubMed

Martínez-Salvador, J; Ruiz-Torner, A; Blasco-Serra, A; Martínez-Soriano, F; Valverde-Navarro, A A

2018-04-01

We studied the effect of alcohol on the pineal gland of 48 male Wistar rats. Animals were divided into control and experimental groups. The experimental group underwent a previous progressive alcoholisation period with ethanol diluted in water at a concentration of 40%. Animals were sacrificed at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, and the ultrastructure, karyometric indices, and number of synaptic bodies in the pineal gland were analysed. The results showed progressive morphologic alterations in the ethanol-treated animals, which culminated in fatty degeneration of the pineal parenchyma after 6 months. The karyometric indices decreased in both the central and peripheral areas compared with the control group. Moreover, the seasonal rhythmicity observed in the controls disappeared in the experimental groups, whose number of different populations of synaptic bodies (synaptic ribbons and synaptic spherules) considerably lowered with inversion of their normal seasonal rhythm. These results support that chronic alcoholisation leads to fatty degeneration of the pineal parenchyma, and a considerable alteration in nuclear functional rhythms and synaptic bodies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Protective effect of soybeans as protein source in the diet against cadmium-aorta redox and morphological alteration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pérez Díaz, Matías F.F.; Acosta, Mariano; Mohamed, Fabián H.

We investigated the effects of cadmium exposition on thoracic aorta redox status and morphology, and the putative protective effect of soybeans in the diet. Male Wistar rats were separated into 6 groups: 3 fed with a diet containing casein and 3 containing soybeans, as protein source. Within each protein group, one was given tap water (control) and the other two tap water containing 15 and 100 ppm of Cd{sup 2+}, respectively, for two months. In rats fed with casein diet, 15 ppm of Cd induced an increase of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), and of the catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidasemore » (GPx) activities, which were even higher with 100 ppm of Cd{sup 2+}, in aorta. Also, 100 ppm Cd{sup 2+} exposure increased superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) activity; CAT, GPX, SOD, Nrf2 and metallothioneine II mRNA expressions and CAT, GPx and NOX-2 protein levels, compared with control. Aorta endothelial and cytoplasmic alterations were observed. However, with the soybeans diet, 15 and 100 ppm of Cd{sup 2+} did not modify TBARS levels; CAT, GPX and Nrf2 mRNA expressions; CAT, GPx and NOX-2 protein; and the aorta morphology, compared with control. The soybean diet attenuates the redox changes and protects against morphological alterations induced, in a dose-dependent way, by Cd in aorta. - Highlights: • Under casein diet, 100 ppm Cd{sup 2+} in drinking water induces oxidative stress in aorta. • Under casein diet, 100 ppm Cd{sup 2+} increases Nrf2, MT II and NOX2 expressions in aorta. • Under casein diet, 100 ppm Cd{sup 2+} induces morphological changes in rat aorta. • The soybean diet attenuates the redox changes induced by Cd in rat aorta. • The soybean diet attenuates morphological alterations induced by Cd in rat aorta.« less

Fenitrothion induced oxidative stress and morphological alterations of sperm and testes in male sprague-dawley rats

PubMed Central

Taib, Izatus Shima; Budin, Siti Balkis; Ghazali, Ahmad Rohi; Jayusman, Putri Ayu; Louis, Santhana Raj; Mohamed, Jamaludin

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Fenitrothion residue is found primarily in soil, water and food products and can lead to a variety of toxic effects on the immune, hepatobiliary and hematological systems. However, the effects of fenitrothion on the male reproductive system remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of fenitrothion on the sperm and testes of male Sprague-Dawley rats. METHODS: A 20 mg/kg dose of fenitrothion was administered orally by gavages for 28 consecutive days. Blood sample was obtained by cardiac puncture and dissection of the testes and cauda epididymis was performed to obtain sperm. The effects of fenitrothion on the body and organ weight, biochemical and oxidative stress, sperm characteristics, histology and ultrastructural changes in the testes were evaluated. RESULTS: Fenitrothion significantly decreased the body weight gain and weight of the epididymis compared with the control group. Fenitrothion also decreased plasma cholinesterase activity compared with the control group. Fenitrothion altered the sperm characteristics, such as sperm concentration, sperm viability and normal sperm morphology, compared with the control group. Oxidative stress markers, such as malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl, total glutathione and glutathione S-transferase, were significantly increased and superoxide dismutase activity was significantly decreased in the fenitrothion-treated group compared with the control group. The histopathological and ultrastructural examination of the testes of the fenitrothion-treated group revealed alterations corresponding with the biochemical changes compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: A 20 mg/kg dose of fenitrothion caused deleterious effects on the sperm and testes of Sprague-Dawley rats. PMID:23420164

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using ethanolic petals extract of Rosa indica and characterization of its antibacterial, anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manikandan, Ramar; Manikandan, Beulaja; Raman, Thiagarajan; Arunagirinathan, Koodalingam; Prabhu, Narayanan Marimuthu; Jothi Basu, Muthuramalingam; Perumal, Muthulakshmi; Palanisamy, Subramanian; Munusamy, Arumugam

2015-03-01

The present study was aimed at biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using ethanolic extract of rose (Rosa indica) petals and testing their potential antibacterial activity using selective human pathogenic microbes, anticancer activity using human colon adenocarcinoma cancer cell line HCT 15 as well as anti-inflammatory activity using rat peritoneal macrophages in vitro. The biologically synthesized AgNPs were also characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The characterized AgNPs showed an effective antibacterial activity against Gram negative (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae) than Gram positive (Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis) bacteria. MTT assay, analysis of nuclear morphology, mRNA expression of Bcl-2, Bax and protein expression of caspase 3 as well as 9, indicated potential anticancer activity. In addition, green synthesized AgNPs also attenuated cytotoxicity, nuclear morphology and free radical generation (O2- and NO) by rat peritoneal macrophages in vitro. The results of our study show the potential green synthesis of silver nanoparticles in mitigating their toxicity while retaining their antibacterial activities.

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using ethanolic petals extract of Rosa indica and characterization of its antibacterial, anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities.

PubMed

Manikandan, Ramar; Manikandan, Beulaja; Raman, Thiagarajan; Arunagirinathan, Koodalingam; Prabhu, Narayanan Marimuthu; Jothi Basu, Muthuramalingam; Perumal, Muthulakshmi; Palanisamy, Subramanian; Munusamy, Arumugam

2015-03-05

The present study was aimed at biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using ethanolic extract of rose (Rosa indica) petals and testing their potential antibacterial activity using selective human pathogenic microbes, anticancer activity using human colon adenocarcinoma cancer cell line HCT 15 as well as anti-inflammatory activity using rat peritoneal macrophages in vitro. The biologically synthesized AgNPs were also characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The characterized AgNPs showed an effective antibacterial activity against Gram negative (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae) than Gram positive (Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis) bacteria. MTT assay, analysis of nuclear morphology, mRNA expression of Bcl-2, Bax and protein expression of caspase 3 as well as 9, indicated potential anticancer activity. In addition, green synthesized AgNPs also attenuated cytotoxicity, nuclear morphology and free radical generation (O2(-) and NO) by rat peritoneal macrophages in vitro. The results of our study show the potential green synthesis of silver nanoparticles in mitigating their toxicity while retaining their antibacterial activities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Behavioural, morphological and electrophysiological assessment of the effects of type 2 diabetes mellitus on large and small nerve fibres in Zucker diabetic fatty, Zucker lean and Wistar rats.

PubMed

Garcia-Perez, E; Schönberger, T; Sumalla, M; Stierstorfer, B; Solà, R; Doods, H; Serra, J; Gorodetskaya, N

2018-04-20

Peripheral neuropathy is a common complication in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The most common presentation is in the form of a distal axonal sensory-motor polyneuropathy that involves large and small nerve fibres in variable proportion. Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF), Zucker Lean (ZL) and Wistar Han (WH) rats were used to assess the behavioural, morphological and electrophysiological effects that T2DM have on peripheral large and small nerve fibres of 6- to 40-week-old rats. ZDF rats presented mechanical hypersensitivity that initially worsened in parallel to the progression of diabetes and eventually reverted at later stages of the disease. The reversal from hypersensitivity to hyposensitivity paralleled a reduction in the number of intraepithelial skin nerve terminals and in the nerve fibre lengths. However, no increased levels of degeneration of dorsal root ganglion neurons were observed. Nerve conduction studies showed a reduction in sensory and motor nerve conduction velocity (CV) in hyperglycaemic ZDF rats. Microneurography showed significant alterations in several parameters of activity-dependent slowing (ADS) of mechano-insensitive C-nociceptors in ZDF rats. Surprisingly, some of these changes were also observed in ZL rats. Moreover, we found spontaneous activity in all three strains implying that C-nociceptors become hyperexcitable and spontaneously active not only in ageing hyperglycaemic ZDF rats but also in age-matched and apparently normoglycaemic ZL and WH rats fed with the same diet. ZDF rats presented a diabetic neuropathy involving large and small nerve fibres; additionally, ZL and WH rats also showed early small abnormalities in C-fibres, clearly detected by microneurography SIGNIFICANCE: This study provides a functional description of large and small nerve fibre function in a diabetic model that recapitulates many of the findings observed in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus. © 2018 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

Characterization of Differential Cocaine Metabolism in Mouse and Rat through Metabolomics-Guided Metabolite Profiling

PubMed Central

Yao, Dan; Shi, Xiaolei; Wang, Lei; Gosnell, Blake A.

2013-01-01

Rodent animal models have been widely used for studying neurologic and toxicological events associated with cocaine abuse. It is known that the mouse is more susceptible to cocaine-induced hepatotoxicity (CIH) than the rat. However, the causes behind this species-dependent sensitivity to cocaine have not been elucidated. In this study, cocaine metabolism in the mouse and rat was characterized through LC-MS-based metabolomic analysis of urine samples and were further compared through calculating the relative abundance of individual cocaine metabolites. The results showed that the levels of benzoylecgonine, a major cocaine metabolite from ester hydrolysis, were comparable in the urine from the mice and rats treated with the same dose of cocaine. However, the levels of the cocaine metabolites from oxidative metabolism, such as N-hydroxybenzoylnorecgonine and hydroxybenzoylecgonine, differed dramatically between the two species, indicating species-dependent cocaine metabolism. Subsequent structural analysis through accurate mass analysis and LC-MS/MS fragmentation revealed that N-oxidation reactions, including N-demethylation and N-hydroxylation, are preferred metabolic routes in the mouse, while extensive aryl hydroxylation reactions occur in the rat. Through stable isotope tracing and in vitro enzyme reactions, a mouse-specific α-glucoside of N-hydroxybenzoylnorecgonine and a group of aryl hydroxy glucuronides high in the rat were identified and structurally elucidated. The differences in the in vivo oxidative metabolism of cocaine between the two rodent species were confirmed by the in vitro microsomal incubations. Chemical inhibition of P450 enzymes further revealed that different P450-mediated oxidative reactions in the ecgonine and benzoic acid moieties of cocaine contribute to the species-dependent biotransformation of cocaine. PMID:23034697

Morphological characterization of ckd in cats: Insights of fibrogenesis to be recognized.

PubMed

Morais, G B; Viana, D A; Verdugo, J M; Roselló, M G; Porcel, J O; Rocha, D D; Xavier Júnior, F A F; Barbosa, K D S M; Silva, F M O; Brito, G A C; Sampaio, C M S; Evangelista, J S A M

2018-01-01

Renal fibrosis is characterized by glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis and its pathogenesis is associated with the activity of mesenchymal cells (fibroblasts), being essentially characterized by a process of excessive accumulation resulting from the deposition of extracellular matrix components. The aim of this study was to characterize the morphological presentation of chronic and fibrotic lesions in the glomerular, tubular, interstitial, and vascular compartments in feline CKD, as well as the possible participation of myofibroblasts in renal fibrotic processes in this species. Cat kidneys were collected and processed according to the conventional techniques for light microscopy, circular polarization, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy. Fibrotic alterations were present in all compartments analyzed. The main findings in the glomerular compartment were different degrees of glomerular sclerosis, synechia formation, Bowman's capsule calcification, in addition to glomerular basement membrane thickening and pericapsular fibrosis. The tubulointerstitial compartment had intense tubular degeneration and the immunostaining in tubular cells for mesenchymal cell markers demonstrated the possibility of mesenchymal epithelial transition and consequent involvement of myofibroblasts in the development of interstitial tubule damage. Infiltration of inflammatory cells, added to vessel thickening and fibrosis, demonstrated the severity and role of inflammation in the development and perpetuation of damage. Thus, we may conclude that fibrotic lesions play a relevant role in feline CKD and the mechanism of perpetuation of these lesions need further elucidation regarding the origin and participation of myofibroblasts and consequent mesenchymal epithelial transition in this species. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of photobiomodulation therapy and topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug on skeletal muscle injury induced by contusion in rats-part 1: morphological and functional aspects.

PubMed

Tomazoni, Shaiane Silva; Frigo, Lúcio; Dos Reis Ferreira, Tereza Cristina; Casalechi, Heliodora Leão; Teixeira, Simone; de Almeida, Patrícia; Muscara, Marcelo Nicolas; Marcos, Rodrigo Labat; Serra, Andrey Jorge; de Carvalho, Paulo de Tarso Camillo; Leal-Junior, Ernesto Cesar Pinto

2017-12-01

Musculoskeletal injuries are very frequent and are responsible for causing pain and impairment of muscle function, as well as significant functional limitations. In the acute phase, the most prescribed treatment is with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), despite their questionable effectiveness. However, the use of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) in musculoskeletal disorders has been increasing in the last few years, and this therapy appears to be an interesting alternative to the traditional drugs. The objective of the present study was to evaluate and compare the effects of PBMT, with different application doses, and topical NSAIDs, under morphological and functional parameters, during an acute inflammatory process triggered by a controlled model of musculoskeletal injury induced via contusion in rats. Muscle injury was induced by means of a single trauma to the animals' anterior tibialis muscle. After 1 h, the rats were treated with PBMT (830 nm; continuous mode, with a power output of 100 mW; 3.57 W/cm 2 ; 1 J-35.7 J/cm 2 , 3 J-107.1 J/cm 2 , and 9 J-321.4 J/cm 2 ; 10, 30, and 90 s) or diclofenac sodium for topical use (1 g). Morphological analysis (histology) and functional analysis (muscle work) were performed, 6, 12, and 24 h after induction of the injury. PBMT, with all doses tested, improved morphological changes caused by trauma; however, the 9 J (321.4 J/cm 2 ) dose was the most effective in organizing muscle fibers and cell nuclei. On the other hand, the use of diclofenac sodium produced only a slight improvement in morphological changes. Moreover, we observed a statistically significant increase of muscle work in the PBMT 3 J (107.1 J/cm 2 ) group in relation to the injury group and the diclofenac group (p < 0.05). The results of the present study indicate that PBMT, with a dose of 3 J (107.1 J/cm 2 ), is more effective than the other doses of PBMT tested and NSAIDs for topical use as a means to improve morphological

Breast Cancer Subtypes: Morphologic and Biologic Characterization

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Advances in basic science, technology and translational research have created a revolution in breast cancer diagnosis and therapy. Researchers' discoveries of genes defining variability in response to therapy and heterogeneity in clinical presentations and tumor biology are the foundation of the path to personalized medicine. The success of personalized breast cancer care depends on access to pertinent clinical information and risk factors, optimal imaging findings, well-established morphologic features, and traditional and contemporary prognostic/predictive testing. The integration of these entities provides an opportunity to identify patients who can benefit from specific therapies, and demonstrates the link between breast cancer subtypes and their association with different tumor biology. It is critical to recognize specific types of breast cancer in individual patients and design optimal personalized therapy. This article will highlight the roles of morphologic features and established tumor biomarkers on patient outcome. PMID:26756229

Comparative evaluation of the sperm characteristics and morphology of adult Wistar rats fed either low or normal protein-energy diets and orally dosed with aqueous Cuscuta australis extracts.

PubMed

Omirinde, J O; Ozegbe, P C; Oyeyemi, M O

2014-06-19

Cuscuta australis (C. australis) seed and stem are commonly used as dietary supplements in a maize-meal, "Ogi", by the local population for the management of male and female reproductive dysfunctions. This study, as a part of on-going efforts, therefore, evaluated and compared the effects of Low Protein-energy (LP) and Normal Protein-energy (NP) diets on the sperm morphology and characteristics of adult Wistar rats orally dosed aqueous extracts of C. australis seed (LPSE and NPSE) and stem (LPST and NPST), 300 mg of extract/kg body weight of rat/day, for seven days. The control groups (LPWA and NPWA) received vehicle, water. Live-dead ratio and percentage of sperms with curved tail were significantly decreased (p<0.01) in the NPST relative to the NPWA, LPWA, LPST, NPSE and LPSE. Total abnormal sperm counts, acephalic sperms and tailless head sperms were significantly decreased (p<0.001, p<0.05 and p<0.001, respectively) in the LPST and NPST relative to LPSE, NPSE, LPWA and NPWA. The LPSE, LPST and NPST showed significantly decreased (p<0.05) percentages of sperms with either bent mid-piece or curved mid-piece relative to the LPWA. Significantly decreased (p<0.05) percentage of sperms with curved mid-piece was also observed in the NPSE relative to LPWA. Protein-energy diet significantly influenced (at least p<0.05) the effect of each extract on sperm motility and percentage of sperms with curved tail. Stem extract significantly decreased (p<0.01) the percentages of acephalic sperms and tailless head sperms. Diet-stem extract interaction significantly influenced (p<0.05) live-dead ratio. Our data suggest that orally administered aqueous extracts of C. australis generally enhanced the sperm morphology and characteristics of the male Wistar rat and that the stem extract maintained sperm morphology better than the seed extract. It also showed that the stem extract decreased live-dead ratio and that the efficacy of orally administered aqueous C. australis stem extract

Acute mercury exposition of virgin, pregnant, and lactating rats: Histopathological kidney and liver evaluations.

PubMed

Oliveira, Vitor Antunes; Favero, Gaia; Stacchiotti, Alessandra; Giugno, Lorena; Buffoli, Barbara; de Oliveira, Claudia Sirlene; Lavazza, Antonio; Albanese, Massimo; Rodella, Luigi Fabrizio; Pereira, Maria Ester; Rezzani, Rita

2017-05-01

This work investigated the effects of mercury chloride (HgCl 2 ) acute exposure on virgin, pregnant and lactating rats by determination of renal and hepatic morphological and ultrastructural parameters and the expression of oxidative stress and stress tolerance markers, due to kidney and liver are the organs that more accumulate inorganic mercury. Adult Wistar rats virgin (90 days old), pregnant (18 th gestation day) and lactating (7 th lactation day) were injected once with HgCl 2 (5 mg/kg) or saline (controls). We observed that HgCl 2 exposure of virgin rats caused significant inflammatory infiltration and severe morphological variations, like glomeruli atrophy, dilatation of Bowman's capsule, tubular degeneration and hepatocytes alteration. Moreover, virgin rats presented mitochondrial modification, important oxidative stress and increase in stress tolerance proteins at both kidney and liver level, compared with virgin controls. In detail, virgin rats exposed to HgCl 2 presented significantly elevated level of inducible nitric oxide synthase, heat shock protein 27 and glucose regulated proteins 75 expressions at both renal tubular and hepatocytes level, respect untreated virgin rats. Interestingly, pregnant and lactating rats exposed to HgCl 2 presented weak renal and liver morphological alterations, showing weak inflammatory infiltration and no significant difference in structural mitochondrial transmembrane protein, oxidative stress markers and stress tolerance proteins expressions respect controls (virgin, pregnant and lactating rats). Although, both control and HgCl 2 -exposed pregnant and lactating rats showed renal glomeruli greater in diameter respect virgin rats. In conclusion, we believe that virgin rats are more sensitive to HgCl 2 toxicity respect pregnant and lactating rats. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 1500-1512, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cannabinoid HU210 Protects Isolated Rat Stomach against Impairment Caused by Serum of Rats with Experimental Acute Pancreatitis

PubMed Central

Cao, Ming-hua; Li, Yong-yu; Xu, Jing; Feng, Ya-jing; Lin, Xu-hong; Li, Kun; Han, Tong; Chen, Chang-Jie

2012-01-01

Acute pancreatitis (AP), especially severe acute pancreatitis often causes extra-pancreatic complications, such as acute gastrointestinal mucosal lesion (AGML) which is accompanied by a considerably high mortality, yet the pathogenesis of AP-induced AGML is still not fully understood. In this report, we investigated the alterations of serum components and gastric endocrine and exocrine functions in rats with experimental acute pancreatitis, and studied the possible contributions of these alterations in the pathogenesis of AGML. In addition, we explored the intervention effects of cannabinoid receptor agonist HU210 and antagonist AM251 on isolated and serum-perfused rat stomach. Our results showed that the AGML occurred after 5 h of AP replication, and the body homeostasis was disturbed in AP rat, with increased levels of pancreatic enzymes, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), proinflammtory cytokines and chemokines in the blood, and an imbalance of the gastric secretion function. Perfusing the isolated rat stomach with the AP rat serum caused morphological changes in the stomach, accompanied with a significant increment of pepsin and [H+] release, and increased gastrin and decreased somatostatin secretion. HU210 reversed the AP-serum-induced rat pathological alterations, including the reversal of transformation of the gastric morphology to certain degree. The results from this study prove that the inflammatory responses and the imbalance of the gastric secretion during the development of AP are responsible for the pathogenesis of AGML, and suggest the therapeutic potential of HU210 for AGML associated with acute pancreatitis. PMID:23285225

Development and initial characterization of a novel ghrelin receptor CRISPR/Cas9 knockout wistar rat model.

