Quantitative study of changes in intestinal morphology and mucus gel on total parenteral nutrition in rats

Quantification of changes in gastrointestinal morphology and mucus gel has been difficult to study. In the present study, we investigated changes in rat intestine under total parenteral nutrition (TPN) using fluoresceinated lectin staining and image analysis. Wistar rats (n = 34) were divided into two groups: one group received TPN for 2 weeks, and a control group received standard rat chow and water ad libitum for the same period. A 1-cm segment of distal ileum was removed and cut into cross sections. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and to stain the mucus, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), alcian blue (AB), and fluoresceinated lectin, that is, FITC-labeled Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (FITC-UEA-I), were used. Light microscope images were stored in a personal computer and analyzed using image analysis. We measured perimeter length, mucosal thickness, villus area, villus surface area index, mucus stain-positive area, mucosal area ratio, and mucosal surface area ratio. Perimeter length, mucosal thickness, villus area, and villus surface area index in the TPN group were significantly less than those in the control group (P < 0.001 for each parameter). In all mucus stainings, the stain-positive area in the TPN group was significantly less than that in the control group. However, there were no significant differences in mucosal area or mucosal surface area ratios between the two groups. The FITC-UEA-I-positive area was significantly greater than the PAS- or and AB-positive area. There were significant positive correlations between the FITC-UEA-I-positive area and both the PAS-positive and AB-positive areas. TPN for 2 weeks promoted intestinal atrophy and decreased absolute quantity of mucus gel. We successfully introduced the FITC-UEA-I staining method to evaluate changes in mucus gel.

Eicosanoids and nitric oxide influence induction of reactive gliosis from spreading depression in microglia but not astrocytes

Microglia and astrocytes are transformed into reactive glia (RG) by brain disease and normal function. Eicosanoids and nitric oxide (NO), two intercellular mediators, may influence gliosis. We investigated how drugs that alter production of these paracrine signals effect induction of glial reactivity from spreading depression. Unilateral (left) neocortical spreading depression was induced in 95 halothane anesthetized rats by intracortical injections of 0.5 M KCl, with or without drug treatment (five animals/group). Immunohistochemical staining (IS) intensity using the OX-42 and anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) antibodies determined reactivity in microglia and astrocytes, respectively. After 3 days, brains were processed for OX-42 and GFAP-IS and mean optical densities (OD) of IS were measured. Average OD's (for OX-42) and the log ratio (left/right) of OD's (OX-42 and GFAP) were compared to normal animals. Spreading depression induced significant log ratios for both OX-42- and GFAP-IS (P's < 0.01). However, dexamethasone (a glucocorticoid), nordihydroguaiaretic acid (a lipoxygenase inhibitor), and nitroprusside (a NO donor) prevented significant left sided and log ratio OD values for microglia (P's > 0.05). L-Name, a NO synthase inhibitor, caused significant increases in left and right OD's for microglia (P's < 0.05). Mepacrine, a phospholipase A2 inhibitor, Indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, and phenylephrine, an adrenergic agonist, did not prevent induction of significant OX-42 log ratios (P's < 0.01, 0.05, 0.01), and resulted in increases in left side OD's (P's < 0.01, 0.05, 0.05). Significant GFAP log ratios occurred after spreading depression in all drug groups, P's < 0.01. Thus, induction of reactivity in microglia is more sensitive to eicosanoids and NO than in astrocytes.

Distribution of goblet cells in the rat nasal septum by use of quantitative histological technique

In this quantitative, histological study, both goblet cell number and distribution of secretory granules in normal septal mucosa of rats were examined by computer-based color image analysis combined with a new, simple whole-mount method. Our new method has proved to be a very useful and highly accurate means of examination. The count and size of the mucous area of goblet cells decreased toward the antero-posterior direction with the exception of the apical region of the septum. The regional difference characteristic of the goblet cell is noteworthy. The results are assumed to be closely related to both flow direction of mucous blanket and distribution of nasal gland orifices. Goblet cells are assumed to be controlled by some regulatory factor of the secretory system and to play an important role in nasal physiological mechanism.

Quantitative histological analysis of the human sinoatrial node during growth and aging

BACKGROUND

Fibrosis or fatty infiltration of the human sinoatrial (SA) node is generally believed to represent replacement of the SA nodal cells by connective tissue. Quantitative analysis, however, has not been performed precisely to validate the interpretation of such histological changes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The actual volume of the SA node and its components were calculated according to the sum of the pixel number representing the colors of SA nodal cells and connective tissue in serial sections using a digital color image analyzer. Average volume occupied by the total SA nodal cells in adolescents and adults (n = 7) was 3.55 +/- 0.45 mm3, which was 2.4 times greater than that in infants (n = 3). The rate of increase was smaller than that of the total SA node (4.2 times, 16.68 +/- 2.56 mm3 in adolescents and adults). The considerable discrepancy in the growth ratio between the SA nodal cells and the total SA node resulted from an increase in the volume of connective tissue (7.4 times). In the elderly (n = 9), the volume of total SA node and SA nodal cells actually decreased (13.10 +/- 1.85 mm3 and 2.18 +/- 0.44 mm3), whereas that of fibrous connective tissue remained unchanged. Constant DNA ploidy patterns of SA nodal cells determined by cytofluorometry indicated that SA nodal cells never synthesize DNA during growth.