PubMed

Zallar, L J; Tunstall, B J; Richie, C T; Zhang, Y J; You, Z B; Gardner, E L; Heilig, M; Pickel, J; Koob, G F; Vendruscolo, L F; Harvey, B K; Leggio, L

2018-01-30

Ghrelin, a stomach-derived hormone implicated in numerous behaviors including feeding, reward, stress, and addictive behaviors, acts by binding to the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR). Here, we present the development, verification, and initial characterization of a novel GHSR knockout (KO) Wistar rat model created with CRISPR genome editing. Using CRISPR/Cas9, we developed a GHSR KO in a Wistar background. Loss of GHSR mRNA expression was histologically verified using RNAscope in wild-type (WT; n = 2) and KO (n = 2) rats. We tested the effects of intraperitoneal acyl-ghrelin administration on food consumption and plasma growth hormone (GH) concentrations in WT (n = 8) and KO (n = 8) rats. We also analyzed locomotion, food consumption, and body fat composition in these animals. Body weight was monitored from early development to adulthood. The RNAscope analysis revealed an abundance of GHSR mRNA expression in the hypothalamus, midbrain, and hippocampus in WTs, and no observed probe binding in KOs. Ghrelin administration increased plasma GH levels (p = 0.0067) and food consumption (p = 0.0448) in WT rats but not KOs. KO rats consumed less food overall at basal conditions and weighed significantly less compared with WTs throughout development (p = 0.0001). Compared with WTs, KOs presented higher concentrations of brown adipose tissue (BAT; p = 0.0322). We have verified GHSR deletion in our KO model using histological, physiological, neuroendocrinological, and behavioral measures. Our findings indicate that GHSR deletion in rats is not only associated with a lack of response to ghrelin, but also associated with decreases in daily food consumption and body growth, and increases in BAT. This GHSR KO Wistar rat model provides a novel tool for studying the role of the ghrelin system in obesity and in a wide range of medical and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Functional characterization of apical transporters expressed in rat proximal tubular cells (PTCs) in primary culture.

PubMed

Nakanishi, Takeo; Fukushi, Akimasa; Sato, Masanobu; Yoshifuji, Mayuko; Gose, Tomoka; Shirasaka, Yoshiyuki; Ohe, Kazuyo; Kobayashi, Masato; Kawai, Keiichi; Tamai, Ikumi

2011-12-05

Since in vitro cell culture models often show altered apical transporter expression, they are not necessarily suitable for the analysis of renal transport processes. Therefore, we aimed here to investigate the usefulness of primary-cultured rat proximal tubular cells (PTCs) for this purpose. After isolation of renal cortical cells from rat kidneys, PTCs were enriched and the gene expression and function of apical transporters were analyzed by means of microarray, RT-PCR and uptake experiments. RT-PCR confirmed that the major apical transporters were expressed in rat PTCs. Na(+)-dependent uptake of α-methyl-d-glucopyranoside (αMG), ergothioneine and carnitine by the PTCs suggests functional expression of Sglts, Octn1 and Octn2, respectively. Inhibition of pH-dependent glycylsarcosine uptake by low concentration of cephalexin, which is a β-lactam antibiotics recognized by Pepts, indicates a predominant role of high affinity type Pept2, but not low affinity type Pept1, in the PTCs. Moreover, the permeability ratio of [(14)C]αMG (apical to basolateral/basolateral to apical) across PTCs was 4.3, suggesting that Sglt-mediated reabsorptive transport is characterized. In conclusion, our results indicate that rat PTCs in primary culture are found to be a promising in vitro model to evaluate reabsorption processes mediated at least by Sglts, Pept2, Octn1 and Octn2.

Characterization of flexible ECoG electrode arrays for chronic recording in awake rats

PubMed Central

Yeager, John D.; Phillips, Derrick J.; Rector, David M.; Bahr, David F.

2008-01-01

We developed a 64 channel flexible polyimide ECoG electrode array and characterized its performance for long term implantation, chronic cortical recording and high resolution mapping of surface evoked potentials in awake rats. To achieve the longest possible recording periods, the flexibility of the electrode array, adhesion between the metals and carrier substrate, and biocompatibility was critical for maintaining the signal integrity. Experimental testing of thin film adhesion was applied to a gold – polyimide system in order to characterize relative interfacial fracture energies for several different adhesion layers, yielding an increase in overall device reliability. We tested several different adhesion techniques including: gold alone without an adhesion layer, titanium-tungsten, tantalum and chromium. We found the titanium-tungsten to be a suitable adhesion layer considering the biocompatibility requirements as well as stability and delamination resistance. While chromium and tantalum produced stronger gold adhesion, concerns over biocompatibility of these materials require further testing. We implanted the polyimide ECoG electrode arrays through a slit made in the skull of rats and recorded cortical surface evoked responses. The arrays performed reliably over a period of at least 100 days and signals compared well with traditional screw electrodes, with better high frequency response characteristics. Since the ultimate goal of chronically implanted electrode arrays is for neural prosthetic devices that need to last many decades, other adhesion layers that would prove safe for implantation may be tested in the same way in order to improve the device reliability. PMID:18640155

Characterization of a new rat model for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies.

PubMed

Brun, Susana; Beaino, Wissam; Kremer, Laurent; Taleb, Omar; Mensah-Nyagan, Ayikoe Guy; Lam, Chanh D; Greer, Judith M; de Seze, Jérôme; Trifilieff, Elisabeth

2015-01-15

Our objective was to develop a chronic model of EAN which could be used as a tool to test treatment strategies for CIDP. Lewis rats injected with S-palmitoylated P0(180-199) peptide developed a chronic, sometimes relapsing-remitting type of disease. Our model fulfills electrophysiological criteria of demyelination with axonal degeneration, confirmed by immunohistopathology. The late phase of the chronic disease was characterized by accumulation of IL-17(+) cells and macrophages in sciatic nerves and by high serum IL-17 levels. In conclusion, we have developed a reliable and reproducible animal model resembling CIDP that can now be used for translational drug studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The monocarboxylate carrier from rat liver mitochondria. Purification and kinetic characterization in a reconstituted system.

PubMed

Capuano, F; Di Paola, M; Azzi, A; Papa, S

1990-02-12

The monocarboxylate (pyruvate) carrier was extracted from rat liver mitochondria with Triton X-100 in the presence of asolectin and partially purified by chromatography on HTP. The HTP eluate reconstituted in liposomes was shown to catalyze active pyruvatein/acetoacetateout and acetoacetatein/pyruvateout counter-exchange. Kinetic characterization of the reconstituted pyruvate carrier was achieved by an original spectrophotometric method consisting of determination of substrate release from proteoliposomes with a coupled enzymatic assay.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Fusarium. solani and F. oxysporum associated with crown disease of oil palm.

PubMed

Hafizi, R; Salleh, B; Latiffah, Z

2013-01-01

Crown disease (CD) is infecting oil palm in the early stages of the crop development. Previous studies showed that Fusarium species were commonly associated with CD. However, the identity of the species has not been resolved. This study was carried out to identify and characterize through morphological approaches and to determine the genetic diversity of the Fusarium species. 51 isolates (39%) of Fusarium solani and 40 isolates (31%) of Fusarium oxysporum were recovered from oil palm with typical CD symptoms collected from nine states in Malaysia, together with samples from Padang and Medan, Indonesia. Based on morphological characteristics, isolates in both Fusarium species were classified into two distinct morphotypes; Morphotypes I and II. Molecular characterization based on IGS-RFLP analysis produced 27 haplotypes among the F. solani isolates and 33 haplotypes for F. oxysporum isolates, which indicated high levels of intraspecific variations. From UPGMA cluster analysis, the isolates in both Fusarium species were divided into two main clusters with the percentage of similarity from 87% to 100% for F. solani, and 89% to 100% for F. oxysporum isolates, which was in accordance with the Morphotypes I and II. The results of the present study indicated that F. solani and F. oxysporum associated with CD of oil palm in Malaysia and Indonesia were highly variable.

Neuromuscular junction formation between human stem-cell-derived motoneurons and rat skeletal muscle in a defined system.

PubMed

Guo, Xiufang; Das, Mainak; Rumsey, John; Gonzalez, Mercedes; Stancescu, Maria; Hickman, James

2010-12-01

To date, the coculture of motoneurons (MNs) and skeletal muscle in a defined in vitro system has only been described in one study and that was between rat MNs and rat skeletal muscle. No in vitro studies have demonstrated human MN to rat muscle synapse formation, although numerous studies have attempted to implant human stem cells into rat models to determine if they could be of therapeutic use in disease or spinal injury models, although with little evidence of neuromuscular junction (NMJ) formation. In this report, MNs differentiated from human spinal cord stem cells, together with rat skeletal myotubes, were used to build a coculture system to demonstrate that NMJ formation between human MNs and rat skeletal muscles is possible. The culture was characterized by morphology, immunocytochemistry, and electrophysiology, while NMJ formation was demonstrated by immunocytochemistry and videography. This defined system provides a highly controlled reproducible model for studying the formation, regulation, maintenance, and repair of NMJs. The in vitro coculture system developed here will be an important model system to study NMJ development, the physiological and functional mechanism of synaptic transmission, and NMJ- or synapse-related disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, as well as for drug screening and therapy design.

Isolation and characterization of a leech neuropeptide in rat brains: coupling to nitric oxide release in leech, rat and human tissues.

PubMed

Salzet, M; Salzet, B; Sáutière, P; Lésage, J; Beauvillain, J C; Bilfinger, T V; Rialas, C; Bjenning, C; Stefano, G B

1998-03-30

The osmoregulator peptide (leech osmoregulatory factor, LORF; IPEPYVWD) was first found in the leech central nervous system (CNS). Given the fact that certain peptides can be found in mammals and invertebrates, e.g., opioid, we examined rat brains to determine if LORF was present. This peptide was found and isolated by successive reversed-phase HPLC purification steps and characterized by electrospray mass spectrometry measurement. It was sequenced by Edman degradation and quantified in different tissues by ELISA. Our results demonstrate the presence of LORF in the hypothalamus, thalamus, and striatum (6 pmol/mg of protein extract) and in other brain areas at lower levels. This octapeptide is also present in the rat duodenum and liver (10 to 14 pmol/mg) and at lower levels in heart, lung, pancreas and caudal spinal cord (< 5 pmol/mg). The testes, adrenals and kidneys have the lowest levels of all the tissues examined (ca. 0.5 pmol/mg of protein). Furthermore, we also demonstrate that LORF is coupled to nitric oxide (NO) release in leech CNS, rat hypothalamus and human saphenous vein in a manner which is inhibited by a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor as well as an antibody directed toward LORF. The study demonstrates that LORF, and its function in relation to NO release, has been conserved over more than 400 million years of evolution.

Physicochemical characterization and in vivo evaluation of poloxamer-based solid suppository containing diclofenac sodium in rats.

PubMed

Yong, Chul Soon; Oh, Yu-Kyoung; Kim, Yong-Il; Kim, Jong Oh; Yoo, Bong-Kyu; Rhee, Jong-Dal; Lee, Kang Choon; Kim, Dae-Duk; Park, Young-Joon; Kim, Chong-Kook; Choi, Han-Gon

2005-09-14

To develop a poloxamer-based solid suppository with poloxamer mixtures, the melting point of various formulations composed of poloxamer 124 (P 124) and poloxamer 188 (P 188) were investigated. The dissolution and pharmacokinetic study of diclofenac sodium delivered by the poloxamer-based suppository were performed. Furthermore, the identification test in the rectum and morphology test of rectal tissues were carried out after its rectal administration in rats. The poloxamer mixtures composed of P 124 and P 188 were homogeneous phases. Very small amounts of P 188 affected the melting point of poloxamer mixtures. In particular, the poloxamer mixture [P 124/P 188 (97/3%)] with the melting point of about 32 degrees C was a solid form at room temperature and instantly melted at physiological temperature. Very small amounts of P 188 hardly affected the dissolution rates of diclofenac sodium from the suppository. Dissolution mechanism analysis showed the dissolution of diclofenac sodium was proportional to the time. The poloxamer-based suppository gave significantly higher initial plasma concentrations and faster T(max) of diclofenac sodium than did conventional PEG-based suppository, indicating that the drug from poloxamer-based suppository could be absorbed faster than that from PEG-based one in rats. It retained in the rectum for at least 4 h and could not irritate or damage the rectal tissues of rats. Thus, the poloxamer-based solid suppository with P 124 and P 188 was a mucoadhesive, safe and effective rectal dosage form for diclofenac sodium.

Pollen morphology and viability in Bromeliaceae.

PubMed

Souza, Everton H; Souza, Fernanda V D; Rossi, Mônica L; Packer, Renan M; Cruz-Barros, Maria Amelia V; Martinelli, Adriana P

2017-01-01

Pollen morphology characterization is important in taxonomy, conservation and plant breeding, and pollen viability studies can support breeding programs. This study investigated pollen morphology and male fertility in 18 species of Bromeliaceae with ornamental potential. For morphological characterization, pollen grains were acetolyzed and characterization of exine was done using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Pollen viability was investigated by in vitro germination and histochemical tests. Species belonging to Aechmea and Ananas genera presented medium size pollen, except for Ae. fasciata, with large pollen. Al. nahoumii, P. sagenarius and the Vriesea species analyzed showed large pollen, except for V. carinata, with very large pollen. Pollen of Aechmea, Ananas and P. sagenarius presented bilateral symmetry, diporate, exine varying from tectate to semitectate. Al. nahoumii and Vriesea species presented pollen with bilateral symmetry, monocolpate; exine was semitectate, reticulate and heterobrochate. Germination percentage and tube growth were greater in SM and BKM media. Histochemical tests showed pollen viability above 70% for all species, except for Ananas sp. (40%). Pollen morphology is important for the identification of species, especially in this family, which contains a large number of species. High rates of viability favor fertilization and seed production, essential for efficient hybrid production and conservation.

Morphological, morphometric, and molecular characterization of Hepatozoon spp. (Apicomplexa, Hepatozoidae) from naturally infected Caudisona durissa terrifica (Serpentes, Viperidae).

PubMed

Moço, Tatiana Cristina; da Silva, Reinaldo José; Madeira, Newton Goulart; Dos Santos Paduan, Karina; Rubini, Adriano Stefani; Leal, Denise Dutra Menezes; O'Dwyer, Lucia Helena

2012-04-01

Hepatozoon spp. are the most frequent intracellular protozoa in snakes. Considering the variety of parasites infecting specimens of Caudisona durissa terrifica and the divergent data in literature where only two species, Hepatozoon romani and Hepatozoon capsulata, are described, the aim of this study was to morphologically, morphometrically, and molecularly characterize Hepatozoon spp. from some naturally infected specimens of C. durissa terrifica, and observe changes caused by these protozoa in parasitized erythrocytes. Four snakes were examined. Two of them had two morphological distinct gamonts, while the other two had only one type of gamont. The six distinct gamonts were provisionally named gamonts A, B, C, D, E, and F. Statistical analysis, however, confirmed the existence of only four parasite populations, those which were capable of inducing significant alterations in determined red blood cells variables. Attempts to infect Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes were done for each snake specimen. Some mosquitoes became infected and oocysts were recovered and measured. The detection of Hepatozoon DNA was obtained with success but the molecular characterization was unable to differentiate species of the samples, with respect to the fragment studied.

Characterization of hybrid microparticles/Montmorillonite composite with raspberry-like morphology for Atorvastatin controlled release.

PubMed

García-Guzmán, Perla; Medina-Torres, Luis; Calderas, Fausto; Bernad-Bernad, María Josefa; Gracia-Mora, Jesús; Mena, Baltasar; Manero, Octavio

2018-07-01

In this work, we prepared a novel composite based on hybrid gelatin carriers and montmorillonite clay (MMT) to analyze its viability as controlled drug delivery system. The objective of this research involves the characterization of composites formed by structured lipid-gelatin micro-particles (MP) and MMT clay. This analysis included the evaluation of the composite according to its rheological properties, morphology (SEM), particle size, XRD, FT-IR, and in vitro drug release. The effect of pH in the properties of the composite is evaluated. A novel raspberry-like or armor MP/MMT clay composite is reported, in which the pH has an important effect on the final structure of the composite for ad-hoc drug delivery systems. For pH values below the isoelectric point, we obtained defined morphologies with entrapment efficiencies up to 67%. The pH level controls the MP/MMT composite release mechanism, restringing drug release in the stomach-like environment. Intended for oral administration, these results evidence that the MP/MMT composite represents an attractive alternative for intestinal-colonic controlled drug delivery systems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hyberbaric oxygen increases atresia in normal & steroid induced PCO rat ovaries

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In this study, we investigated the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on the morphology of estradiol valerate (EV) induced polycystic ovary (PCO) to find a new treatment modality for improvement of PCO. Methods The rats were divided into four groups. Group1, control; group 2, PCO group; group 3, PCO with HBOT group and group 4, normal ovary with HBOT. PCO was induced by a single intramuscular injection of 4 mg EV in adult cycling rats. Other rats with normal ovaries had oil injection as placebo. HBOT was applied to third and fourth groups for six weeks. Histopathologic evaluation of ovaries of all groups were performed & compared. Results Six weeks of HBOT was resulted in increase in follicular atresia, decrease in the number of primary, secondary, tertiary follicles and decrease in the number of fresh corpus luteum in normal rat ovary. HBOT on polycystic rat ovary, resulted in significant increase in atretic follicles which were already present. Conclusions HBOT of six weeks itself, changed ovarian morphology in favor of atresia both in PCO group and control group. This result of aggravated follicular atresia after HBOT on EV induced PCO may be due to long-term exposure in our protocol which with this state seems to be inapplicable in the improvement of PCO morphology. PMID:22309835

Antioxidant and triglyceride-lowering effects of vitamin E associated with the prevention of abnormalities in the reactivity and morphology of aorta from streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Antioxidants in Diabetes-Induced Complications (ADIC) Study Group.

PubMed

Karasu, C; Ozansoy, G; Bozkurt, O; Erdoğan, D; Omeroğlu, S

1997-08-01

In this study, we evaluated the effects of vitamin E on the vascular reactivity and structure of thoracic aorta from streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats. Plasma glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations in rats were increased markedly by STZ-diabetes. The thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reactivity level as an index of lipid peroxidation was higher in both plasma and aorta of STZ-diabetic rats compared with controls. The rings of thoracic aorta with or without endothelium were mounted in organ chambers for measurement of isometric tension and were contracted by a single dose (10-5 mol/L) and then cumulative doses of noradrenaline ([NA] 10(-9) to 10(-5) mol/L). Pretreatment with methylene blue (MB) or removal of the endothelium resulted in a similar degree of enhancement in NA-induced contraction of control rings. STZ-diabetes increased the fast and slow components of NA-induced contraction in all experiments. The maximal contractile response of aorta to NA was also augmented by STZ-diabetes, whereas the sensitivity (pD2) remained unaltered. STZ-diabetes resulted in significant increases in the maximum contractile response and sensitivity of aorta to KCl. STZ-diabetic rats showed a significant reduction in the percentage of endothelial response (PER). A group of diabetic rats was treated from the time of diabetes induction with a 0.5% dietary supplement of vitamin E. Vitamin E supplementation of STZ-diabetic rats eliminated accumulation of lipid peroxides and returned plasma triglycerides toward normal levels. Diabetes-induced abnormal contractility and endothelial dysfunction were significantly but not completely prevented by vitamin E treatment. The endothelium-independent relaxation response to sodium nitroprusside (SNP) was not affected by diabetes or vitamin E treatment. Electron microscopic examination of thoracic aorta revealed that normal tissue organization was disrupted in STZ-diabetic rats, and that vitamin E treatment can protect the morphological

Characterization of microalgal carotenoids by mass spectrometry and their bioavailability and antioxidant properties elucidated in rat model.

PubMed

Ranga Rao, A; Raghunath Reddy, R L; Baskaran, V; Sarada, R; Ravishankar, G A

2010-08-11

Of the total carotenoids in respective algal samples, beta-carotene in Spirulina platensis was 69.5%, astaxanthin and its esters in Haematococcus pluvialis was 81.38%, and lutein in Botryococcus braunii was 74.6%. The carotenoids were characterized by mass spectrometry. A time-course study of carotenoids in rats after administration of microalgal biomass showed peak levels in plasma, liver, and eyes at 2, 4, and 6 h, respectively. Beta-carotene accumulation in Spirulina-fed rats was maximum in eye tissues at 6 h. Similarly, levels of astaxanthin and lutein in Haematococcus- and Botryococcus-fed rats were also maximal in eye tissues. Astaxanthin from H. pluvialis showed better bioavailability than beta-carotene and lutein. The antioxidant enzymes, catalase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and TBARS were significantly high in plasma at 2 h and in liver at 4 h, evidently offering protection from free radicals. This study implies that microalgae can be a good source of carotenoids of high bioavailability and nutraceutical value.

[Toxicological evaluation of nanosized colloidal silver, stabilized with polyvinylpyrrolidone, in 92-day experiment on rats. II. Internal organs morphology].

PubMed

Zaytseva, N V; Zemlyanova, M A; Zvezdin, V N; Dovbysh, A A; Gmoshinsky, I V; Khotimchenko, S A; Akafieva, T I

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the safe doses of commercially available nanosized colloidal silver (NCS), stabilized with polyvinilpirrolidone (PVP, food additive E1201) when administered in gastrointestinal tract of rats in the 92-day experiment in terms of the morphological changes in the internals of animals. The sample studied contained non-aggregated nanoparticles (NPs) of silver belonging to size fractions with a diameter of less than 5 nm, 10-20 nm or 50-80 nm. 80% of NPs were inside the range of hydrodynamic diameters 10.6-61.8 nm. The preparation of NCS was administered to growing male Wistar rats. (initial body weight 80 ± 10 g) for 1 month by intragastric gavage and then consumed with food at doses of 0.1, 1.0 and 10 mg/kg of body weight based on silver. The control animals received water or vehicle of nanomaterial--water solution of PVP. After withdrawal of animals from the experiment by exsanguination under ether anesthesia organs (liver, spleen, kidney, ileum) were isolated and their slides were prepared by standard methods following 'by staining with hematoxylin-eosin. Analysis was performed in light optical microscope equipped with a digital camera at a magnification from 1 x 100 to 1 x 1000. It was shown that the experimental animals treated with the NCS developed series of morphological changes in the tissues of the internal organs (liver, spleen and kidney) with the elevation of the range and severity of structural changes with increasing doses of silver. The most sensitive target of NCS action was apparently liver, which has already shown at a dose of 0.1 mg of silver NP/kg of body weight marked eosinophilic infiltration of portal tracts, which was accompanied at doses of 1.0 and 10.0 mg/kg by the emergence of medium and large-drop fat vacuoles in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes, swelling and lympho-macrophage. infiltration of the portal tracts. Detectable changes can be regarded as symptoms of inflammation of hepatocytes, at least, at a

Dietary intake of high-dose biotin inhibits spermatogenesis in young rats.

PubMed

Sawamura, Hiromi; Ikeda, Chieko; Shimada, Ryoko; Yoshii, Yui; Watanabe, Toshiaki

2015-02-01

To characterize a new function of the water-soluble vitamin, biotin, in reproduction and early growth in mammals, the effects of high dietary doses of biotin on early spermatogenesis were biochemically and histologically investigated in male rats. Weaned rats were fed a CE-2 (control) diet containing 0.00004% biotin, or a control diet supplemented with 0.01%, 0.1%, or 1.0% biotin. Pair-fed rats were fed a control diet that was equal in calories to the amount ingested by the 1.0% biotin group, because food intake was decreased in the 1.0% biotin group. Food intake and body weight gain were lower in the 1.0% biotin group than in the control group. The kidney, brain and testis weights were significantly lower in the 1.0% biotin group than in the pair-fed group after 6 weeks of feeding. The accumulation of biotin in the liver and testis increased in a dose-dependent manner. In the 1.0% biotin group, the number of mature sperm was markedly lower, that of sperm with morphologically abnormal heads, mainly consisting of round heads, had increased. In addition, the development of seminiferous tubules was inhibited, and few spermatogonia and no spermatocytes were histologically observed. These results demonstrated that the long-term intake of high-dose biotin inhibited spermatogenesis in young male rats. © 2014 Japanese Teratology Society.

Rapid Morphological Brain Abnormalities during Acute Methamphetamine Intoxication in the Rat. An Experimental study using Light and Electron Microscopy

PubMed Central

Sharma, Hari S.; Kiyatkin, Eugene A.

2009-01-01

This study describes morphological abnormalities of brain cells during acute methamphetamine (METH) intoxication in the rat and demonstrates the role of hyperthermia, disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and edema in their development. Rats with chronically implanted brain, muscle and skin temperature probes and an intravenous (iv) catheter were exposed to METH (9 mg/kg) at standard (23°C) and warm (29°C) ambient temperatures, allowing for the observation of hyperthermia ranging from mild to pathological levels (38–42°C). When brain temperature peaked or reached a level suggestive of possible lethality (>41.5°C), rats were injected with Evans blue (EB), rapidly anesthetized, perfused, and their brains were taken for further analyses. Four brain areas (cortex, hippocampus, thalamus and hypothalamus) were analyzed for EB extravasation, water and electrolyte (Na+, K+, Cl−) contents, immunostained for albumin and glial fibrillary acidic protein, and examined for neuronal, glial and axonal alterations using standard light and electron microscopy. These examinations revealed profound abnormalities in neuronal, glial, and endothelial cells, which were stronger with METH administered at 29°C than 23°C and tightly correlated with brain and body hyperthermia. These changes had some structural specificity, but in each structure they tightly correlated with increases in EB levels, the numbers of albumin-positive cells, and water and ion contents, suggesting leakage of the BBB, acutely developing brain edema, and serious shifts in brain ion homeostasis as leading factors underlying brain abnormalities. While most of these acute structural and functional abnormalities appear to be reversible, they could trigger subsequent cellular alterations in the brain and accelerate neurodegeneration—the most dangerous complication of chronic amphetamine-like drug abuse. PMID:18773954

Embryotoxic and pharmacologic potency ranking of six azoles in the rat whole embryo culture by morphological and transcriptomic analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dimopoulou, Myrto, E-mail: myrto.dimopoulou@wur.nl

Differential gene expression analysis in the rat whole embryo culture (WEC) assay provides mechanistic insight into the embryotoxicity of test compounds. In our study, we hypothesized that comparative analysis of the transcriptomes of rat embryos exposed to six azoles (flusilazole, triadimefon, ketoconazole, miconazole, difenoconazole and prothioconazole) could lead to a better mechanism-based understanding of their embryotoxicity and pharmacological action. For evaluating embryotoxicity, we applied the total morphological scoring system (TMS) in embryos exposed for 48 h. The compounds tested showed embryotoxicity in a dose-response fashion. Functional analysis of differential gene expression after 4 h exposure at the ID{sub 10} (effectivemore » dose for 10% decreased TMS), revealed the sterol biosynthesis pathway and embryonic development genes, dominated by genes in the retinoic acid (RA) pathway, albeit in a differential way. Flusilazole, ketoconazole and triadimefon were the most potent compounds affecting the RA pathway, while in terms of regulation of sterol function, difenoconazole and ketoconazole showed the most pronounced effects. Dose-dependent analysis of the effects of flusilazole revealed that the RA pathway related genes were already differentially expressed at low dose levels while the sterol pathway showed strong regulation at higher embryotoxic doses, suggesting that this pathway is less predictive for the observed embryotoxicity. A similar analysis at the 24-hour time point indicated an additional time-dependent difference in the aforementioned pathways regulated by flusilazole. In summary, the rat WEC assay in combination with transcriptomics could add a mechanistic insight into the embryotoxic potency ranking and pharmacological mode of action of the tested compounds. - Highlights: • Embryonic exposure to azoles revealed concentration-dependent malformations. • Transcriptomics could enhance the mechanistic knowledge of embryotoxicants. �

Zinc deficiency during growth: influence on renal function and morphology.

PubMed

Tomat, Analía Lorena; Costa, María Angeles; Girgulsky, Luciana Carolina; Veiras, Luciana; Weisstaub, Adriana Ruth; Inserra, Felipe; Balaszczuk, Ana María; Arranz, Cristina Teresa

2007-03-13

This study was designed to investigate the effects of moderate zinc deficiency during growth on renal morphology and function in adult life. Weaned male Wistar rats were divided into two groups and fed either a moderately zinc-deficient diet (zinc: 8 mg/kg, n=12) or a control diet (zinc: 30 mg/kg, n=12) for 60 days. We evaluated: renal parameters, NADPH-diaphorase and nitric oxide synthase activity in kidney, renal morphology and apoptotic cells in renal cortex. Zinc-deficient rats showed a decrease in glomerular filtration rate and no changes in sodium and potassium urinary excretion. Zinc deficiency decreased NADPH diaphorase activity in glomeruli and tubular segment of nephrons, and reduced activity of nitric oxide synthase in the renal medulla and cortex, showing that zinc plays an important role in preservation of the renal nitric oxide system. A reduction in nephron number, glomerular capillary area and number of glomerular nuclei in cortical and juxtamedullary areas was observed in zinc deficient kidneys. Sirius red staining and immunostaining for alpha-smooth muscle-actin and collagen III showed no signs of fibrosis in the renal cortex and medulla. An increase in the number of apoptotic cells in distal tubules and cortical collecting ducts neighboring glomeruli and, to a lesser extent, in the glomeruli was observed in zinc deficient rats. The major finding of our study is the emergence of moderate zinc deficiency during growth as a potential nutritional factor related to abnormalities in renal morphology and function that facilitates the development of cardiovascular and renal diseases in adult life.

Molecular classification of spontaneous endometrial adenocarcinomas in BDII rats.

PubMed

Samuelson, Emma; Hedberg, Carola; Nilsson, Staffan; Behboudi, Afrouz

2009-03-01

Female rats of the BDII/Han inbred strain are prone to spontaneously develop endometrial carcinomas (EC) that in cell biology and pathogenesis are very similar to those of human. Human EC are classified into two major groups: Type I displays endometroid histology, is hormone-dependent, and characterized by frequent microsatellite instability and PTEN, K-RAS, and CTNNB1 (beta-Catenin) mutations; Type II shows non-endometrioid histology, is hormone-unrelated, displays recurrent TP53 mutation, CDKN2A (P16) inactivation, over-expression of ERBB2 (Her2/neu), and reduced CDH1 (Cadherin 1 or E-Cadherin) expression. However, many human EC have overlapping clinical, morphologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular features of types I and II. The EC developed in BDII rats can be related to type I tumors, since they are hormone-related and histologically from endometrioid type. Here, we combined gene sequencing (Pten, Ifr1, and Ctnnb1) and real-time gene expression analysis (Pten, Cdh1, P16, Erbb2, Ctnnb1, Tp53, and Irf1) to further characterize molecular alterations in this tumor model with respect to different subtypes of EC in humans. No mutation in Pten and Ctnnb1 was detected, whereas three tumors displayed sequence aberrations of the Irf1 gene. Significant down regulation of Pten, Cdh1, p16, Erbb2, and Ctnnb1 gene products was found in the tumors. In conclusion, our data suggest that molecular features of spontaneous EC in BDII rats can be related to higher-grade human type I tumors and thus, this model represents an excellent experimental tool for research on this malignancy in human.

Chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine sulfate associated to photobiomodulation prevents degenerative morphological changes in an experimental model of osteoarthritis in rats.

PubMed

Sanches, Marcella; Assis, Lívia; Criniti, Cyntia; Fernandes, Danilo; Tim, Carla; Renno, Ana Claudia Muniz

2018-04-01

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of combined treatment with chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine sulfate (CS/Gl) and photobiomodulation (PBM) on the degenerative process related to osteoarthritis (OA) in the articular cartilage in rats. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: OA control group (CG); OA animals submitted to PBM treatment (PBM); OA animals submitted to CS/Gl treatment (CS/Gl); OA submitted to CS/GS associated with PBM treatments (GS/Gl + PBM). The CS/Gl started 48 h after the surgery, and they were performed for 29 consecutive days. Moreover, PBM was performed after the CS/Gl administration on the left joint. Morphological characteristics and immunoexpression of interleukin 10 (IL-10) and 1 beta (IL-1β) and collagen type II (Col II) of the articular cartilage were evaluated. The results showed that all treated groups (CS/Gl and PBM) presented attenuation signs of degenerative process (measured by histopathological analysis) and lower density chondrocytes [PBM (p = 0.0017); CS/Gl (p = 0.0153) and CS/Gl + PBM (p = 0.002)]. Additionally, CS/Gl [associated (p = 0.0089) or not with PBM (p = 0.0059)] showed significative lower values for OARSI grade evaluation. Furthermore, CS/GS + PBM decreased IL-1β protein expression (p = 0.0359) and increased IL-10 (p = 0.028) and Col II imunoexpression (p = 0.0204) compared to CG. This study showed that CS/Gl associated with PBM was effective in modulating inflammatory process and preventing the articular tissue degradation in the knees OA rats.

Quantification of Bone Growth Rate Variability in Rats Exposed to Micro- (near zero G) and Macrogravity (2G)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bromage, Timothy G.; Doty, Stephen B.; Smolyar, Igor; Holton, Emily

1996-01-01

Our stated primary objective is to quantify the growth rate variability of rat lamellar bone exposed to micro and macrogravity (2G). The primary significance of the proposed work is that an elegant method will be established that unequivocally characterizes the morphological consequences of gravitational factors on developing bone. The integrity of this objective depends upon our successful preparation of thin sections suitable for imaging individual bone lamellae, and our imaging and quantitation of growth rate variability in populations of lamellae from individual bone samples.

Age-related ultrastructural and monoamine oxidase changes in the rat optic nerve.

PubMed

Taurone, S; Ripandelli, G; Minni, A; Lattanzi, R; Miglietta, S; Pepe, N; Fumagalli, L; Micera, A; Pastore, F S; Artico, M

2016-01-01

The aim of this paper is to study the morphology and the distribution of the monoamine oxidase enzymatic system in the optic nerve of 4 month-old Wistar (young) and 28 month-old Wistar (old) rats. The optic nerve was harvested from 20 young and old rats. The segment of optic nerve was divided longitudinally into two pieces, each 0.1 mm in length. The first piece was used for transmission electron microscopy. The second piece was stained with histochemical reaction for monoamine oxidase. The agerelated changes in the optic nerve of rats include micro-anatomical details, ultrastructure and monoamine oxidase histochemical staining. A strong decrease of the thin nerve fibers and a swelling of the thick ones can be observed in optic nerve fibers of old rats. Increased monoamine oxidase histochemical staining of the optic nerve of aged rats is well demonstrated. The increase of meningeal shealth and the decrease of thin nerve fibers of the optic nerve in old rats are well documented. Morphological, ultrastructural and histochemical changes observed in optic nerve fibers of the old rats show a close relation with aging.

The morphological characteristics of corticostriatal and thalamostriatal neurons and their intrastriatal terminals in rats.

PubMed

Liu, Bingbing; Ouyang, Lisi; Mu, Shuhua; Zhu, Yaxi; Li, Keyi; Zhan, Mali; Liu, Zongwei; Jia, Yu; Lei, Wanlong

2011-11-01

The glutamatergic projection from the cerebral cortex and the thalamus extensively innervates the neostriatal neurons. However, some conflicts in the published literatures about cortical and thalamic intrastriatal synaptic terminals still need to be resolved. The present study intends to further elucidate the morphological characteristics of these two types of the terminals and their neurons. The corticostriatal and thalamostriatal terminals were immunolabeled for vesicular glutamate transporter type 1 (VGluT1) and 2 (VGluT2), respectively, and their neurons were retrograde labeled by biotinylated dextran amine 3,000 molecular weight (BDA3k) injection into the dorsolateral striatum of rats. The characteristics of the corticostriatal and thalamostriatal terminals were observed at the LM and EM levels, and the data were statistically analyzed with SPSS10.0 software. We observed that 63.53% of VGluT1+ terminals synapsed on dendritic spines, which was different from VGluT2+ terminals with the equal percentage of synapses on spines and dendrites (14.88 and 17.86%, respectively). Notably, VGluT1+ axospinous synaptic terminals were remarkably larger than VGluT2+ axospinous synaptic terminals. Terminal size-frequency distribution analysis showed that VGluT1+ terminals were within the size ranges of 0.4-0.5 and 0.8-0.9 μm, and VGluT2+ terminals were in the ranges of 0.4-0.5 and 0.6-0.7 μm. Perforated-postsynaptic densities (-PSDs) were more frequently found in VGluT1+ axospinous synaptic terminals than in VGluT2+ axospinous terminals. Furthermore, BDA3k-labeled corticostrital neurons were larger in perikaryal diameter than the thalamostriatal neurons, and they were also categorized as the two main populations based on their size-frequency distribution. The morphological characteristics of corticostriatal and thalamostriatal terminals and neurons have implications for understanding the roles of synaptic plasticity in adaptive motor control by the basal ganglia, and they

Characterization of rat serum amyloid A4 (SAA4): A novel member of the SAA superfamily

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rossmann, Christine; Windpassinger, Christian; Brunner, Daniela

2014-08-08

Highlights: • The full length rat SAA4 (rSAA4) mRNA was characterized by rapid amplification of cDNA ends. • rSAA4 mRNA has 1830 bases including a GA dinucleotide tandem repeat in the 5′UTR. • Three consecutive C/EBP promoter elements are crucial for transcription of rSAA4. • rSAA4 is abundantly expressed in the liver on mRNA and protein level. - Abstract: The serum amyloid A (SAA) family of proteins is encoded by multiple genes, which display allelic variation and a high degree of homology in mammals. The SAA1/2 genes code for non-glycosylated acute-phase SAA1/2 proteins, that may increase up to 1000-fold duringmore » inflammation. The SAA4 gene, well characterized in humans (hSAA4) and mice (mSaa4) codes for a SAA4 protein that is glycosylated only in humans. We here report on a previously uncharacterized SAA4 gene (rSAA4) and its product in Rattus norvegicus, the only mammalian species known not to express acute-phase SAA. The exon/intron organization of rSAA4 is similar to that reported for hSAA4 and mSaa4. By performing 5′- and 3′RACE, we identified a 1830-bases containing rSAA4 mRNA (including a GA-dinucleotide tandem repeat). Highest rSAA4 mRNA expression was detected in rat liver. In McA-RH7777 rat hepatoma cells, rSAA4 transcription was significantly upregulated in response to LPS and IL-6 while IL-1α/β and TNFα were without effect. Luciferase assays with promoter-truncation constructs identified three proximal C/EBP-elements that mediate expression of rSAA4 in McA-RH7777 cells. In line with sequence prediction a 14-kDa non-glycosylated SAA4 protein is abundantly expressed in rat liver. Fluorescence microscopy revealed predominant localization of rSAA4-GFP-tagged fusion protein in the ER.« less

Characterization of angiotensin-binding sites in the bovine adrenal and the rat brain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogulja, I.

1989-01-01

The first study was designed to determine whether systemically administered MSG affects neurons in the CVOs that are potentially important in mediating angiotensin-dependent responses. Rats were pretreated with MSG and the receptors for angiotensin II were assayed by radioligand binding in brain homogenates from the septum anteroventral third ventricular region (AV3V) and the thalamus/hypothalamus region using {sup 125}I-angiotensin II as the radioligand. The results of this experiment indicate that systematically administered MSG in the rat significantly reduced the number (Bmax) of Ang II receptors in a tissue sample which contained both extra blood-brain barrier organs as well as tissue withinmore » the blood-brain barrier with no change in the affinity (Kd) of the binding sites. The second chapter reports the successful solubilization of bovine adrenal {sup 125}I Ang II and {sup 125}I Sar{sup 1},Ile{sup 8}-Ang II binding sites with the detergent CHAPS. The results of our studies indicate the presence of two angiotensin binding sites. The one site is specific for naturally occurring angiotensins as well as sarcosine-1 substituted angiotensin analogues. The other site which can be optimally stabilized be re-addition of 0.3% CHAPS into the incubation assay binds sarcosine-1 substituted angiotensins exclusively. Hydrophobic interaction chromatography experiments suggest that these sites, possibly, represent distinct proteins. The third chapter discusses the successful solubilization and partial characterization of the rat brain angiotensin receptor.« less

Light-Emitting Diodes and Cool White Fluorescent Light Similarly Suppress Pineal Gland Melatonin and Maintain Retinal Function and Morphology in the Rat. Part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holley, Daniel C.; Heeke, D.; Mele, G.

1999-01-01

Currently, the light sources most commonly used in animal habitat lighting are cool white fluorescent or incandescent lamps. We evaluated a novel light-emitting diode (LED) light source for use in animal habitat lighting by comparing its effectiveness to cool white fluorescent light (CWF) in suppressing pineal gland melatonin and maintaining normal retinal physiology and morphology in the rat. Results of pineal melatonin suppression experiments showed equal suppression of pineal melatonin concentrations for LED light and CWF light at five different light illuminances (100, 40, 10, 1 and 0.1 lux). There were no significant differences in melatonin suppression between LED and CWF light when compared to unexposed controls. Retinal physiology was evaluated using electroretinography. Results show no differences in a-wave implicit times and amplitudes or b-wave implicit times and amplitudes between 100-lux LED-exposed rats and 100-lux CWF-exposed rats. Results of retinal histology assessment show no differences in retinal thickness rod outer segment length and number of rod nuclei between rats exposed to 100-lux LED and 100-lux CWF for days. Furthermore, the retinal pigmented epithelium and rod outer segments of all eyes observed were in good condition and of normal thickness. This study indicates that LED light does not cause retinal damage and can suppress pineal melatonin at similar intensities as a conventional CWF light source. These data suggest that LED light sources may be suitable replacements for conventional light sources used in the lighting of rodent vivariums while providing many mechanical and economical advantages.

The influence of hollyhock extract administration on testicular function in rats.

PubMed

Papiez, Monika A

2004-11-01

It has been reported, recently that an aqueous extract from hollyhock flowers (Althaea rosea Cav. varietas nigra) induces weak metabolic changes in rat testes. In the present study, the in vivoinfluence of a methanolic extract was investigated on the metabolism and morphology of the rat testis. To this end, histochemical, morphometric and radioimmunological methods were used. The rats drank the extract at a dose of 100 mg/day for 7 weeks. The histochemical activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and Delta(5)beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (Delta(5)betaHSD) increased significantly statistically in the Leydig cells of the experimental rats in comparison with controls. There were no significant changes in either the diameter of seminiferous tubules or the height of seminiferous epithelium after hollyhock administration. Further, only a small amount of hyperplasia of the interstitial tissue was observed. The morphological and histoenzymatic changes in the Leydig cells indicate that the methanolic hollyhock extract has a direct but small influence on rat testes. The insignificant changes in testicular testosterone and estradiol content suggest that the extract does not disturb steroidogenesis.

Purification of a factor from the granules of a rat natural killer cell line (RNK) that reduces tumor cell growth and changes tumor morphology. Molecular identity with a granule serine protease (RNKP-1).

PubMed

Sayers, T J; Wiltrout, T A; Sowder, R; Munger, W L; Smyth, M J; Henderson, L E

1992-01-01

We have purified a protein from the granules of the rat NK leukemia cell line (RNK) that is cytostatic to a variety of tumor cells. This protein shows no species specificity because certain tumor cell lines of mouse, rat, and human origin were equally sensitive to its growth inhibitory effects. Treatment of sensitive cells resulted in a rounding of the cells followed by homotypic aggregation into large aggregates. The granule protein was distinct from cytolysin, Na-Cbz-Lys-thiobenzylester-esterase, or leukolexin. It had a molecular mass of 29 to 31 kDa, bound strongly to heparin, was inactivated by heating at 70 degrees C for 5 min or reduction, but was stable to trypsin treatment. By using molecular sieve chromatography, heparin agarose chromatography, and reverse phase HPLC, this protein was purified to homogeneity. The first 33 amino acids of the N-terminal amino acid sequence showed complete identity to the sequence predicted from a rat serine protease gene recently cloned and designated RNKP-1. Therefore we have purified a novel serine protease and demonstrated that it has effects on the growth and morphology of certain tumor cells. Other serine proteases that were structurally related and have substantial homology with RNKP-1 at the amino acid level showed neither growth inhibitory properties nor affected the morphology of the tumor target cells we used.

The morphology and electrical geometry of rat jaw-elevator motoneurones.

PubMed Central

Moore, J A; Appenteng, K

1991-01-01

1. The aim of this work was to quantify both the morphology and electrical geometry of the dendritic trees of jaw-elevator motoneurones. To do this we have made intracellular recordings from identified motoneurones in anaesthetized rats, determined their membrane properties and then filled them with horseradish peroxidase by ionophoretic ejection. Four neurones were subsequently fully reconstructed and the lengths and diameters of all the dendritic segments measured. 2. The mean soma diameter was 25 microns and values of mean dendritic length for individual cells ranged from 514 to 773 microns. Dendrites branched on average 9.1 times to produce 10.2 end-terminations. Dendritic segments could be represented as constant diameter cylinders between branch points. Values of dendritic surface area ranged from 1.08 to 2.52 x 10(5) microns 2 and values of dendritic to total surface area from 98 to 99%. 3. At branch points the ratio of the summed diameters of the daughter dendrites to the 3/2 power against the parent dendrite to the 3/2 power was exactly 1.0. Therefore the individual branch points could be collapsed into a single cylinder. Furthermore for an individual dendrite the diameter of this cylinder remained constant with increasing electrical distance from the soma. Thus individual dendrites can be represented electrically as cylinders of constant diameter. 4. However dendrites of a given neurone terminated at different electrical distances from the soma. The equivalent-cylinder diameter of the combined dendritic tree remained constant over the proximal half and then showed a pronounced reduction over the distal half. The reduction in equivalent diameter could be ascribed to the termination of dendrites at differing electrical distances from the soma. Therefore the complete dendritic tree of these motoneurones is best represented as a cylinder over the proximal half of their electrical length but as a cone over the distal half. PMID:1804966

Tachykinin receptor and neutral endopeptidase gene expression in the rat uterus: characterization and regulation in response to ovarian steroid treatment.

PubMed

Pinto, F M; Armesto, C P; Magraner, J; Trujillo, M; Martín, J D; Candenas, M L

1999-06-01

Tachykinin neuropeptides, such as substance P, are localized to a population of sensory fibers that innervate the mammalian female reproductive tract. In the present study, we have characterized tachykinin NK1 receptor (NK1R), NK2 receptor (NK2R), and NK3 receptor (NK3R) gene expression by semiquantitative RT-PCR in uteri from ovariectomized rats and studied their regulation in response to 17beta-estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), or a combination of both. In addition, we analyzed the expression and regulation of the neutral endopeptidase 24.11 (NEP), the most important enzyme involved in tachykinin degradation in the rat uterus. In uteri from control (olive oil-treated) rats, RT-PCR assays revealed single bands corresponding to the expected product sizes encoding complementary DNA for NK1R (232 bp), NK2R (491 bp), NK3R (325 bp), and NEP (221 bp). The identity of the amplified fragments was confirmed by DNA sequence analysis. Compared with control rats, NK1R messenger RNA (mRNA) was increased by 2-fold in uteri from rats treated with E2, was decreased by 3.3-fold in rats treated with P4, and was decreased by 1.8-fold in rats treated with both E2 and P4. Uterine NK2R mRNA levels were not altered by any steroid treatment. E2 treatment decreased by 15-fold NK3R mRNA. P4 was without effect if administered alone and did not influence the E2-induced decrease in NK3R mRNA. NEP mRNA levels were about 4-fold lower in E2-treated than in P4-treated rats. Functional studies were carried out in uteri from E2- or P4-treated ovariectomized rats to characterize the contractile response evoked by the selective tachykinin receptor agonists [Sar9Met(O2)11]substance P (NK1R selective), [Nle10]NKA-(4-10) (NK2R selective), and [MePhe7]NKB (NK3R selective) in the presence of the NEP inhibitor phosphoramidon (1 microM). A marked correlation was observed between the magnitude of the contractile response to each agonist and the level of expression determined by RT-PCR for each tachykinin

A semi-automated Raman micro-spectroscopy method for morphological and chemical characterizations of microplastic litter.

PubMed

L, Frère; I, Paul-Pont; J, Moreau; P, Soudant; C, Lambert; A, Huvet; E, Rinnert

2016-12-15

Every step of microplastic analysis (collection, extraction and characterization) is time-consuming, representing an obstacle to the implementation of large scale monitoring. This study proposes a semi-automated Raman micro-spectroscopy method coupled to static image analysis that allows the screening of a large quantity of microplastic in a time-effective way with minimal machine operator intervention. The method was validated using 103 particles collected at the sea surface spiked with 7 standard plastics: morphological and chemical characterization of particles was performed in <3h. The method was then applied to a larger environmental sample (n=962 particles). The identification rate was 75% and significantly decreased as a function of particle size. Microplastics represented 71% of the identified particles and significant size differences were observed: polystyrene was mainly found in the 2-5mm range (59%), polyethylene in the 1-2mm range (40%) and polypropylene in the 0.335-1mm range (42%). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phenotypic modulation of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells in a rat model of cavernous neurectomy.

PubMed

Yang, Fan; Zhao, Jian F; Shou, Qi Y; Huang, Xiao J; Chen, Gang; Yang, Ke B; Zhang, Shi G; Lv, Bo D; Fu, Hui Y

2014-01-01

Patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) are at high risk for erectile dysfunction (ED) due to potential cavernous nerve (CN) damage during surgery. Penile hypoxia after RP is thought to significantly contribute to ED pathogenesis. We previously showed that corpora cavernosum smooth muscle cells (CCSMCs) undergo phenotypic modulation under hypoxic conditions in vitro. Here, we studied such changes in an in vivo post-RP ED model by investigating CCSMCs in bilateral cavernous neurectomy (BCN) rats. Sprague-Dawley rats underwent sham (n = 12) or BCN (n = 12) surgery. After 12 weeks, they were injected with apomorphine to determine erectile function. The penile tissues were harvested and assessed for fibrosis using Masson trichrome staining and for molecular markers of phenotypic modulation using immunohistochemistry and western blotting. CCSMC morphological structure was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Erectile function was significantly lower in BCN rats than in sham rats. BCN increased hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and collagen protein expression in corpora cavernous tissue. H&E staining and TEM showed that CCSMCs in BCN rats underwent hypertrophy and showed rough endoplasmic reticulum formation. The expression of CCSMC phenotypic markers, such as smooth muscle α-actin, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, and desmin, was markedly lower, whereas vimentin protein expression was significantly higher in BCN rats than in control rats. CCSMCs undergo phenotype modulation in rats with cavernous neurectomy. The results have unveiled physiological transformations that occur at the cellular and molecular levels and have helped characterize CN injury-induced ED.

Pharmacological characterization of P2X7 receptors in rat peritoneal cells.

PubMed

Chen, Y-W; Donnelly-Roberts, D L; Namovic, M T; Gintant, G A; Cox, B F; Jarvis, M F; Harris, R R

2005-03-01

P2X(7) receptor activation by ATP results in the release of IL-1beta and IL-18. Prolonged stimulation can lead to pore formation and cell death. In this study we pharmacologically characterized P2X(7) receptors on rat peritoneal cells (RPC) and on 1321N1 cells transfected with rat P2X(7) receptor (1321rP2X(7)-11). RPC were isolated from rats by lavage. P2X(7) agonist induced pore formation in RPC was measured by EtBr uptake. P2X(7)-stimulated pore formation and Ca(++) influx in 1321rP2X(7)-11 cells were measured by a fluorometric imaging plate reader. The effects of pyridoxal phosphate-6-azo phenyl -2'-4'-disulfonic acid (PPADS) on pore formation and Ca(++) influx were examined in both RPC and 1321rP2X(7)-11. P2X(7)-mediated IL-1beta release in RPC and the effect of PPADS were determined. RPC express functional P2X(7) receptors that were activated by ATP analogs with a rank order of potency of 2'- 3'-O-(4-Benzoylbenzoyl) adenosine 5'-triphosphate (BzATP) > ATP > alpha,beta-methylene ATP. Activation of P2X(7) receptors by BzATP was inhibited by PPADS. Similar results were also obtained in 1321rP2X(7)-11 cells. Activation of P2X(7) receptors on RPC resulted in IL-1 beta secretion, which was inhibited by PPADS. RPC express functional P2X(7) receptors that form pores and mediate the release of IL-1beta.

Different patterns of morphological changes in the hippocampus and dentate gyrus accompany the differential expression of disability following nerve injury.

PubMed

Kalman, Eszter; Keay, Kevin A

2014-12-01

Physical and psychological trauma which results in mood disorders and the disruption of complex behaviours is associated with reductions in hippocampal volume. Clinical evaluation of neuropathic pain reveals mood and behavioural change in a significant number of patients. A rat model of neuropathic injury results in complex behavioural changes in a subpopulation (~30%) of injured rats; these changes are co-morbid with a range of other 'disabilities'. The specific objective of this study was to determine in rats the morphology of the hippocampus and dentate gyrus in individuals with and without complex behavioural disruptions following a constriction injury of the sciatic nerve, and to determine whether rats that develop disabilities following nerve injury have a reduced hippocampal volume compared with injured rats with no disabilities. The social behaviours of nerve-injured rats were evaluated before and after nerve injury. The morphology of the hippocampus of rats with and without behavioural disruptions was compared in serial histological sections. Single-housing and repeated social-interaction testing had no effect on the morphology of either the hippocampus or the dentate gyrus. Rats with transient or ongoing disability identified by behavioural disruption following sciatic nerve injury, show bilateral reductions in hippocampal volume, and lateralised reduction in the dentate gyrus (left side). Disabled rats display a combination of behavioural and physiological changes, which resemble many of the criteria used clinically to diagnose mood disorders. They also show reductions in the volume of the hippocampus similar to people with clinically diagnosed mood disorders. The sciatic nerve injury model reveals a similarity to the human neuropathic pain presentation presenting an anatomically specific focus for the investigation of the neural mechanisms underpinning the co-morbidity of chronic pain and mood disorder. © 2014 Anatomical Society.

Genome wide identification of Staufen2-bound mRNAs in embryonic rat brains.

PubMed

Maher-Laporte, Marjolaine; DesGroseillers, Luc

2010-05-01

Messenger ribonucleoprotein particles (mRNPs) are used to transport mRNAs along neuronal dendrites to their site of translation. Staufen2 is an mRNA-binding protein expressed in the cell bodies and cellular processes of different brain cells. It is notably involved in the transport of dendritic mRNAs along microtubules. Its knockdown expression was shown to change spine morphology and impair synaptic functions. However, the identity of Staufen2-bound mRNAs in brain cells is still completely unknown. As a mean to identify these mRNAs, we immunoprecipitated Staufen2-containing mRNPs from embryonic rat brains and used a genome wide approach to identify Staufen2-associated mRNAs. The genome wide approach identified 1780 mRNAs in Staufen2-containing mRNPs that code for proteins involved in cellular processes such as post-translational protein modifications, RNA metabolism, intracellular transport and translation. These results represent an additional and important step in the characterization of Staufen2- mediated neuronal functions in rat brains.

Characterization of the homologous and heterologous desensitization of rat Leydig-tumour-cell adenylate cyclase.

PubMed

Dix, C J; Habberfield, A D; Cooke, B A

1984-06-15

The homologous and heterologous desensitization of rat Leydig-tumour-cell adenylate cyclase induced by lutropin (LH) was characterized with the aid of forskolin and cholera toxin. Forskolin stimulated cyclic AMP production in a dose-dependent manner, with linear kinetics up to 2h. Forskolin also potentiated the action of LH on cyclic AMP production, but was only additive with cholera toxin. Preincubation of rat Leydig tumour cells with LH (1.0 micrograms/ml) for 1 h produced a desensitization of the subsequent LH (1.0 micrograms/ml)-stimulated cyclic AMP production, whereas the responses to cholera toxin (5.0 micrograms/ml), forskolin (100 microM), LH plus forskolin or cholera toxin plus forskolin were unaltered. In contrast, preincubation with LH for 20h produced a desensitization to all the stimuli tested. When rat Leydig tumour cells were preincubated for 1h with forskolin or dibutyryl cyclic AMP, the only subsequent response that was significantly altered was that to LH plus forskolin after preincubation with forskolin. However, preincubation for 20h with forskolin or dibutyryl cyclic AMP induced a desensitization to all stimuli subsequently tested. LH produced a rapid (0-1h) homologous desensitization, which was followed by a slower (2-8h)-onset heterologous desensitization. Forskolin and dibutyryl cyclic AMP were only able to induce heterologous desensitization. The rate of desensitization induced by either forskolin or dibutyryl cyclic AMP was similar to the rate of heterologous desensitization induced by LH. These results demonstrate that in purified rat Leydig tumour cells LH produces an initial homologous desensitization of adenylate cyclase that involves a cyclic AMP-independent lesion at or proximal to the guanine nucleotide regulatory protein (G-protein). This is followed by heterologous desensitization, which can also be induced by forskolin or dibutyryl cyclic AMP, thus indicating that LH-induced heterologous desensitization of rat Leydig

Molecular and Morphological Characterizations of Echinococcus granulosus from Human and Animal Isolates in Kashan, Markazi Province, Iran

PubMed Central

ARBABI, Mohsen; PIRESTANI, Majid; DELAVARI, Mahdi; HOOSHYAR, Hossein; ABDOLI, Amir; SARVI, Shahab

2017-01-01

Background: One of the most important zoonotic helminths in the world is known as Echinococcus granulosus. Different strains of the E. granulosus have been described based on morphological and molecular characterizations, however, there is limited information regarding the characteristics of the phenotypes and genotypes of E. granulosus in Iran. Methods: The present study was prepared to evaluate the phenotypic and genotypic diversity of E. granulosus isolates collected from human, goat, sheep, and cattle based on 19 standard morphometric parameters and mitochondrial and nuclear genes (CO1, ND1, and ITS1) in Kashan, Markazi Province, Iran during 2013–2014. Results: The biometric analysis for the 19 characters revealed that the 19 morphometric values of cattle isolates were exceptionally higher than human, goat, and sheep isolates (P<0.05). Molecular analysis confirms the morphological findings. Phylogenic analysis of the CO1, NAD1 and ITS1 genes for all isolates, independent of the host, revealed that the common sheep strain (G1) is traveling among livestock in Kashan and the strains are highly adapted to goats, cattle, sheep, and humans. Conclusion: Both morphological and molecular results of this study indicated that the only genotype G1 of E. granulosus travels between humans and other intermediate hosts of this parasite in the area study. PMID:28761477

Simultaneous Characterization of Intravenous and Oral Pharmacokinetics of Lychnopholide in Rats by Transit Compartment Model.

PubMed

Lachi-Silva, Larissa; Sy, Sherwin K B; Voelkner, Alexander; de Sousa, João Paulo Barreto; Lopes, João Luis C; Silva, Denise B; Lopes, Norberto P; Kimura, Elza; Derendorf, Hartmut; Diniz, Andrea

2015-08-01

The pharmacokinetic properties of a new molecular entity are important aspects in evaluating the viability of the compound as a pharmacological agent. The sesquiterpene lactone lychnopholide exhibits important biological activities. The objective of this study was to characterize the pharmacokinetics of lychnopholide after intravenous administration of 1.65 mg/kg (n = 5) and oral administration of 3.3 mg/kg (n = 3) lychnopholide in rats (0.2 ± 0.02 kg in weight) through nonlinear mixed effects modeling and non-compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis. A highly sensitive analytical method was used to quantify the plasma lychnopholide concentrations in rats. Plasma protein binding of this compound was over 99 % as determined by a filtration method. A two-compartment body model plus three transit compartments to characterize the absorption process best described the disposition of lychnopholide after both routes of administration. The oral bioavailability was approximately 68 %. The clearance was 0.131 l/min and intercompartmental clearance was 0.171 l/min; steady-state volume of distribution was 4.83 l. The mean transit time for the absorption process was 9.15 minutes. No flip-flop phenomenon was observed after oral administration. The pharmacokinetic properties are favorable for further development of lychnopholide as a potential oral pharmacological agent. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Silymarin-Loaded Eudragit Nanoparticles: Formulation, Characterization, and Hepatoprotective and Toxicity Evaluation.

PubMed

El-Nahas, Amira E; Allam, Ahmed N; Abdelmonsif, Doaa A; El-Kamel, Amal H

2017-11-01

The objectives of this study were to formulate, characterize silymarin-loaded Eudragit nanoparticles (SNPs) and evaluate their hepatoprotective and cytotoxic effects after oral administration. SNPs were prepared by nanoprecipitation technique and were evaluated for particle size, entrapment efficiency, TEM, solid-state characterization, and in vitro drug release. The hepatoprotective activity was evaluated after oral administration of selected SNPs in carbon tetrachloride-intoxicated rats. Potential in vivo acute cytotoxicity study was also assessed. The selected SNPs contained 50 mg silymarin and 50 mg Eudragit polymers (1:1 w/w Eudragit RS 100 & Eudragit LS 100). Morphology of the selected SNPs (particle size of 84.70 nm and entrapment efficiency of 83.45% with 100% drug release after 12 h) revealed spherical and uniformly distributed nanoparticles. DSC and FT-IR studies suggested the presence of silymarin in an amorphous state and absence of chemical interaction. The hepatoprotective evaluation of the selected SNPs in CCl 4 -intoxicated rats revealed significant improvement in the activities of different biochemical parameters (P ≤ 0.01) compared to the marketed product. The histopathological studies suggested that the selected SNPs produced better hepatoprotective effect in CCl 4 -intoxicated rats compared with the commercially marketed product. Toxicity study revealed no evident toxic effect for blank or silymarin-loaded nanoparticles at the dose level of 50 mg/kg body weight. The obtained results suggested that the selected SNPs were safe and potentially offered enhancement in the pharmacological hepatoprotective properties of silymarin.

Effects of vildagliptin versus sitagliptin, on cardiac function, heart rate variability and mitochondrial function in obese insulin-resistant rats

PubMed Central

Apaijai, Nattayaporn; Pintana, Hiranya; Chattipakorn, Siriporn C; Chattipakorn, Nipon

2013-01-01

Background and Purpose Long-term high-fat diet (HFD) consumption has been shown to cause insulin resistance, which is characterized by hyperinsulinaemia with metabolic inflexibility. Insulin resistance is associated with cardiac sympathovagal imbalance, cardiac dysfunction and cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, vildagliptin and sitagliptin, are oral anti-diabetic drugs often prescribed in patients with cardiovascular disease. Therefore, in this study, we sought to determine the effects of vildagliptin and sitagliptin in a murine model of insulin resistance. Experimental Approach Male Wistar rats weighing 180–200 g, were fed either a normal diet (20% energy from fat) or a HFD (59% energy from fat) for 12 weeks. These rats were then divided into three subgroups to receive vildagliptin (3 mg·kg−1·day−1), sitagliptin (30 mg·kg−1·day−1) or vehicle for another 21 days. Metabolic parameters, oxidative stress, heart rate variability (HRV), cardiac function and cardiac mitochondrial function were determined. Key Results Rats that received HFD developed insulin resistance characterized by increased body weight, plasma insulin, total cholesterol and oxidative stress levels along with a decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level. Moreover, cardiac dysfunction, depressed HRV, cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction and cardiac mitochondrial morphology changes were observed in HFD rats. Both vildagliptin and sitagliptin decreased plasma insulin, total cholesterol and oxidative stress as well as increased HDL level. Furthermore, vildagliptin and sitagliptin attenuated cardiac dysfunction, prevented cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction and completely restored HRV. Conclusions and Implications Both vildagliptin and sitagliptin share similar efficacy in cardioprotection in obese insulin-resistant rats. PMID:23488656

Chronic treatment with glucocorticoids alters rat hippocampal and prefrontal cortical morphology in parallel with endogenous agmatine and arginine decarboxylase levels

PubMed Central

Zhu, Meng-Yang; Wang, Wei-Ping; Huang, Jingjing; Regunathan, Soundar

2009-01-01

In the present study, we examined the possible effect of chronic treatment with glucocorticoids on the morphology of the rat brain and levels of endogenous agmatine and arginine decarboxylase (ADC) protein, the enzyme essential for agmatine synthesis. Seven-day treatment with dexamethasone, at a dose (10 and 50 µg/kg/day) associated to stress effects contributed by glucocorticoids, did not result in obvious morphologic changes in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, as measured by immunocytochemical staining with β-tubulin III. However, 21-day treatment (50 µg/kg/day) produced noticeable structural changes such as the diminution and disarrangement of dendrites and neurons in these areas. Simultaneous treatment with agmatine (50 mg/kg/day) prevented these morphological changes. Further measurement with HPLC showed that endogenous agmatine levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were significantly increased after 7-day treatments with dexamethasone in a dose-dependent manner. On the contrary, 21-day treatment with glucocorticoids robustly reduced agmatine levels in these regions. The treatment-caused biphasic alterations of endogenous agmatine levels were also seen in the striatum and hypothalamus. Interestingly, treatment with glucocorticoids resulted in a similar change of ADC protein levels in most brain areas to endogenous agmatine levels: an increase after 7-day treatment versus a reduction after 21-day treatment. These results demonstrated that agmatine has neuroprotective effects against structural alterations caused by glucocorticoids in vivo. The parallel alterations in the endogenous agmatine levels and ADC expression in the brain after treatment with glucocorticoids indicate the possible regulatory effect of these stress hormones on the synthesis and metabolism of agmatine in vivo. PMID:17760863

Oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol protect rats' pups against bisphenol A induced hypothyroidism.

PubMed

Mahmoudi, Asma; Ghorbel, Hèla; Feki, Ines; Bouallagui, Zouhaier; Guermazi, Fadhel; Ayadi, Lobna; Sayadi, Sami

2018-04-27

Bisphenol A (BPA) can disturb the endocrine system and the organs that respond to endocrine signals in organisms, indirectly exposed during prenatal and/or early postnatal life. The present study was designed to assess the protective effect of phenolic compounds from olive leaves against BPA induced thyroid dysfunction and growth perturbation in young rats during lactation. The BPA disrupting effect on thyroid function was investigated by measuring changes in plasma levels of thyroid hormones. Free triiodothyronine (FT3) and thyroxine (FT4) were decreased in young rats breast-fed from mothers treated with bisphenol A. This effect was associated with an increase in the plasma level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). The histological and immunohistochemical study of the thyroid gland revealed a disturbance in morphological structure and thyroid cells function. Thyroid dysfunction led to a disruption in the skeletal bone growth of young rats. In fact, the infrared microspectroscopic analysis and histological examination of femoral bone showed significant changes in their histoarchitecture associated with a perturbation in the mechanism of bone tissue mineralization. The administration of oleuropein or hydroxytyrosol in BPA treated lactating mothers improved the thyroid cells function by enhancing thyroid hormone levels. Moreover, these phenolics increased the body growth characterized by an amelioration in the structure and the microstructure of femoral bone tissue. HPLC analysis of rats-breast milk indicated the presence of oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, which could contribute to the protective effect against bisphenol A induced hypothyroidism in pups rats. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Administration of imatinib mesylate in rats impairs the neonatal development of intramuscular interstitial cells in bladder and results in altered contractile properties.

PubMed

Gevaert, Thomas; Hutchings, Graham; Everaerts, Wouter; Prenen, Hans; Roskams, Tania; Nilius, Bernd; De Ridder, Dirk

2014-04-01

The KIT receptor is considered as a reliable marker for a subpopulation of interstitial cells (IC), and by persistent neonatal inhibition of KIT we have investigated the role of this receptor in the development of IC-networks in bladder and we have observed the functional consequences of this inhibition. Newborn rat pups were treated daily with the KIT inhibitor imatinib mesylate (IM). After 7 days animals were sacrificed and bladder samples were dissected for morphological and functional studies. Morphological research consisted of immunohistochemistry with IC specific antigens (KIT and vimentin) and electron microscopy. The functional studies were based on isolated bladder strips in organ baths, in which spontaneous bladder contractility and the response to a non-subtype selective muscarinic agonist was evaluated. Suburothelial and intramuscular IC were found and characterized in neonatal rat bladder. IM-treatment induced a significant decrease in numbers of IC based on specific immunohistochemical markers, and electron microscopy revealed evidence of IC cell injury. These morphological alterations were observed on intramuscular IC only and not on IC in the suburothelium. Isolated muscle strips from IM-treated animals had a lower contractile frequency and an altered response to muscarinic agonists. The present study shows the presence of regional subpopulations of IC in neonatal rat bladder, provides evidence for a dependence on KIT of the development of intramuscular IC and supports the hypothesis that a poor development of networks of intramuscular IC might have repercussions on spontaneous and muscarinic-induced bladder contractility. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of different morphological parameters with duration of obstruction created experimentally in unilateral upper ureters: an animal model.

PubMed

Panda, Shasanka Shekhar; Bajpai, Minu; Mallick, Saumyaranjan; Sharma, Mehar C

2014-01-01

The objective of the following study is to determine and to compare the different morphological parameters with duration of obstruction created experimentally in unilateral upper ureters of rats. Unilateral upper ureteric obstruction was created in 60 adult Wistar rats that were reversed after predetermined intervals. Rats were sacrificed and ipsilateral kidneys were subjected for analysis of morphological parameters such as renal height, cranio-caudal diameter, antero-posterior diameter, lateral diameter, volume of the pelvis and average cortical thickness: Renal height. Renal height and cranio-caudal diameter of renal pelvis after ipsilateral upper ureteric obstruction started rising as early as 7 days of creating obstruction and were affected earlier than antero-posterior and lateral diameter and also were reversed earlier than other parameters after reversal of obstruction. Renal cortical thickness and volume of the pelvis were affected after prolonged obstruction (> 3 weeks) and were the late parameters to be reversed after reversal of obstruction. Cranio-caudal diameter and renal height were the early morphological parameters to be affected and reversed after reversal of obstruction in experimentally created ipsilateral upper ureteric obstruction.

Morphological, molecular and functional differences of adult bone marrow- and adipose-derived stem cells isolated from rats of different ages

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mantovani, Cristina; Department of Integrative Medical Biology and Surgical and Perioperative Science, Umea University, Umea; Department of Surgical and Perioperative Science, Umea University, Umea

2012-10-01

Adult mesenchymal stem cells have self-renewal and multiple differentiation potentials, and play important roles in regenerative medicine. However, their use may be limited by senescence or age of the donor, leading to changes in stem cell functionality. We investigated morphological, molecular and functional differences between bone marrow-derived (MSC) and adipose-derived (ASC) stem cells isolated from neonatal, young and old rats compared to Schwann cells from the same animals. Immunocytochemistry, RT-PCR, proliferation assays, western blotting and transmission electron microscopy were used to investigate expression of senescence markers. Undifferentiated and differentiated ASC and MSC from animals of different ages expressed Notch-2 atmore » similar levels; protein-38 and protein-53 were present in all groups of cells with a trend towards increased levels in cells from older animals compared to those from neonatal and young rats. Following co-culture with adult neuronal cells, dMSC and dASC from animals of all ages elicited robust neurite outgrowth. Mitotracker{sup Registered-Sign} staining was consistent with ultrastructural changes seen in the mitochondria of cells from old rats, indicative of senescence. In conclusion, this study showed that although the cells from aged animals expressed markers of senescence, aged MSC and ASC differentiated into SC-like cells still retain potential to support axon regeneration. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Aged MSC and ASC differentiated into Schwann-like cells support axon regeneration. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer p53 expression does not appreciably influence the biology of Schwann or stem cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Notch 2 expression was similar in cells derived from animals of different ages. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Proliferation rates of dMSC varied little over time or with animal age.« less

Serotonin-producing enterochromaffin (EC) cells of gastrointestinal mucosa in dexamethasone-treated rats.

PubMed

Glisić, Radmila; Koko, Vesna; Todorović, Vera; Drndarević, Neda; Cvijić, Gordana

2006-09-11

The aim of our study was to investigate the morphological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural changes of rat serotonin-producing enterochromaffin (EC) cells of gastrointestinal mucosa in dexamethasone-treated rats (D). After 12-daily intraperitoneal administration of 2 mg/kg dexamethasone, rats developed diabetes similar to human diabetes type 2. Stomach, small and large intestines were examined. Large serotonin positive EC cells appeared in the corpus mucosa epithelium of D group of rats, although these cells were not present in control (C) rats. Both volume fraction and the number of EC cells per mm(2) of mucosa were significantly increased only in the duodenum. However, the number of EC cells per circular sections of both antrum and small intestine was increased, but reduced both in the ascending and descending colon in D group. The dexamethasone treatment caused a strong reduction in number of granules in the antral EC cells, while it was gradually increased beginning from the jejunum to descending colon. The mean granular content was reduced in the antral EC cells but increased in the jejunal EC cells in D group. In conclusion, the present study showed that morphological changes in gut serotonin-producing EC cells occurred in diabetic rats.

BiVO4 microstructures with various morphologies: Synthesis and characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Min; Jing, Qifeng; Feng, Xinyan; Chen, Limiao

2018-01-01

Bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) microstructures with dumbbell, rod, ellipsoid, sphere, and cake-like morphologies have been successfully fabricated by using a surfactant-free hydrothermal method, in which the morphology of the BiVO4 microstructures can be tuned by simply varying the molar ratio of Bi(NO)3·5H2O to NaVO3 in the starting materials. Based on a series of contrast experiments, the probable formation mechanism of the BiVO4 microstructures with multiple shapes have been proposed. The photocatalytic performances of the as-prepared BiVO4 microstructures have been evaluated by studying the degradation of Rhodamine B solutions under visible light irradiation. The results reveal that the cake-like BiVO4 microstructures exhibit the higher photocatalytic activity than other BiVO4 microstructures due to its high surface area and unique morphology.

Morphologic, cytometric and functional characterization of the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) hemocytes.

PubMed

Castellanos-Martínez, S; Prado-Alvarez, M; Lobo-da-Cunha, A; Azevedo, C; Gestal, C

2014-05-01

The hemocytes of Octopus vulgaris were morphologically and functionally characterized. Light and electron microscopy (TEM and SEM), and flow cytometry analyses revealed the existence of two hemocyte populations. Large granulocytes showed U-shaped nucleus, a mean of 11.6 μm±1.2 in diameter with basophilic granules, polysaccharide and lysosomic deposits in the cytoplasm. Small granulocytes measured a mean of 8.1 μm±0.7 in diameter, and have a round nucleus occupying almost the entire cell and few or not granules in the cytoplasm. Flow cytometry analysis showed that large granulocytes are the principal cells that develop phagocytosis of latex beads (rising up to 56%) and ROS after zymosan stimulation. Zymosan induced the highest production of both ROS and NO. This study is the first tread towards understanding the O. vulgaris immune system by applying new tools to provide a most comprehensive morpho-functional study of their hemocytes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical, Morphological, and Molecular Characterization of Penicillium canis sp. nov., Isolated from a Dog with Osteomyelitis

PubMed Central

Sutton, Deanna A.; Swenson, Cheryl L.; Bailey, Chris J.; Wiederhold, Nathan P.; Nelson, Nathan C.; Thompson, Elizabeth H.; Wickes, Brian L.; French, Stephanie; Fu, Jianmin; Vilar-Saavedra, Paulo

2014-01-01

Infections caused by Penicillium species are rare in dogs, and the prognosis in these cases is poor. An unknown species of Penicillium was isolated from a bone lesion in a young dog with osteomyelitis of the right ilium. Extensive diagnostic evaluation did not reveal evidence of dissemination. Resolution of lameness and clinical stability of disease were achieved with intravenous phospholipid-complexed amphotericin B initially, followed by long-term combination therapy with terbinafine and ketoconazole. A detailed morphological and molecular characterization of the mold was undertaken. Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer revealed the isolate to be closely related to Penicillium menonorum and Penicillium pimiteouiense. Additional sequence analysis of β-tubulin, calmodulin, minichromosome maintenance factor, DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and pre-rRNA processing protein revealed the isolate to be a novel species; the name Penicillium canis sp. nov. is proposed. Morphologically, smooth, ovoid conidia, a greenish gray colony color, slow growth on all media, and a failure to form ascomata distinguish this species from closely related Penicillium species. PMID:24789186

Clinical, morphological, and molecular characterization of Penicillium canis sp. nov., isolated from a dog with osteomyelitis.

PubMed

Langlois, Daniel K; Sutton, Deanna A; Swenson, Cheryl L; Bailey, Chris J; Wiederhold, Nathan P; Nelson, Nathan C; Thompson, Elizabeth H; Wickes, Brian L; French, Stephanie; Fu, Jianmin; Vilar-Saavedra, Paulo; Peterson, Stephen W

2014-07-01

Infections caused by Penicillium species are rare in dogs, and the prognosis in these cases is poor. An unknown species of Penicillium was isolated from a bone lesion in a young dog with osteomyelitis of the right ilium. Extensive diagnostic evaluation did not reveal evidence of dissemination. Resolution of lameness and clinical stability of disease were achieved with intravenous phospholipid-complexed amphotericin B initially, followed by long-term combination therapy with terbinafine and ketoconazole. A detailed morphological and molecular characterization of the mold was undertaken. Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer revealed the isolate to be closely related to Penicillium menonorum and Penicillium pimiteouiense. Additional sequence analysis of β-tubulin, calmodulin, minichromosome maintenance factor, DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and pre-rRNA processing protein revealed the isolate to be a novel species; the name Penicillium canis sp. nov. is proposed. Morphologically, smooth, ovoid conidia, a greenish gray colony color, slow growth on all media, and a failure to form ascomata distinguish this species from closely related Penicillium species. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Arabic Morphology in the Neural Language System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boudelaa, Sami; Pulvermuller, Friedemann; Hauk, Olaf; Shtyrov, Yury; Marslen-Wilson, William

2010-01-01

There are two views about morphology, the aspect of language concerned with the internal structure of words. One view holds that morphology is a domain of knowledge with a specific type of neurocognitive representation supported by specific brain mechanisms lateralized to left fronto-temporal cortex. The alternate view characterizes morphological…

Hyperspectral, photogrammetric and morphological characterization of surface impurities over the Greenland ice sheet from remote sensing observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tedesco, M.; Alexander, P. M.; Briggs, K.; Linares, M.; Mote, T. L.

2016-12-01

The spatial and temporal evolution of surface impurities over the Greenland ice sheet plays a crucial role in modulating the meltwater production in view of the associated feedback on albedo. Recent studies have pointed to a `darkening' of the west portion of the ice sheet with this reduction in albedo likely associated with the increasing presence of surface impurities (e.g., soot, dust) and biological activity (e.g., cryoconite holes, algae, bacteria). Regional climate models currently do not account for the presence, evolution and impact on albedo of such impurities, mostly because the underlying processes driving the spectral and morphological evolution of impurities are poorly known. One for the reasons for this is the lack of hyperspectral and high-spatial resolution data over specific regions of the Greenland ice sheet. To put things in perspective: there is more hyperspectral data at high spatial resolution for the planet Mars than for the Greenland ice sheet. In this presentation, we report the results of an analysis using the few available hyperspectral data collected over Greenland by the HYPERION and AVIRIS sensors, in conjunction with visible (RGB) helicopter-based high resolution images and LANDSAT/WorldView data for characterizing the spectral and morphological evolution of surface impurities and cryoconite holes over western Greenland. The hyperspectral data is used to characterize the abundance of different `endmembers' and the temporal evolution (inter-seasonal and intra-seasonal) of surface impurities composition and concentration. Digital photographs from helicopter are used to characterize the size and distribution of cryoconite holes as a function of elevation and, lastly, LANDSAT/WV images are used to study the evolution of `mysterious' shapes that form as a consequence of the accumulation of impurities and the ice flow.

Morphological characterization of dental prostheses interfaces using optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinescu, Cosmin; Negrutiu, Meda L.; Ionita, Ciprian; Marsavina, Liviu; Negru, Radu; Caplescu, Cristiana; Bradu, Adrian; Topala, Florin; Rominu, Roxana O.; Petrescu, Emanuela; Leretter, Marius; Rominu, Mihai; Podoleanu, Adrian G.

2010-03-01

Fixed partial prostheses as integral ceramic, polymers, metal-ceramic or metal-polymers bridges are mainly used in the frontal part of the dental arch (especially the integral bridges). They have to satisfy high stress as well as esthetic requirements. The masticatory stress may induce fractures of the bridges. These may be triggered by initial materials defects or by alterations of the technological process. The fractures of these bridges lead to functional, esthetic and phonetic disturbances which finally render the prosthetic treatment inefficient. Dental interfaces represent one of the most significant aspects in the strength of the dental prostheses under the masticatory load. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the capability of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to characterize the dental prostheses interfaces. The materials used were several fixed partial prostheses integral ceramic, polymers, metal-ceramic and metal-polymers bridges. It is important to produce both C-scans and B-scans of the defects in order to differentiate morphological aspects of the bridge infrastructures. The material defects observed with OCT were investigated with micro-CT in order to prove their existence and positions. In conclusion, it is important to have a non invasive method to investigate dental prostheses interfaces before the insertion of prostheses in the oral cavity.

A rat model of hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia carries a missense mutation in the Edaradd gene

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED) is a congenital disorder characterized by sparse hair, oligodontia, and inability to sweat. It is caused by mutations in any of three Eda pathway genes: ectodysplasin (Eda), Eda receptor (Edar), and Edar-associated death domain (Edaradd), which encode ligand, receptor, and intracellular adaptor molecule, respectively. The Eda signaling pathway activates NF-κB, which is central to ectodermal differentiation. Although the causative genes and the molecular pathway affecting HED have been identified, no curative treatment for HED has been established. Previously, we found a rat spontaneous mutation that caused defects in hair follicles and named it sparse-and-wavy (swh). Here, we have established the swh rat as the first rat model of HED and successfully identified the swh mutation. Results The swh/swh rat showed sparse hair, abnormal morphology of teeth, and absence of sweat glands. The ectoderm-derived glands, meibomian, preputial, and tongue glands, were absent. We mapped the swh mutation to the most telomeric part of rat Chr 7 and found a Pro153Ser missense mutation in the Edaradd gene. This mutation was located in the death domain of EDARADD, which is crucial for signal transduction and resulted in failure to activate NF-κB. Conclusions These findings suggest that swh is a loss-of-function mutation in the rat Edaradd and indicate that the swh/swh rat would be an excellent animal model of HED that could be used to investigate the pathological basis of the disease and the development of new therapies. PMID:22013926

In Utero Exposure to Di( n-butyl)phthalate Induces Morphological and Biochemical Changes in Rats Postpuberty.

PubMed

Okayama, Yuya; Wakui, Shin; Wempe, Michael F; Sugiyama, Mitsuru; Motohashi, Masaya; Mutou, Tomoko; Takahashi, Hiroyuki; Kume, Eisuke; Ikegami, Hiroshi

2017-06-01

Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered di( n-butyl)phthalate (DBP; 100 mg/kg/day) on gestation days (GD) 12 to 21. We investigated the male offspring and probed morphological alterations in Sertoli cells at 7, 9, 14, and 17 weeks of age. Parameters assessed in this study included offspring number, sex ratios, body weights, testis weights, seminiferous tubule (ST) profile numbers and diameters, number of vimentin-labeled Sertoli cells, and both testosterone and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. Testicular weight/body weight ratios and the numbers and diameters of ST in maximum transverse testicular sections were statistically similar at weeks 7 and 9; however, at weeks 14 and 17, they were statistically different and displayed higher BrdU-positive Sertoli cells/Sertoli cell ratios in the DBP treatment group. Noteworthily, the serum FSH levels were higher and testicular testosterone levels were lower in the DBP treatment group. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to report that in utero DBP exposure significantly increased Sertoli cell numbers and their cellular proliferation from postpuberty to adulthood, with a significant decrease in testicular testosterone and an increase in FSH.

Severe diffuse axon injury in chronic alcoholic rat medulla oblongata following a concussion blow.

PubMed

Luo, Jianming; Chen, Guang; Wei, Lai; Qian, Hong; Lai, Xiaoping; Wang, Dian; Lv, Junyao; Yu, Xiaojun

2014-01-01

We investigated the axonal morphological changes and expression of both tau protein and β-APP following concussion to the medulla oblongata, in a rat model of chronic alcoholism. Fifty-nine male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into EtOH, EtOH-TBI and control groups (water group, water-TBI group). To establish chronic alcoholic rats, rats were intragastrically given edible spirituous liquor twice daily. Rats also received a blow on the occipital tuberosity with an iron pendulum. Morphological changes and expression of tau and β-APP proteins in the medulla oblongata were examined. (a) Nerve fibre thickening and twisting were observed in alcoholic rats, with nerve fibre changes becoming more significant following a concussion blow, which leads to some nerve fibres fracturing. (b) Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the nerve fibre myelin became loosened and displayed lamellar separation, which became more significant following concussion. (c) The integral optical density (IOD) sum value of β-APP of the EtOH-TBI group was lower than that in the EtOH group (P < 0.05); the Tau IOD sum value of the EtOH-TBI group was higher than that in the EtOH group (P < 0.05). (a) Chronic alcoholism caused nerve fibre and neuronal morphology damage in the rat medulla oblongata, with structural damage becoming more significant following concussion. (b) Concussion changed the expression of β-APP and tau protein in chronic alcoholic rat medulla oblongata, suggesting that chronic alcoholism can lead to severe axonal injury following a concussion blow. (c) The effect of chronic alcoholism may be synergistic the concussion blow to promote animal injury and death.

Histological and histochemical studies of the liver of rats flown aboard Kosmos-690 biosatellite. [Prolonged space flight has no effect on the mmorphological changes induced by. gamma. rays in rat liver

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yakovleva, V.I.

1978-10-26

This work is part of a comprehensive study of the biological effects of long-term radiation on rats flown aboard Kosmos-690 for 20.5 days. The results of morphological studies of the rat liver irradiated aboard the biosatellite are discussed.

Functional and morphological changes in endocrine pancreas following cola drink consumption in rats.

PubMed

Otero-Losada, Matilde; Cao, Gabriel; González, Julián; Muller, Angélica; Ottaviano, Graciela; Lillig, Christopher; Capani, Francisco; Ambrosio, Giuseppe; Milei, José

2015-01-01

We report the effects of long-term cola beverage drinking on glucose homeostasis, endocrine pancreas function and morphology in rats. Wistar rats drank: water (group W), regular cola beverage (group C, sucrose sweetened) or "light" cola beverage (group L, artificially sweetened). After 6 months, 50% of the animals in each group were euthanized and the remaining animals consumed water for the next 6 months when euthanasia was performed. Biochemical assays, insulinemia determination, estimation of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), morphometry and immunohistochemistry evaluations were performed in pancreas. Hyperglycemia (16%, p<0.05), CoQ10 (coenzyme-Q10) decrease (-52%,p<0.01), strong hypertriglyceridemia (2.8-fold, p<0.01), hyperinsulinemia (2.4 fold, p<0.005) and HOMA-IR increase (2.7 fold, p<0.01) were observed in C. Group C showed a decrease in number of α cells (-42%, p<0.01) and β cells (-58%, p<0.001) and a moderate increase in α cells' size after wash-out (+14%, p<0.001). Group L showed reduction in β cells' size (-9%, p<0.001) and only after wash-out (L12) a 19% increase in size (p<0.0001) with 35% decrease in number of α cells (p<0.01). Groups C and L showed increase in α/β-cell ratio which was irreversible only in C (α/β = +38% in C6,+30% in C12, p<0.001vs.W6). Regular cola induced a striking increase in the cytoplasmic expression of Trx1 (Thioredoxin-1) (2.25-fold in C6 vs. W6; 2.7-fold in C12 vs. W12, p<0.0001) and Prx2 (Peroxiredoxin-2) (3-fold in C6 vs. W6; 2-fold in C12 vs. W12, p<0.0001). Light cola induced increase in Trx1 (3-fold) and Prx2 (2-fold) after wash-out (p<0.0001, L12 vs. W12). Glucotoxicity may contribute to the loss of β cell function with depletion of insulin content. Oxidative stress, suggested by increased expression of thioredoxins and low circulating levels of CoQ10, may follow sustained hyperglycemia. A likely similar panorama may result from the effects of artificially sweetened cola though via other downstream routes.

Functional and Morphological Changes in Endocrine Pancreas following Cola Drink Consumption in Rats

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Aim We report the effects of long-term cola beverage drinking on glucose homeostasis, endocrine pancreas function and morphology in rats. Methods Wistar rats drank: water (group W), regular cola beverage (group C, sucrose sweetened) or “light” cola beverage (group L, artificially sweetened). After 6 months, 50% of the animals in each group were euthanized and the remaining animals consumed water for the next 6 months when euthanasia was performed. Biochemical assays, insulinemia determination, estimation of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), morphometry and immunohistochemistry evaluations were performed in pancreas. Results Hyperglycemia (16%, p<0.05), CoQ10 (coenzyme-Q10) decrease (−52%,p<0.01), strong hypertriglyceridemia (2.8-fold, p<0.01), hyperinsulinemia (2.4 fold, p<0.005) and HOMA-IR increase (2.7 fold, p<0.01) were observed in C. Group C showed a decrease in number of α cells (−42%, p<0.01) and β cells (−58%, p<0.001) and a moderate increase in α cells’ size after wash-out (+14%, p<0.001). Group L showed reduction in β cells’ size (−9%, p<0.001) and only after wash-out (L12) a 19% increase in size (p<0.0001) with 35% decrease in number of α cells (p<0.01). Groups C and L showed increase in α/β-cell ratio which was irreversible only in C (α/β = +38% in C6,+30% in C12, p<0.001vs.W6). Regular cola induced a striking increase in the cytoplasmic expression of Trx1 (Thioredoxin-1) (2.25-fold in C6 vs. W6; 2.7-fold in C12 vs. W12, p<0.0001) and Prx2 (Peroxiredoxin-2) (3-fold in C6 vs. W6; 2-fold in C12 vs. W12, p<0.0001). Light cola induced increase in Trx1 (3-fold) and Prx2 (2-fold) after wash-out (p<0.0001, L12 vs. W12). Conclusion Glucotoxicity may contribute to the loss of β cell function with depletion of insulin content. Oxidative stress, suggested by increased expression of thioredoxins and low circulating levels of CoQ10, may follow sustained hyperglycemia. A likely similar panorama may result from the effects of artificially

Analysis of the variation in low-level laser energy density on the crushed sciatic nerves of rats: a morphological, quantitative, and morphometric study.

PubMed

Ziago, Eduardo Keiske Mastuda; Fazan, Valéria Paula Sassoli; Iyomasa, Mamie Mizusaki; Sousa, Luiz Gustavo; Yamauchi, Paula Yumi; da Silva, Eunice Aparecida; Borie, Eduardo; Fuentes, Ramón; Dias, Fernando José

2017-02-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate three energy densities of low-level laser therapy (LLLT, GaAlAs, 780 nm, 40 mW, 0.04 cm 2 ) for the treatment of lesions to peripheral nerves using the sciatic nerve of rats injured via crushing model (15 kgf, 5.2 MPa). Thirty Wistar rats (♂, 200-250 g) were divided into five groups (n = 6): C-control, not injured, and irradiated; L0-injured nerve without irradiation; L4-injured nerve irradiated with LLLT 4 J/cm 2 (0.16 J); L10-injured nerve irradiated with LLLT 10 J/cm 2 (0.4 J); and L50-injured nerve irradiated with LLLT 50 J/cm 2 (2 J). The animals were sacrificed 2 weeks after the injury via perfusion with glutaraldehyde (2.5%, 0.1 M sodium cacodylate buffer). The nerve tissue was embedded in historesin, cut (3 μm), mounted on slides, and stained (Sudan black and neutral red). The morphological and quantitative analysis (myelin and blood capillary densities) and morphometric parameters (maximum and minimum diameters of nerve fibers, axon diameter, G-ratio, myelin sheath thickness) were assessed using the ImageJ software. ANOVA (parametric) or Kruskal-Wallis (nonparametric) tests were used for the statistical analysis. Groups L0, L4, L10, and L50 exhibited diminished values of all the quantitative and morphometric parameters in comparison to the control group. The morphological, quantitative, and morphometric data revealed improvement after injury in groups L4, L10, and L50 (irradiated groups) compared to the injured-only group (L0); the best results, in general, were observed for the L10 group after 15 days of nerve injury.

Molecular detection and genome characterization of porcine circovirus type 2 in rats captured on commercial swine farms.

PubMed

Zhai, Shao-Lun; Chen, Sheng-Nan; Liu, Wei; Li, Xiao-Peng; Deng, Su-Fang; Wen, Xiao-Hui; Luo, Man-Lin; Lv, Dian-Hong; Wei, Wen-Kang; Chen, Rui-Ai

2016-11-01

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is considered the major etiological pathogen of porcine circovirus-associated diseases (PCVADs) in pigs. Recently, PCV2 was also found in non-porcine animals such as cattle, rats, and mice. However, there was no record of PCV2 in rats in China. The goal of this study was to investigate whether PCV2 was present in rats (Rattus norvegicus, RN) on three swine farms, using molecular tools. PCR results showed that 30 of 95 (31.6 %) rat samples were positive for PCV2. Moreover, further genotype analysis suggested that 10 of 30 (33.3 %) were positive for PCV2a, 19 of 30 (63.3 %) were positive for PCV2b, and only one sample (1/30, 3.33 %) was co-infected by PCV2a and PCV2b. To determine the possible origin of PCV2, 60 serum samples were also collected from weaned pigs on those swine farms, and 23 out of 60 samples were positive for PCV2. In addition, two distinct RN-origin and two distinct porcine-origin PCV2 full-length nucleotide sequences were obtained from the farms. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis indicated that they had the highest nucleotide similarity and closest genetic relationships to each other. In this study, we report the infection and genome characterization of PCV2 in rats and compare RN-origin and porcine-origin PCV2 sequences obtained from the same pig farm, revealing possible cross-species transmission of PCV2.

Hypothiocyanite produced by human and rat respiratory epithelial cells inactivates extracellular H1N2 influenza A virus.

PubMed

Gingerich, Aaron; Pang, Lan; Hanson, Jarod; Dlugolenski, Daniel; Streich, Rebecca; Lafontaine, Eric R; Nagy, Tamás; Tripp, Ralph A; Rada, Balázs

2016-01-01

Our aim was to study whether an extracellular, oxidative antimicrobial mechanism inherent to tracheal epithelial cells is capable of inactivating influenza H1N2 virus. Epithelial cells were isolated from tracheas of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Both primary human and rat tracheobronchial epithelial cells were differentiated in air-liquid interface cultures. A/swine/Illinois/02860/09 (swH1N2) influenza A virions were added to the apical side of airway cells for 1 h in the presence or absence of lactoperoxidase or thiocyanate. Characterization of rat epithelial cells (morphology, Duox expression) occurred via western blotting, PCR, hydrogen peroxide production measurement and histology. The number of viable virions was determined by plaque assays. Statistical difference of the results was analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's test. Our data show that rat tracheobronchial epithelial cells develop a differentiated, polarized monolayer with high transepithelial electrical resistance, mucin production and expression of dual oxidases. Influenza A virions are inactivated by human and rat epithelial cells via a dual oxidase-, lactoperoxidase- and thiocyanate-dependent mechanism. Differentiated air-liquid interface cultures of rat tracheal epithelial cells provide a novel model to study airway epithelium-influenza interactions. The dual oxidase/lactoperoxidase/thiocyanate extracellular oxidative system producing hypothiocyanite is a fast and potent anti-influenza mechanism inactivating H1N2 viruses prior to infection of the epithelium.

Increased enterocyte production in gnotobiotic rats mono-associated with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG.

PubMed

Banasaz, M; Norin, E; Holma, R; Midtvedt, T

2002-06-01

There is increasing scientific and commercial interest in using beneficial microorganisms (i.e., probiotics) to enhance intestinal health. Of the numerous microbial strains examined, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG has been most extensively studied. Daily intake of L. rhamnosus GG shortens the course of rotavirus infection by mechanisms that have not been fully elucidated. Comparative studies with germfree and conventional rats have shown that the microbial status of an animal influences the intestinal cell kinetics and morphology. The present study was undertaken to study whether establishment of L. rhamnosus GG as a mono-associate in germfree rats influences intestinal cell kinetics and morphology. L. rhamnosus GG was easily established in germfree rats. After 3 days of mono-association, the rate of mitoses in the upper part of the small intestine (jejunum 1) increased as much as 14 and 22% compared to the rates in germfree and conventional counterparts, respectively. The most striking alteration in morphology was an increase in the number of cells in the villi. We hypothesis that the compartmentalized effects of L. rhamnosus GG may represent a reparative event for the mucosa.

SIGNIFICANCE OF INCORPORATING MEASURES OF SPERM PRODUCTION AND FUNCTION INTO RAT TOXICOLOGY STUDIES

EPA Science Inventory

The rat is the preferred species for reproductive toxicity testing. The inclusion of measures of rat sperm quality, such as motility and morphology, into reproductive test protocols often increases the sensitivity of the test to detect effects, and provides the toxicologist and ...

Stasis and convergence characterize morphological evolution in eupolypod II ferns.

PubMed

Sundue, Michael A; Rothfels, Carl J

2014-01-01

Patterns of morphological evolution at levels above family rank remain underexplored in the ferns. The present study seeks to address this gap through analysis of 79 morphological characters for 81 taxa, including representatives of all ten families of eupolypod II ferns. Recent molecular phylogenetic studies demonstrate that the evolution of the large eupolypod II clade (which includes nearly one-third of extant fern species) features unexpected patterns. The traditional 'athyrioid' ferns are scattered across the phylogeny despite their apparent morphological cohesiveness, and mixed among these seemingly conservative taxa are morphologically dissimilar groups that lack any obvious features uniting them with their relatives. Maximum-likelihood and maximum-parsimony character optimizations are used to determine characters that unite the seemingly disparate groups, and to test whether the polyphyly of the traditional athyrioid ferns is due to evolutionary stasis (symplesiomorphy) or convergent evolution. The major events in eupolypod II character evolution are reviewed, and character and character state concepts are reappraised, as a basis for further inquiries into fern morphology. Characters were scored from the literature, live plants and herbarium specimens, and optimized using maximum-parsimony and maximum-likelihood, onto a highly supported topology derived from maximum-likelihood and Bayesian analysis of molecular data. Phylogenetic signal of characters were tested for using randomization methods and fitdiscrete. The majority of character state changes within the eupolypod II phylogeny occur at the family level or above. Relative branch lengths for the morphological data resemble those from molecular data and fit an ancient rapid radiation model (long branches subtended by very short backbone internodes), with few characters uniting the morphologically disparate clades. The traditional athyrioid ferns were circumscribed based upon a combination of

Stasis and convergence characterize morphological evolution in eupolypod II ferns

PubMed Central

Sundue, Michael A.; Rothfels, Carl J.

2014-01-01

Background and Aims Patterns of morphological evolution at levels above family rank remain underexplored in the ferns. The present study seeks to address this gap through analysis of 79 morphological characters for 81 taxa, including representatives of all ten families of eupolypod II ferns. Recent molecular phylogenetic studies demonstrate that the evolution of the large eupolypod II clade (which includes nearly one-third of extant fern species) features unexpected patterns. The traditional ‘athyrioid’ ferns are scattered across the phylogeny despite their apparent morphological cohesiveness, and mixed among these seemingly conservative taxa are morphologically dissimilar groups that lack any obvious features uniting them with their relatives. Maximum-likelihood and maximum-parsimony character optimizations are used to determine characters that unite the seemingly disparate groups, and to test whether the polyphyly of the traditional athyrioid ferns is due to evolutionary stasis (symplesiomorphy) or convergent evolution. The major events in eupolypod II character evolution are reviewed, and character and character state concepts are reappraised, as a basis for further inquiries into fern morphology. Methods Characters were scored from the literature, live plants and herbarium specimens, and optimized using maximum-parsimony and maximum-likelihood, onto a highly supported topology derived from maximum-likelihood and Bayesian analysis of molecular data. Phylogenetic signal of characters were tested for using randomization methods and fitdiscrete. Key Results The majority of character state changes within the eupolypod II phylogeny occur at the family level or above. Relative branch lengths for the morphological data resemble those from molecular data and fit an ancient rapid radiation model (long branches subtended by very short backbone internodes), with few characters uniting the morphologically disparate clades. The traditional athyrioid ferns were

OTOTOXICITY OF 3,3'-IMINODIPROPIONITRILE: FUNCTIONAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF COCHLEAR DAMAGE

EPA Science Inventory

Previous reports suggested that IDPN may be ototoxic (Wolff et al. 1977; Crofton and Knight, 1991). The purpose of this research was to investigate the ototoxicity of IDPN using behavioral, physiological and morphological approaches. Three groups of adult rats were exposed to IDP...

Ketamine-induced apoptosis in cultured rat cortical neurons

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takadera, Tsuneo; Ishida, Akira; Ohyashiki, Takao

2006-01-15

Recent data suggest that anesthetic drugs cause neurodegeneration during development. Ketamine is frequently used in infants and toddlers for elective surgeries. The purpose of this study is to determine whether glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is involved in ketamine-induced apoptosis. Ketamine increased apoptotic cell death with morphological changes which were characterized by cell shrinkage, nuclear condensation or fragmentation. In addition, insulin growth factor-1 completely blocked the ketamine-induced apoptotic cell death. Ketamine decreased Akt phosphorylation. GSK-3 is known as a downstream target of Akt. The selective inhibitors of GSK-3 prevented the ketamine-induced apoptosis. Moreover, caspase-3 activation was accompanied by the ketamine-induced cellmore » death and inhibited by the GSK-3 inhibitors. These results suggest that activation of GSK-3 is involved in ketamine-induced apoptosis in rat cortical neurons.« less

Assessing heterogeneity of peroxisomes: isolation of two subpopulations from rat liver.

PubMed

Islinger, Markus; Abdolzade-Bavil, Afsaneh; Liebler, Sven; Weber, Gerhardt; Völkl, Alfred

2012-01-01

Peroxisomes exhibit a heterogeneous morphological appearance in rat liver tissue. In this respect, the isolation and subsequent biochemical characterization of peroxisome species from different subcellular prefractions should help to solve the question of whether peroxisomes indeed diverge into functionally specialized subgroups in one tissue. As a means to address this question, we provide a detailed separation protocol for the isolation of peroxisomes from both the light (LM-Po) and the heavy (HM-Po) mitochondrial prefraction for their subsequent comparative analysis. Both isolation strategies rely on centrifugation in individually adapted Optiprep gradients. In case of the heavy mitochondrial fraction, free flow electrophoresis is appended as an additional separation step to yield peroxisomes of sufficient purity. In view of their morphology, peroxisomes isolated from both fractions are surrounded by a continuous single membrane and contain a gray-opaque inner matrix. However, beyond this overall similar appearance, HM-Po exhibit a smaller average diameter, float at lower density, and show a more negative average membrane charge when compared to LM-Po.

Rearrangement of the dendritic morphology in limbic regions and altered exploratory behavior in a rat model of autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Bringas, M E; Carvajal-Flores, F N; López-Ramírez, T A; Atzori, M; Flores, G

2013-06-25

Valproic acid (VPA) is a blocker of histone deacetylase widely used to treat epilepsy, bipolar disorders, and migraine; its administration during pregnancy increases the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the child. Thus, prenatal VPA exposure has emerged as a rodent model of ASD. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of prenatal administration of VPA (500mg/kg) at E12.5 on the exploratory behavior and locomotor activity in a novel environment, as well as on neuronal morphological rearrangement in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), in the hippocampus, in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), and in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) at three different ages: immediately after weaning (postnatal day 21 [PD21]), prepubertal (PD35) and postpubertal (PD70) ages. Hyper-locomotion was observed in a novel environment in VPA animals at PD21 and PD70. Interestingly, exploratory behavior assessed by the hole board test at PD70 showed a reduced frequency but an increase in the duration of head-dippings in VPA-animals compared to vehicle-treated animals. In addition, the latency to the first head-dip was longer in prenatal VPA-treated animals at PD70. Quantitative morphological analysis of dendritic spine density revealed a reduced number of spines at PD70 in the PFC, dorsal hippocampus and BLA, with an increase in the dendritic spine density in NAcc and ventral hippocampus, in prenatal VPA-treated rats. In addition, at PD70 increases in neuronal arborization were observed in the NAcc, layer 3 of the PFC, and BLA, with retracted neuronal arborization in the ventral and dorsal hippocampus. Our results extend the list of altered behaviors (exploratory behavior) detected in this model of ASD, and indicate that the VPA behavioral phenotype is accompanied by previously undescribed morphological rearrangement in limbic regions. Copyright © 2013 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isolation and characterization of a novel gene sfig in rat skeletal muscle up-regulated by spaceflight (STS-90)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kano, Mihoko; Kitano, Takako; Ikemoto, Madoka; Hirasaka, Katsuya; Asanoma, Yuki; Ogawa, Takayuki; Takeda, Shinichi; Nonaka, Ikuya; Adams, Gregory R.; Baldwin, Kenneth M.;

Surface morphology and morphometry of rat alveolar macrophages after ozone exposure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dormans, J.A.; Rombout, P.J.; van Loveren, H.

1990-09-01

As the ultrastructural data on the effects of ozone on pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAM) are lacking, transmission (TEM) and scanning (SEM) electron microscopy were performed on rat PAM present in alveolar lavages following exposure to ozone. Rats were continuously exposed for 7 d to ozone concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 1.50 mg/m3 for 7 d followed by a 5-d recovery period. Additionally, morphometry on lung sections was performed to quantitate PAM. In a second experiment rats were continuously exposed to 1.50 mg O3/m3 for 1, 3, 5, or 7 d. To study the influence of concurrent ozone exposure and lungmore » infection, due to Listeria monocytogenes, rats were exposed for 7 d to 1.50 mg O3/m3 after a Listeria infection. The surface area of lavaged control PAM was uniformly covered with ruffles as shown by SEM and TEM. Exposure to 0.5 mg ozone/m3 for 7 d resulted in cells partly covered with microvilli and blebs in addition to normal ruffles. The number of large size PAM increased with an increase in ozone concentration. After 1 d of exposure, normal-appearing as well as many small macrophages with ruffles and scattered lymphocytes were seen. Lavage samples taken after 5 or 7 d of exposure showed an identical cell composition to that taken after 3 d of exposure. After Listeria infection alone, lavage samples consisted of mainly lymphocytes and some macrophages. Small quantitative changes, such as an increase in the number of polymorphonuclear neutrophils and large-size PAM, occurred in lavages after ozone exposure and infection with L. monocytogenes. Morphometric examination of lung sections revealed a concentration-related increase in the number of PAM, even in animals exposed to 0.25 mg ozone/m3 for 7 d. Centriacinar regions were more severely affected than other regions of lung tissue.« less

Chemical and morphological characterization of III-V strained layered heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, Allen Lindsay

This dissertation describes investigations into the chemical and morphological characterization of III-V strained layered heterostructures by high-resolution x-ray diffraction. The purpose of this work is two-fold. The first was to use high-resolution x-ray diffraction coupled with transmission electron microscopy to characterize structurally a quaternary AlGaAsSb/InGaAsSb multiple quantum well heterostructure laser device. A method for uniquely determining the chemical composition of the strain quaternary quantum well, information previously thought to be unattainable using high resolution x-ray diffraction is thoroughly described. The misconception that high-resolution x-ray diffraction can separately find the well and barrier thickness of a multi-quantum well from the pendellosung fringe spacing is corrected, and thus the need for transmission electron microscopy is motivated. Computer simulations show that the key in finding the well composition is the intensity of the -3rd order satellite peaks in the diffraction pattern. The second part of this work addresses the evolution of strain relief in metastable multi-period InGaAs/GaAs multi-layered structures by high-resolution x-ray reciprocal space maps. Results are accompanied by transmission electron and differential contrast microscopy. The evolution of strain relief is tracked from a coherent "pseudomorphic" growth to a dislocated state as a function of period number by examining the x-ray diffuse scatter emanating from the average composition (zeroth-order) of the multi-layer. Relaxation is determined from the relative positions of the substrate with respect to the zeroth-order peak. For the low period number, the diffuse scatter from the multi-layer structure region arises from periodic, coherent crystallites. For the intermediate period number, the displacement fields around the multi-layer structure region transition to random coherent crystallites. At the higher period number, displacement fields of

Structural, morphological and interfacial characterization of Al-Mg/TiC composites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Contreras, A.; Angeles-Chavez, C.; Flores, O.

2007-08-15

Morphological and structural characterization of Al-Mg/TiC composites obtained by infiltration process and wetting by the sessile drop technique were studied. Focusing at the interface, wetting of TiC substrates by molten Al-Mg-alloys at 900 deg. C was investigated. Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) indicated that aluminum carbide (Al{sub 4}C{sub 3}) is formed at the interface and traces of TiAl{sub 3} in the wetting assemblies were detected. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) observations show that TiC particles do not appear to be uniformly attacked to produce a continuous layer of Al{sub 4}C{sub 3} at the interface. Molten Al-Mg-alloys were infiltrated into TiC preforms withmore » flowing argon at a temperature of 900 deg. C. In the composites no reaction phase was observed by SEM. Quantification of the Al phase in the composite was carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld analysis. Chemical mapping analyzed by SEM shows that the Al-Mg alloy surrounds TiC particles. In the composites with 20 wt.% of Mg the Al-Mg-{beta} phase was detected through XRD.« less

Assessment of morphological and functional changes in organs of rats after intramuscular introduction of iron nanoparticles and their agglomerates.

PubMed

Sizova, Elena; Miroshnikov, Sergey; Yausheva, Elena; Polyakova, Valentina

2015-01-01

The research was performed on male Wistar rats based on assumptions that new microelement preparations containing metal nanoparticles and their agglomerates had potential. Morphological and functional changes in tissues in the injection site and dynamics of chemical element metabolism (25 indicators) in body were assessed after repeated intramuscular injections (total, 7) with preparation containing agglomerate of iron nanoparticles. As a result, iron depot was formed in myosymplasts of injection sites. The quantity of muscle fibers having positive Perls' stain increased with increasing number of injections. However, the concentration of the most chemical elements and iron significantly decreased in the whole skeletal muscle system (injection sites are not included). Consequently, it increased up to the control level after the sixth and the seventh injections. Among the studied organs (liver, kidneys, and spleen), Caspase-3 expression was revealed only in spleen. The expression had a direct dependence on the number of injections. Processes of iron elimination from preparation containing nanoparticles and their agglomerates had different intensity.

Assessment of Morphological and Functional Changes in Organs of Rats after Intramuscular Introduction of Iron Nanoparticles and Their Agglomerates

PubMed Central

Sizova, Elena; Miroshnikov, Sergey; Yausheva, Elena; Polyakova, Valentina

2015-01-01

The research was performed on male Wistar rats based on assumptions that new microelement preparations containing metal nanoparticles and their agglomerates had potential. Morphological and functional changes in tissues in the injection site and dynamics of chemical element metabolism (25 indicators) in body were assessed after repeated intramuscular injections (total, 7) with preparation containing agglomerate of iron nanoparticles. As a result, iron depot was formed in myosymplasts of injection sites. The quantity of muscle fibers having positive Perls' stain increased with increasing number of injections. However, the concentration of the most chemical elements and iron significantly decreased in the whole skeletal muscle system (injection sites are not included). Consequently, it increased up to the control level after the sixth and the seventh injections. Among the studied organs (liver, kidneys, and spleen), Caspase-3 expression was revealed only in spleen. The expression had a direct dependence on the number of injections. Processes of iron elimination from preparation containing nanoparticles and their agglomerates had different intensity. PMID:25789310

Quercetin Induces Dose-Dependent Differential Morphological and Proliferative Changes in Rat Uteri in the Presence and in the Absence of Estrogen

PubMed Central

Shahzad, Huma; Giribabu, Nelli; Sekaran, Muniandy

2015-01-01

Abstract Quercetin could have profound effects on uterine morphology and proliferation, which are known to be influenced by estrogen. This study investigated the effect of quercetin on these uterine parameters in the presence and in the absence of estrogen. Ovariectomized adult female rats received peanut oil, quercetin (10, 50, and 100 mg/kg/day), estrogen, or estrogen+quercetin (10, 50, or 100 mg/kg/day) treatment for 7 consecutive days. At the end of the treatment, uteri were harvested for histological and molecular biological analyses. Distribution of proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) protein in the uterus was observed by immunohistochemistry. Levels of expression of PCNA protein and mRNA in uterine tissue homogenates were determined by Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Our findings indicated that administration of 10 mg/kg/day of quercetin either alone or with estrogen resulted in decreased uterine expression of PCNA protein and mRNA with the percentage of PCNA-positive cells in uterine luminal and glandular epithelia markedly reduced compared with estrogen-only treatment. Changes in uterine morphology were the opposite of changes observed following estrogen treatment. Treatment with 100 mg/kg/day of quercetin either alone or with estrogen resulted in elevated PCNA protein and mRNA expression. In addition, the percentages of PCNA-positive cells in the epithelia, which line the lumen and glands, were increased with morphological features mimicking changes that occur following estrogen treatment. Following 50 mg/kg/day quercetin treatment, the changes observed were in between those changes that occur following 10 and 100 mg/kg/day quercetin treatment. In conclusion, changes in uterine morphology and proliferation following 10 mg/kg/day quercetin treatment could be attributed to quercetin's antiestrogenic properties, while changes that occur following 100 mg/kg/day quercetin treatment could be

Retinoprotective effect of Epithalon in campbell rats of various ages.

PubMed

Khavinson, V Kh; Razumovsky, M I; Trofimova, S V; Razumovskaya, A M

2003-05-01

We studied the retinoprotective effect of Epithalon administered to the offspring of Campbell rats during postnatal ontogeny and to mothers before mating and during pregnancy. After this treatment the morphological structure and functional activity of the retina were preserved for a longer period compared to control rats (by 2 times) and to the animals receiving the peptide only during postnatal ontogeny (by 30%).

Characterization of injury in isolated rat proximal tubules during cold incubation and rewarming.

PubMed

Bienholz, Anja; Walter, Björn; Pless-Petig, Gesine; Guberina, Hana; Kribben, Andreas; Witzke, Oliver; Rauen, Ursula

2017-01-01

Organ shortage leads to an increased utilization of marginal organs which are particularly sensitive to storage-associated damage. Cold incubation and rewarming-induced injury is iron-dependent in many cell types. In addition, a chloride-dependent component of injury has been described. This work examines the injury induced by cold incubation and rewarming in isolated rat renal proximal tubules. The tissue storage solution TiProtec® and a chloride-poor modification, each with and without iron chelators, were used for cold incubation. Incubation was performed 4°C for up to 168 h, followed by rewarming in an extracellular buffer (3 h at 37°C). After 48, 120 and 168 h of cold incubation LDH release was lower in solutions containing iron chelators. After rewarming, injury increased especially after cold incubation in chelator-free solutions. Without addition of iron chelators LDH release showed a tendency to be higher in chloride-poor solutions. Following rewarming after 48 h of cold incubation lipid peroxidation was significantly decreased and metabolic activity was tendentially better in tubules incubated with iron chelators. Morphological alterations included mitochondrial swelling and fragmentation being partially reversible during rewarming. ATP content was better preserved in chloride-rich solutions. During rewarming, there was a further decline of ATP content in the so far best conditions and minor alterations under the other conditions, while oxygen consumption was not significantly different compared to non-stored control tubules. Results show an iron-dependent component of preservation injury during cold incubation and rewarming in rat proximal renal tubules and reveal a benefit of chloride for the maintenance of tubular energy state during cold incubation.

Characterization of injury in isolated rat proximal tubules during cold incubation and rewarming

PubMed Central

Bienholz, Anja; Walter, Björn; Pless-Petig, Gesine; Guberina, Hana; Kribben, Andreas; Witzke, Oliver; Rauen, Ursula

2017-01-01

Organ shortage leads to an increased utilization of marginal organs which are particularly sensitive to storage-associated damage. Cold incubation and rewarming-induced injury is iron-dependent in many cell types. In addition, a chloride-dependent component of injury has been described. This work examines the injury induced by cold incubation and rewarming in isolated rat renal proximal tubules. The tissue storage solution TiProtec® and a chloride-poor modification, each with and without iron chelators, were used for cold incubation. Incubation was performed 4°C for up to 168 h, followed by rewarming in an extracellular buffer (3 h at 37°C). After 48, 120 and 168 h of cold incubation LDH release was lower in solutions containing iron chelators. After rewarming, injury increased especially after cold incubation in chelator-free solutions. Without addition of iron chelators LDH release showed a tendency to be higher in chloride-poor solutions. Following rewarming after 48 h of cold incubation lipid peroxidation was significantly decreased and metabolic activity was tendentially better in tubules incubated with iron chelators. Morphological alterations included mitochondrial swelling and fragmentation being partially reversible during rewarming. ATP content was better preserved in chloride-rich solutions. During rewarming, there was a further decline of ATP content in the so far best conditions and minor alterations under the other conditions, while oxygen consumption was not significantly different compared to non-stored control tubules. Results show an iron-dependent component of preservation injury during cold incubation and rewarming in rat proximal renal tubules and reveal a benefit of chloride for the maintenance of tubular energy state during cold incubation. PMID:28672023

Effects of zinc deficiency on the vallate papillae and taste buds in rats.

PubMed

Chou, H C; Chien, C L; Huang, H L; Lu, K S

2001-05-01

Zinc deficiency is associated with multiple clinical complications, including taste disturbance, anorexia, growth retardation, skin changes, and hypogonadism. We investigated the zinc-deficiency-induced morphologic changes in the vallate taste buds of weanling and young adult male Wistar rats. A total of 24 weanling and 30 young adult rats were used. Each age group was further divided into a control group fed a zinc-adequate (50 ppm) diet, a zinc-deficient (< 1 ppm) diet group, and a zinc-adequate pair-fed group who were fed the same amount of food as that taken by the zinc-deficient group. Weanling rats were fed for 4 weeks and young adult rats were fed for 6 weeks. The morphometry and morphologic changes of vallate taste buds were analyzed using light and transmission electron microscopy. Light microscopy revealed no significant difference in papilla size and morphology among the various groups. In both weanling and young adult rats in the zinc-deficient diet and pair-fed groups, the number of taste buds per papilla (per animal) and the average profile area of the taste bud were significantly smaller than those of the corresponding controls (p < 0.05). Ultrastructural changes were seen only in the taste buds of weanling rats fed the zinc-deficient diet, with derangement of the architecture of the taste bud and widening of the intercellular space between taste bud cells. The proportion of type I taste bud cells in the taste buds of weanling rats fed the zinc-deficient diet decreased from 59% to 39%, and that of type II taste bud cells decreased from 25% to 12%. No obvious changes in the ultrastructure of type III taste bud cells were observed. The main effects of zinc deficiency in weanling and young adult rats and in adequate diet pair-fed rats were changes in the number and size of taste buds, and fine structure changes in the taste bud cells, especially during the accelerated growth stage after weaning.

Chemical and morphological characterization of sugarcane bagasse submitted to a delignification process for enhanced enzymatic digestibility

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In recent years, biorefining of lignocellulosic biomass to produce multi-products such as ethanol and other biomaterials has become a dynamic research area. Pretreatment technologies that fractionate sugarcane bagasse are essential for the successful use of this feedstock in ethanol production. In this paper, we investigate modifications in the morphology and chemical composition of sugarcane bagasse submitted to a two-step treatment, using diluted acid followed by a delignification process with increasing sodium hydroxide concentrations. Detailed chemical and morphological characterization of the samples after each pretreatment condition, studied by high performance liquid chromatography, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, diffuse reflectance Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, is reported, together with sample crystallinity and enzymatic digestibility. Results Chemical composition analysis performed on samples obtained after different pretreatment conditions showed that up to 96% and 85% of hemicellulose and lignin fractions, respectively, were removed by this two-step method when sodium hydroxide concentrations of 1% (m/v) or higher were used. The efficient lignin removal resulted in an enhanced hydrolysis yield reaching values around 100%. Considering the cellulose loss due to the pretreatment (maximum of 30%, depending on the process), the total cellulose conversion increases significantly from 22.0% (value for the untreated bagasse) to 72.4%. The delignification process, with consequent increase in the cellulose to lignin ratio, is also clearly observed by nuclear magnetic resonance and diffuse reflectance Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy experiments. We also demonstrated that the morphological changes contributing to this remarkable improvement occur as a consequence of lignin removal from the sample. Bagasse unstructuring is favored by the loss of cohesion between neighboring cell walls, as

Characterization of photoreceptor degeneration in the rhodopsin P23H transgenic rat line 2 using optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Monai, Natsuki; Yamauchi, Kodai; Tanabu, Reiko; Gonome, Takayuki; Ishiguro, Sei-Ichi; Nakazawa, Mitsuru

2018-01-01

To characterize the optical coherence tomography (OCT) appearances of photoreceptor degeneration in the rhodopsin P23H transgenic rat (line 2) in relation to the histological, ultrastructural, and electroretinography (ERG) findings. Homozygous rhodopsin P23H transgenic albino rats (line 2, very-slow degeneration model) were employed. Using OCT (Micron IV®; Phoenix Research Labs, Pleasanton, CA, USA), the natural course of photoreceptor degeneration was recorded from postnatal day (P) 15 to P 287. The OCT images were qualitatively observed by comparing them to histological and ultrastructural findings at P 62 and P 169. In addition, each retinal layer was quantitatively analyzed longitudinally during degeneration, compared it to that observed in wild type Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The relationships between the ERG (full-field combined rod-cone response, 3.0 cds/m2 stimulation) findings and OCT images were also analyzed. In the qualitative study, the two layers presumably corresponding to the photoreceptor inner segment ellipsoid zone (EZ) and interdigitation zone (IZ) were identified in the P23H rat until PN day 32. However, the photoreceptor inner and outer segment (IS/OS) layer became diffusely hyperreflective on OCT after P 46, and the EZ and IZ zones could no longer be identified on OCT. In contrast, in the SD rats, the EZ and IZ were clearly distinguished until at least P 247. The ultrastructural study showed partial disarrangements of the photoreceptor outer segment discs in the P23H rats at P 62, although a light-microscopic histological study detected almost no abnormality in the outer segment. In the quantitative study, the outer retinal layer including the outer plexiform layer (OPL) and the outer nuclear layer (ONL) became significantly thinner in the P23H rats than in the SD rats after P 71. The thickness of the IS/OS layer was maintained in the P23H rats until P 130, and it became statistically thinner than in the SD rats at P 237. The longitudinal

Exosomes: Improved methods to characterize their morphology, RNA content, and surface protein biomarkers

PubMed Central

Wu, Yueting; Deng, Wentao; Klinke, David J.

2016-01-01

As a type of secreted membrane vesicle, exosomes are an emerging mode of cell-to-cell communication. Yet as exosome samples are commonly contaminated with other extracellular vesicles, the biological roles of exosomes in regulating immunity and promoting oncogenesis remain controversial. Wondering whether existing methods could distort our view of exosome biology, we compared two direct methods for imaging extracellular vesicles and quantified the impact of different production and storage conditions on the quality of exosome samples. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was compared to transmission electron microscope (TEM) as alternatives to examine the morphology of exosomes. Using SEM, we were able to distinguish exosomes from other contaminating extracellular vesicles based on the size distribution. More importantly, freezing of samples prior to SEM imaging made it more difficult to distinguish exosomes from extracellular vesicles secreted during cell death. In addition to morphology, the quality of RNA contained within the exosomes was characterized under different storage conditions, where freezing of samples also degraded RNA. Finally, we developed a new flow cytometry approach to assay transmembrane proteins on exosomes. While high-copy-number proteins could be readily detected, detecting low-copy-number proteins was improved using a lipophilic tracer that clustered exosomes. To illustrate this, we observed that exosomes derived from SKBR3 cells, a cell model for human HER2+ breast cancer, contained both HER1 and HER2 but at different levels of abundance. Collectively, these new methods will help to ensure a consistent framework to identify specific roles that exosomes play in regulating cell-to-cell communication. PMID:26332016

Characterization of Polish Steinernema silvaticum isolates (Nematoda: Steinernematidae) using morphological and molecular data.

PubMed

Lis, M; Sajnaga, E; Kreft, A; Skrzypek, T; Kazimierczak, W

2018-04-17

Four strains of entomopathogenic nematodes were isolated with a live trap method in southern Poland. The isolates were identified as Steinernema silvaticum based on morphological, morphometric and molecular data. Infective juveniles of Polish S. silvaticum isolates differ in body length from S. weiseri (951 vs 740 μm, respectively), and in the hyaline tail portion from S. kraussei (48 vs 38%, respectively). First-generation males of S. silvaticum are longer than those of S. kraussei, S. weiseri and S. ichnusae (1829 vs 1400, 1180 and 1341 μm, respectively). Males of S. silvaticum and a sister species S. kraussei can be distinguished by the distance from the anterior end to the nerve ring (142 vs 105 μm), spicule (66 vs 49 μm) and gubernaculum length (45 vs 33 μm), and the presence of a mucron. The analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), D2-D3 and cox1 sequences of the tested nematodes revealed differences of 3-5%, 3% and 12-13%, respectively, from S. kraussei strains. The phylogeny of both nuclear and mitochondrial genes indicated close relationships of the Polish S. silvaticum isolates with S. kraussei, S. oregonense and S. cholashanense. The reproductive isolation of the studied isolates was confirmed by hybridization tests with other European feltiae-kraussei group representatives. This study has supplemented the original description of S. silvaticum with morphological and morphometric characterization of the first-generation males and females. This is also the first molecular study of this species based on a multi-gene approach.

Effects of prenatal binge-like ethanol exposure and maternal stress on postnatal morphological development of hippocampal neurons in rats.

PubMed

Jakubowska-Dogru, Ewa; Elibol, Birsen; Dursun, Ilknur; Yürüker, Sinan

2017-10-01

Alcohol is one of the most commonly used drugs of abuse negatively affecting human health and it is known as a potent teratogen responsible for fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), which is characterized by cognitive deficits especially pronounced in juveniles but ameliorating in adults. Searching for the potential morphological correlates of these effects, in this study, we compared the course of developmental changes in the morphology of principal hippocampal neurons in fetal-alcohol (A group), intubated control (IC group), and intact control male rats (C group) over a protracted period of the first two postnatal months. Ethanol was administered to the pregnant Wistar dams intragastrically, throughout gestation days (GD) 7-20, at a total dose of 6g/kg/day resulting in the mean blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 246.6±40.9mg/dl. Ten morphometric parameters of Golgi-stained hippocampal neurons (pyramidal and granule) from CA1, CA3, and DG areas were examined at critical postnatal days (PD): at birth (PD1), at the end of the brain growth spurt period (PD10), in juveniles (PD30), and in young adults (PD60). During postnatal development, the temporal pattern of morphometric changes was shown to be region-dependent with most significant alterations observed between PD1-30 in the CA region and between PD10-30 in the DG region. It was also parameter-dependent with the soma size (except for CA3 pyramids), number of primary dendrites, dendrite diameter, dendritic tortuosity and the branch angle demonstrating little changes, while the total dendritic field area, dendritic length, number of dendritic bifurcations, and spine density being highly increased in all hippocampal regions during the first postnatal month. Moderate ethanol intoxication and the maternal intubation stress during gestation, showed similar, transient effects on the neuron development manifested as a smaller soma size in granule cells, reduced dendritic parameters and lower spine density in pyramidal neurons

Functional atlas of the awake rat brain: A neuroimaging study of rat brain specialization and integration.

PubMed

Ma, Zhiwei; Perez, Pablo; Ma, Zilu; Liu, Yikang; Hamilton, Christina; Liang, Zhifeng; Zhang, Nanyin

2018-04-15

Connectivity-based parcellation approaches present an innovative method to segregate the brain into functionally specialized regions. These approaches have significantly advanced our understanding of the human brain organization. However, parallel progress in animal research is sparse. Using resting-state fMRI data and a novel, data-driven parcellation method, we have obtained robust functional parcellations of the rat brain. These functional parcellations reveal the regional specialization of the rat brain, which exhibited high within-parcel homogeneity and high reproducibility across animals. Graph analysis of the whole-brain network constructed based on these functional parcels indicates that the rat brain has a topological organization similar to humans, characterized by both segregation and integration. Our study also provides compelling evidence that the cingulate cortex is a functional hub region conserved from rodents to humans. Together, this study has characterized the rat brain specialization and integration, and has significantly advanced our understanding of the rat brain organization. In addition, it is valuable for studies of comparative functional neuroanatomy in mammalian brains. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phase separation in thermal systems: A lattice Boltzmann study and morphological characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gan, Yanbiao; Xu, Aiguo; Zhang, Guangcai; Li, Yingjun; Li, Hua

2011-10-01

We investigate thermal and isothermal symmetric liquid-vapor separations via a fast Fourier transform thermal lattice Boltzmann (FFT-TLB) model. Structure factor, domain size, and Minkowski functionals are employed to characterize the density and velocity fields, as well as to understand the configurations and the kinetic processes. Compared with the isothermal phase separation, the freedom in temperature prolongs the spinodal decomposition (SD) stage and induces different rheological and morphological behaviors in the thermal system. After the transient procedure, both the thermal and isothermal separations show power-law scalings in domain growth, while the exponent for thermal system is lower than that for isothermal system. With respect to the density field, the isothermal system presents more likely bicontinuous configurations with narrower interfaces, while the thermal system presents more likely configurations with scattered bubbles. Heat creation, conduction, and lower interfacial stresses are the main reasons for the differences in thermal system. Different from the isothermal case, the release of latent heat causes the changing of local temperature, which results in new local mechanical balance. When the Prandtl number becomes smaller, the system approaches thermodynamical equilibrium much more quickly. The increasing of mean temperature makes the interfacial stress lower in the following way: σ=σ0[(Tc-T)/(Tc-T0)]3/2, where Tc is the critical temperature and σ0 is the interfacial stress at a reference temperature T0, which is the main reason for the prolonged SD stage and the lower growth exponent in the thermal case. Besides thermodynamics, we probe how the local viscosities influence the morphology of the phase separating system. We find that, for both the isothermal and thermal cases, the growth exponents and local flow velocities are inversely proportional to the corresponding viscosities. Compared with the isothermal case, the local flow velocity

Long-term enteral arginine supplementation in rats with intestinal ischemia and reperfusion.

PubMed

Lee, Chien-Hsing; Hsiao, Chien-Chou; Hung, Ching-Yi; Chang, Yu-Jun; Lo, Hui-Chen

2012-06-01

The effects of short-term enteral arginine supplementation on intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury have been widely studied, especially the ischemic preconditioning supplementation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long-term intra-duodenal supplementation of arginine on intestinal morphology, arginine-associated amino acid metabolism, and inflammatory responses in rats with intestinal IR. Male Wistar rats with or without three hours of ileal ischemia underwent duodenal cannulation for continuous infusion of formula with 2% arginine or commercial protein powder for 7 d. The serological examinations, plasma amino acid and cytokine profiles, and intestinal morphology were assessed. Intestinal IR injury had significant impacts on the decreases in circulating red blood cells, hemoglobin, ileum mass, and villus height and crypt depth of the distal jejunum. In addition, arginine supplementation decreased serum cholesterol and increased plasma arginine concentrations. In rats with intestinal IR injury, arginine supplementation significantly decreased serum nitric oxide, plasma citrulline and ornithine, and the mucosal protein content of the ileum. These results suggest that long-term intra-duodenal arginine administration may not have observable benefits on intestinal morphology or inflammatory response in rats with intestinal ischemia and reperfusion injury. Therefore, the necessity of long-term arginine supplementation for patients with intestinal ischemia and reperfusion injury remains questionable and requires further investigation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Morphological, ultrastructural, and molecular characterization of intestinal tetratrichomonads isolated from non-human primates in southeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Dos Santos, Caroline Spitz; de Jesus, Vera Lúcia Teixeira; McIntosh, Douglas; Carreiro, Caroline Cunha; Batista, Lilian Cristina Oliveira; do Bomfim Lopes, Bruno; Neves, Daniel Marchesi; Lopes, Carlos Wilson Gomes

2017-09-01

Non-human primates are our closest relatives and represent an interesting model for comparative parasitological studies. However, research on this topic particularly in relation to intestinal parasites has been fragmentary and limited mainly to animals held in captivity. Thus, our knowledge of host-parasite relationships in this species-rich group of mammals could be considered rudimentary. The current study combined morphological, ultrastructural, and molecular analyses to characterize isolates of intestinal tetratrichomonads recovered from the feces of three species of South American, non-human primates. Fecal samples were collected from 16 animals, representing 12 distinct species. Parabasalid-like organisms were evident in five samples (31%) of feces: two from Alouatta sara, two from Callithrix penicillata, and one from Sapajus apella. The five samples presented morphologies consistent with the description of Tetratrichomonas sp., with four anterior flagella of unequal length, a well-developed undulating membrane, and a long recurrent flagellum. Sequencing of the ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2 region demonstrated that the isolates from A. sara, and C. penicillata were closely related and highly similar to isolates of Tetratrichomonas brumpti, recovered previously from tortoises (Geochelone sp.). The flagellate recovered from S. apella demonstrated a similar morphology to those of the other isolates, however, sequence analysis showed it to be identical to an isolate of Tetratrichomonas sp. recovered from white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari). The findings of this study extend and enhance our knowledge of parasitism of non-human primates by members of the genus Tetratrichomonas and indicate that the host range of these parasites is broader than previously believed.

Characterization of rat model of acute anterior uveitis using optical coherence tomography angiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Woo June; Pepple, Kathryn L.; Zhi, Zhongwei; Wang, Ruikang K.

2015-03-01

Uveitis, or ocular inflammation, is a cause of severe visual impairment. Rodent models of uveitis are powerful tools used to investigate the pathological mechanisms of ocular inflammation and to study the efficacy of new therapies prior to human testing. In this paper, we report the utility of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) angiography in characterizing the inflammatory changes induced in the anterior segment of a rat model of uveitis. Acute anterior uveitis (AAU) was induced in two rats by intravitreal injection of a killed mycobacterial extract. One of them received a concurrent periocular injection of steroids to model a treatment effect. OCT imaging was performed prior to inflammation induction on day 0 (baseline), and 2 days post-injection (peak inflammation). Baseline and inflamed images were compared. OCT angiography identified swelling of the cornea, inflammatory cells in the anterior and posterior chambers, a fibrinous papillary membrane, and dilation of iris vessels in the inflamed eyes when compared to baseline images. Steroid treatment was shown to prevent the changes associated with inflammation. This is a novel application of anterior OCT imaging in animal models of uveitis, and provides a high resolution, in vivo assay for detecting and quantifying ocular inflammation and the response to new therapies.

Morphology, classification, and distribution of the projection neurons in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the rat.

PubMed

Ling, Changying; Hendrickson, Michael L; Kalil, Ronald E

2012-01-01

The morphology of confirmed projection neurons in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of the rat was examined by filling these cells retrogradely with biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) injected into the visual cortex. BDA-labeled projection neurons varied widely in the shape and size of their cell somas, with mean cross-sectional areas ranging from 60-340 µm(2). Labeled projection neurons supported 7-55 dendrites that spanned up to 300 µm in length and formed dendritic arbors with cross-sectional areas of up to 7.0 × 10(4) µm(2). Primary dendrites emerged from cell somas in three broad patterns. In some dLGN projection neurons, primary dendrites arise from the cell soma at two poles spaced approximately 180° apart. In other projection neurons, dendrites emerge principally from one side of the cell soma, while in a third group of projection neurons primary dendrites emerge from the entire perimeter of the cell soma. Based on these three distinct patterns in the distribution of primary dendrites from cell somas, we have grouped dLGN projection neurons into three classes: bipolar cells, basket cells and radial cells, respectively. The appendages seen on dendrites also can be grouped into three classes according to differences in their structure. Short "tufted" appendages arise mainly from the distal branches of dendrites; "spine-like" appendages, fine stalks with ovoid heads, typically are seen along the middle segments of dendrites; and "grape-like" appendages, short stalks that terminate in a cluster of ovoid bulbs, appear most often along the proximal segments of secondary dendrites of neurons with medium or large cell somas. While morphologically diverse dLGN projection neurons are intermingled uniformly throughout the nucleus, the caudal pole of the dLGN contains more small projection neurons of all classes than the rostral pole.

Quantitation of Bone Growth Rate Variability in Rats Exposed to Micro-(near zero G) and Macrogravity (2G)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bromage, Timothy G.; Doty, Stephen B.; Smolyar, Igor; Holton, Emily

1997-01-01

Our stated primary objective is to quantify the growth rate variability of rat lamellar bone exposed to micro- (near zero G: e.g., Cosmos 1887 & 2044; SLS-1 & SLS-2) and macrogravity (2G). The primary significance of the proposed work is that an elegant method will be established that unequivocally characterizes the morphological consequences of gravitational factors on developing bone. The integrity of this objective depends upon our successful preparation of thin sections suitable for imaging individual bone lamellae, and our imaging and quantitation of growth rate variability in populations of lamellae from individual bone samples.

Alterations in morphology and hepatorenal indices in rats subacutely exposed to bitumen extract.

PubMed

Otuechere, Chiagoziem A; Adesanya, Oluseyi; Otsupius, Precious; Seyitan, Nathaniel

2016-10-01

Bitumen is a complex mixture of dense and extremely viscous organic liquids produced by distillation of crude oil during petroleum refining. Nigeria has a large deposit of natural bitumen, yet to be fully exploited. Discharges of petroleum hydrocarbons and other petroleum-derived products have caused environmental pollution and adverse human health effects in several oil-rich communities. In this study, bitumen obtained from a seepage source in Agbabu, the town of first discovery, was used in sub-acute toxicity studies in a rat experimental model, in order to assess potential health risks posed to local populace sequel to full exploitation of bitumen. Dosages were chosen to accommodate low to high cases of environmental exposures. Male Wistar rats were administered, per os, dosages of bitumen extract at 5, 3, 2, and 1 mg/kg body weight. Following euthanasia 28 days later, histological findings revealed severe portal congestion and cellular infiltration in the liver, while in the kidney there were protein casts in the tubular lumen. The relative liver and kidney weights in the 5 mg/kg groups were 34% and 40% higher than in the controls, with a concomitant decrease in food and water consumption. Furthermore, plasma clinical analyses revealed marked elevation in aspartate aminotransferase and triglycerides levels in bitumen extract-intoxicated rats. The results indicate the potential hepatorenal toxicity in adult rats following repeated exposure to bitumen extract.

Characterization of alpha-ketobutyrate metabolism in rat tissues: effects of dietary protein and fasting.

PubMed

Steele, R D; Weber, H; Patterson, J I

1984-04-01

The oxidative decarboxylation of alpha-ketobutyrate was studied in rat tissue preparations. Decarboxylation was confined to the mitochondrial fraction and required coenzyme A, NAD, TPP and FAD for optimal activity in solubilized preparations. The pH optimum for this reaction in liver was 7.8, somewhat higher than that reported for other alpha-keto acid dehydrogenases. An apparent Km of 0.63 mM for alpha-ketobutyrate was determined for the rat liver system. Competition by other alpha-keto acids at 10 mM concentrations inhibited enzyme activity up to 75%. Tissue distribution of alpha-ketobutyrate dehydrogenase activity relative to liver activity was (in percent): liver, 100; heart, 127; brain, 63; kidney, 57; skeletal muscle, 38; and small intestine, 7. Total liver alpha-ketobutyrate dehydrogenase was decreased by 40% after a 24-hour fast. Similar results were found for kidney and heart activity. alpha-Aminobutyrate-pyruvate aminotransferase activity in liver or kidney was not affected by fasting; however, it was induced in liver by 50% after feeding a 40% casein diet for 10 days compared to rats fed a 20% casein diet. Increasing the dietary casein content from 6 through 40% of the diet resulted in about a fivefold increase in liver alpha-ketobutyrate dehydrogenase activity. The substantial extrahepatic capacity for alpha-ketobutyrate metabolism makes it unlikely that a loss of liver function results in an inability to metabolize alpha-ketobutyrate. Whether alpha-ketobutyrate is decarboxylated by a specific enzyme or by an already characterized complex such as pyruvate dehydrogenase or the branched-chain keto acid dehydrogenase remains to be established.

Characterization of modified allergen extracts by in vitro beta-hexosaminidase release from rat basophils.

PubMed

Gehlhar, Kirsten; Peters, Marcus; Brockmann, Kirsten; van Schijndel, Hans; Bufe, Albrecht

2005-04-01

To date, there is no well-established test available that can be used to measure functional properties of modified allergens (allergoids). Due to the cross-linking process, the IgE-binding capacity of the allergens, normally necessary for their characterization, is lost. The aim of this study was to test whether the rat basophilic leukaemia (RBL) cell assay (beta-hexosaminidase release by rat basophils upon allergen stimulation) can be adopted to characterize allergoids and to evaluate the assay for testing allergoids and native allergens as well. Mice were immunized with native and modified Phleumpratense extracts in the presence of alum. Their sera were used to sensitize RBL-2H3 cells and measure basophil stimulation induced by different allergen extracts in the presence or absence of various additives. Sera containing specific IgE against both extract formulations were obtained. Native as well as modified extracts induced dose-dependent beta-hexosaminidase release from RBL cells. Both extracts were used to evaluate the characteristics of the assay, which showed high precision. Storage conditions were chosen to enhance extract degradation, which could be read directly from the altered stimulatory capacity of the extracts. Additives turned out to have diverse effects on the assay, whereas phenol had no measurable effect, alum had an inhibitory effect and glycerol elevated basophil activation. For the first time, a reliable, precise in vitro assay is available that is able to directly measure the properties of modified allergen extracts after their production process. The test is well evaluated and its advantages and limitations are discussed in this report. Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

Early neurovascular dysfunction in a transgenic rat model of Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Joo, Illsung L; Lai, Aaron Y; Bazzigaluppi, Paolo; Koletar, Margaret M; Dorr, Adrienne; Brown, Mary E; Thomason, Lynsie A M; Sled, John G; McLaurin, JoAnne; Stefanovic, Bojana

2017-04-12

Alzheimer's disease (AD), pathologically characterized by amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) accumulation, neurofibrillary tangle formation, and neurodegeneration, is thought to involve early-onset neurovascular abnormalities. Hitherto studies on AD-associated neurovascular injury have used animal models that exhibit only a subset of AD-like pathologies and demonstrated some Aβ-dependent vascular dysfunction and destabilization of neuronal network. The present work focuses on the early stage of disease progression and uses TgF344-AD rats that recapitulate a broader repertoire of AD-like pathologies to investigate the cerebrovascular and neuronal network functioning using in situ two-photon fluorescence microscopy and laminar array recordings of local field potentials, followed by pathological analyses of vascular wall morphology, tau hyperphosphorylation, and amyloid plaques. Concomitant to widespread amyloid deposition and tau hyperphosphorylation, cerebrovascular reactivity was strongly attenuated in cortical penetrating arterioles and venules of TgF344-AD rats in comparison to those in non-transgenic littermates. Blood flow elevation to hypercapnia was abolished in TgF344-AD rats. Concomitantly, the phase-amplitude coupling of the neuronal network was impaired, evidenced by decreased modulation of theta band phase on gamma band amplitude. These results demonstrate significant neurovascular network dysfunction at an early stage of AD-like pathology. Our study identifies early markers of pathology progression and call for development of combinatorial treatment plans.

Genetic variability of a Brazilian Capsicum frutescens germplasm collection using morphological characteristics and SSR markers.

PubMed

Carvalho, S I C; Bianchetti, L B; Ragassi, C F; Ribeiro, C S C; Reifschneider, F J B; Buso, G S C; Faleiro, F G

2017-07-06

Characterization studies provide essential information for the conservation and use of germplasm in plant breeding programs. In this study, 103 Capsicum frutescens L. accessions from the Active Germplasm Bank of Embrapa Hortaliças, representative of all five Brazilian geographic regions, were characterized based on morphological characteristics and microsatellite (or simple sequence repeat - SSR) molecular markers. Morphological characterization was carried out using 57 descriptors, and molecular characterization was based on 239 alleles from 24 microsatellite loci. From the estimates of genetic distances among accessions, based on molecular characterization, a cluster analysis was carried out, and a dendrogram was established. Correlations between morphological and molecular variables were also estimated. Twelve morphological descriptors were monomorphic for the set of C. frutescens accessions, and those with the highest degree of polymorphism were stem length (14.0 to 62.0 cm), stem diameter (1.0 to 4.2 cm), days to flowering (90 to 129), days to fruiting (100 to 140), fruit weight (0.1 to 1.4 g), fruit length (0.6 to 4.6 cm), and fruit wall thickness (0.25 to 1.5 mm). The polymorphism information content for the SSR loci varied from 0.36 (EPMS 417) to 0.75 (CA49), with an overall mean of 0.57. The correlation value between morphological and molecular characterization data was 0.6604, which was statistically significant. Fourteen accessions were described as belonging to the morphological type tabasco, 85 were described as malagueta, and four were malaguetinha, a morphological type confirmed in this study. The typical morphological pattern of malagueta was described. Six similarity groups were established for C. frutescens based on the dendrogram and are discussed individually. The genetic variability analyzed in the study highlights the importance of characterizing genetic resources available for the development of new C. frutescens cultivars with the potential

Effect of simvastatin on sensorial, motor, and morphological parameters in sciatic nerve crush induced-neuropathic pain in rats.

PubMed

Corso, Claudia Rita; Martins, Daniel Fernandes; Borges, Stephanie Carvalho; Beltrame, Olair Carlos; Telles, José Ederaldo Queiroz; Buttow, Nilza Cristina; Werner, Maria Fernanda de Paula

2018-06-01

The present study compares the effects of a low and high doses of simvastatin in a model of peripheral neuropathy by evaluating sensorial, motor, and morphological parameters. First, male Wistar rats were orally treated with vehicle (saline, 1 mL/kg), simvastatin (2 and 80 mg/kg) or morphine (2 mg/kg, s.c.), 1 h before 2.5% formalin injection. Neuropathic pain was induced by crushing the sciatic nerve, and mechanical and cold allodynia, nerve function, histology, MPO and NAG concentrations, as well as mevalonate induced-nociception were evaluated. Animals were orally treated with vehicle, simvastatin, or gabapentin (30 mg/kg) for 18 days. Simvastatin (2 and 80 mg/kg) reduced the inflammatory pain induced by formalin, but failed to decrease the paw edema. Mechanical allodynia was reduced by the simvastatin (2 mg/kg) until the 12th day after injury and until the 18th day by gabapentin. However, both simvastatin and gabapentin treatments failed in attenuated cold allodynia or improved motor function. Interestingly, both doses of simvastatin showed a neuroprotective effect and inhibited MPO activity without altering kidney and hepatic parameters. Additionally, only the higher dose of simvastatin reduced the cholesterol levels and the nociception induced by mevalonate. Our results reinforce the antinociceptive, antiallodynic, and anti-inflammatory effects of oral simvastatin administration, which can strongly contribute to the sciatic nerve morphology preservation. Furthermore, our data suggest that lower and higher doses of simvastatin present beneficial effects that are dependent and independent of the mevalonate pathway, respectively, without causing signs of nerve damage.

Experimental COPD induced by solid combustible burn smoke in rats: a study of the emphysematous changes of the pulmonary parenchyma.

PubMed

Murărescu, Elena Doina; Eloae-Zugun, Fl; Mihailovici, Maria Sultana

2008-01-01

According to the GOLD 2006 definition, COPD is a preventable and treatable pathological situation characterized by the partially reversible airflow limitation determined by a variable proportion mixture of small airways disease (obliterative bronchiolitis) and parenchyma destruction (emphysema). A major impediment in the study of the COPD is represented by the fact the fundamental morphological changes that determine the major pulmonary dysfunction take place in the small, peripheral, airways, at the bronchiolo-alveolar attachments. That is why the experimental model of COPD developed progressively to the transgenic mouse. There are many experimental studies on the animal models that have obtained emphysema rapidly through intratraheal instillation of elastasis or bronchitis/bronchiolitis through intratraheal instillation of particles. It is accepted that the unnatural character of aggression, that does not permit the natural evolution of the inflammatory phenomenon, limits these models and tissue remodeling that take place in COPD patients. It is well known that cigarette smoking is a major cause of COPD. There have been reported some cases of COPD in never smoking patients exposed to air pollutants. We aimed to create an experimental model of COPD in rat through exposure to smoke resulted from solid combustibles burn for the same period and in the same conditions of cigarette smoke exposure and to compare the pulmonary morphological changes. Thirty Wistar rats were divided into three groups (n = 10): (1) the control group (C), (2) the cigarette smoke group (CS), and (3) the solid combustible smoke group (SCS). Apart from the control group, these were treated with solid combustibles smoke (SCS group) or cigarette smoke (CS group) for six months. Morphological and morphometry studies have been assessed. We have established a rat COPD model based on natural cigarette smoke exposure versus solid combustible burn resulted smoke, usable for a further approach in human

Intracerebroventricular administration of growth hormone induces morphological changes in pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex in adult rats.

PubMed

Olivares-Hernández, Juan David; García-García, Fabio; Camacho-Abrego, Israel; Flores, Gonzalo; Juárez-Aguilar, Enrique

2018-07-01

A growing body of evidence suggests that growth hormone (GH) affects synaptic plasticity at both the molecular and electrophysiological levels. However, unclear is whether plasticity that is stimulated by GH is associated with changes in neuron structure. This study investigated the effect of intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of GH on the morphology of pyramidal neurons of the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus and layer III of the prefrontal cortex. Male Wistar rats received daily ICV injections of GH (120 ng) for 7 days, and they were euthanized 21 days later. Changes in neuronal morphology were evaluated using Golgi-Cox staining and subsequent Sholl analysis. GH administration increased total dendritic length in the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. The Sholl analysis revealed an increase in dendritic length of the third to eighth branch orders in the hippocampus and from the third to sixth branch orders in the prefrontal cortex. Interestingly, GH treatment increased the density of dendritic spines in both brain regions, favoring the presence of mushroom-like spines only in the CA1 hippocampal region. Our results indicated that GH induces changes in the length of dendritic trees and the density of dendritic spines in two high-plasticity brain regions, suggesting that GH-induced synaptic plasticity at the molecular and electrophysiological levels may be associated with these structural changes in neurons. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Continuous 900-megahertz electromagnetic field applied in middle and late-adolescence causes qualitative and quantitative changes in the ovarian morphology, tissue and blood biochemistry of the rat.

PubMed

Okatan, Derya Öztürk; Kaya, Haydar; Aliyazıcıoğlu, Yüksel; Demir, Selim; Çolakoğlu, Serdar; Odacı, Ersan

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study was to use histological and biochemical methods in order to evaluate changes taking place in the ovarian of rats exposed to the effect of a 900-megahertz (MHz) electromagnetic field (EMF) in middle and late adolescence. Twenty-four 34-d-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned equally to control, sham and EMF groups. EMF group rats were exposed to the effect of a 900-MHz EMF for 1 h a day, at the same time every day between postnatal days 35 and 59, while inside an EMF cage. Sham group rats were kept inside the EMF cage for the same time between postnatal days 35 and 59 without being exposed to any EMF effect. At the end of the study, rats' ovarian were removed and blood specimens were taken. Right ovarium tissues were subjected to routine histological procedures and stained with hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid shift and Masson's trichrome. Follicles were counted in ovarian sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The TUNEL method was used to evaluate apoptosis. Left ovarian tissue and blood specimens were investigated biochemically. Histopathological examination of EMF group ovarian tissue revealed thinning in the zona granulosa and theca layers, shrinking in granulosa cells, reduced mitotic activity and leukocyte infiltration in the follicles and stroma. Secondary follicle numbers in the EMF group were significantly lower than in the other groups. In terms of biochemistry, EMF and sham group superoxide dismutase, catalase and anti-Mullerian hormone levels and EMF group 3-nitrotyrosine values increased significantly compared to the control group. EMF and sham group serum catalase and 8-hydroxy-deoxiguanosine values increased significantly compared to the control group, and EMF group total oxidant status and oxidative stress index values were significantly higher compared to the sham and control groups. A total of 900-MHz EMF applied in middle and late adolescence may cause changes in the morphology and biochemistry of the

Lead Exposure Impairs Hippocampus Related Learning and Memory by Altering Synaptic Plasticity and Morphology During Juvenile Period.

PubMed

Wang, Tao; Guan, Rui-Li; Liu, Ming-Chao; Shen, Xue-Feng; Chen, Jing Yuan; Zhao, Ming-Gao; Luo, Wen-Jing

2016-08-01

Lead (Pb) is an environmental neurotoxic metal. Pb exposure may cause neurobehavioral changes, such as learning and memory impairment, and adolescence violence among children. Previous animal models have largely focused on the effects of Pb exposure during early development (from gestation to lactation period) on neurobehavior. In this study, we exposed Sprague-Dawley rats during the juvenile stage (from juvenile period to adult period). We investigated the synaptic function and structural changes and the relationship of these changes to neurobehavioral deficits in adult rats. Our results showed that juvenile Pb exposure caused fear-conditioned memory impairment and anxiety-like behavior, but locomotion and pain behavior were indistinguishable from the controls. Electrophysiological studies showed that long-term potentiation induction was affected in Pb-exposed rats, and this was probably due to excitatory synaptic transmission impairment in Pb-exposed rats. We found that NMDA and AMPA receptor-mediated current was inhibited, whereas the GABA synaptic transmission was normal in Pb-exposed rats. NR2A and phosphorylated GluR1 expression decreased. Moreover, morphological studies showed that density of dendritic spines declined by about 20 % in the Pb-treated group. The spine showed an immature form in Pb-exposed rats, as indicated by spine size measurements. However, the length and arborization of dendrites were unchanged. Our results suggested that juvenile Pb exposure in rats is associated with alterations in the glutamate receptor, which caused synaptic functional and morphological changes in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons, thereby leading to behavioral changes.

Inferior ectopic pupil and typical ocular coloboma in RCS rats.

PubMed

Tsuji, Naho; Ozaki, Kiyokazu; Narama, Isao; Matsuura, Tetsuro

2011-08-01

Ocular coloboma is sometimes accompanied by corectopia in humans and therefore ectopic pupil may indicate ocular coloboma in experimental animals. The RCS strain of rats has a low incidence of microphthalmia. We found that inferior ectopic pupil is associated exclusively with small-sized eyes in this strain. The objective of the current study was to evaluate whether inferior ectopic pupil is associated with iridal coloboma and other types of ocular coloboma in RCS rats. Both eyes of RCS rats were examined clinically, and those with inferior ectopic pupils underwent morphologic and morphometric examinations. In a prenatal study, coronal serial sections of eyeballs from fetuses at gestational day 16.5 were examined by using light microscopy. Ectopic pupils in RCS rats were found exclusively in an inferior position, where the iris was shortened. Fundic examination revealed severe chorioretinal coloboma in all cases of inferior ectopic pupil. The morphologic characteristics closely resembled those of chorioretinal coloboma in humans. Histopathologic examination of primordia showed incomplete closure of the optic fissure in 4 eyeballs of RCS fetuses. Neither F(1) rats nor N(2) (progeny of RCS × BN matings) displayed any ocular anomalies, including ectopic pupils. The RCS strain is a suitable model for human ocular coloboma, and inferior ectopic pupil appears to be a strong indicator of ocular coloboma.