CONCLUSIONS

Until adulthood, the actual volume of SA nodal cells does not decrease, although the increase in volume ratio of the interstitial tissue to the total SA node has merely given a false impression of involution of SA nodal cells. Atrophy of SA nodal cells, however, occurs during aging together with reduction of the SA node and/or infiltration of fatty tissue.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide immunoreactive neurons in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus demonstrate diurnal variation

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of mammals is considered to be a circadian oscillator and it also demonstrates circadian rhythmicity of its multiple unit activity. A number of neuropeptides have been found in the SCN. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)- and vasopressin-containing neurons comprise large populations of these cells and have a distinct distribution within the nucleus. Therefore we attempted to examine whether the VIP neurons show a diurnal alteration of their immunoreactivity by combined immunocytochemistry and color image analysis. Our results demonstrate that VIP-like immunoreactive neurons show a diurnal change in the amount of immunoreactivity. Immunoreactivity was most intense in the sections from rats maintained in the cyclic photoperiod and sacrificed at 02.00 h and weakest in the SCN from animals sacrificed at 14.00 h. We considered that VIP-like immunoreactive neurons showed diurnal variation of VIP synthesis depending strongly on the light from the retina.

Amplification of the c-myc oncogene is associated with an abnormally banded region on chromosome 8 or double minute chromosomes in two HL-60 human leukemia sublines

Two sublines of HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells were examined cytogenetically with banding techniques. The karyotype of one subline was 44,X,-X,-5,-9,-10,-15,-17,+18,8q+,14q-,16q+,16q+,+mar1,+mar2 ,+mar3. The defective chromosome #8 contained an expanded chromosomal segment at the end of the long arm at band q24. The segment appeared to be a homogeneously staining region on the basis of quinacrine fluorescence banding. Using G-banding technique, this segment showed some evidence of indistinct aberrant bands and, thus, was designated an abnormally banded region (ABR). Double minute chromosomes (DM) were not seen in these cells. The second subline showed a similar karyotype; however, these cells lacked the 8q+ marker and contained one to 37 DM in approximately 90% of the cells examined. Because HL-60 cells are known to contain multiple copies of the c-myc oncogene, in situ chromosomal hybridization of a c-myc probe to HL-60 metaphase cells was performed to localize the amplified genes. The hybridization studies revealed localization to the ABR, as well as to DM, which is consistent with amplification of c-myc within these novel interchangeable chromosomal aberrations.

Cell proliferation and differentiation in intramucosal and advanced signet ring cell carcinomas of the human stomach

In order to study the progression of signet ring cell carcinomas in the human stomach, we compared cell proliferation and differentiation between small and large intramucosal cancers, and between intramucosal and advanced cancers. Fine-structurally, signet ring cells were differentiated to 3 cell types: a foveolar, a glandular and an intestinal type. In the mucosa, the foveolar-type cells and glandular-type cells were distributed at the superficial and the deep zone, respectively. In the small mucosal cancers, intestinal-type cells were rare and a layered structure was often seen. In this structure, the mode of cell production resembled that in the normal gastric mucosa; the foveolar-type signet ring cells in the superficial layer were not proliferative and the proliferating cells were small cells in the middle layer and a few glandular-type cells in the deep layer. In the large mucosal and advanced cancers, intestinal-type cells and proliferating small round cells were often distributed throughout the depth of the mucosa, and signet ring cells of the foveolar type were also proliferative. These findings indicated that large part of the signet ring cell carcinomas initially form the layered structure and that it becomes indistinct while intestinal-type cells appear as the tumour grows. However, we found several small advanced cancers, lacking both the layered structure and the intestinal-type cells. These cancers appear to start without the layered structure and progress very rapidly.

Age-dependent changes in nuclear DNA content and cell size of presumably normal human corneal endothelium

In order to investigate a relationship between cellular DNA-content and enlargement in cell size of human corneal endothelium in healthy population, both nuclear DNA-cytofluorometry and cell morphometry were performed on individual cells of presumably normal corneas taken from six autopsy cases. The cornea was treated in 0.2 M phosphate buffer containing 60 mM Na2EDTA and fixed with absolute methanol. The endothelial-cell layer was separated from Descemet's membrane by placing the tissue in distilled water. The specimen was marked with rhodamine-labelled wheatgerm agglutinin (WGA)-lectin for identifying cell boundaries and subsequently stained with DAPI for measurement of DNA contents. The area of each cell was measured by means of a color image analyser and compared with its cytofluorometric nuclear DNA content. The enlarged endothelial cells which appeared with age contained diploid, polyploid or multiple nuclei. The polyploid and multinucleated cells had larger mean and maximum cell sizes and more irregular and polymorphous shapes than diploid cells. There were neither small polyploid nor small multinucleated cells. It was suggested that the loss of human corneal endothelium was compensated in vivo by cell size enlargement with or without doubling of nuclear DNA.

Standardization of karyotyping plant chromosomes by a newly developed chromosome image analyzing system (CHIAS)

A chromosome image analyzing system (CHIAS) has been developed especially for plant chromosomes. A standard karyotyping method using CHIAS is also described. The characteristics of the CHIAS are as follows: 1) the main objects of the analysis are plant chromosomes, 2) it constructs a man-machine interactive system to put researchers' decisions into the analytical process, 3) it can automate the routine part of an analysis as much as possible, and 4) it digitizes the image information of chromosomes and analyzes them. Software for karyotype analysis of plant chromosomes has been developed. Thus, in the case of rye chromosomes, it is possible to get quantitative data for all chromosomes and a karyogram within 25 min.

Image analysis of the histochemical demonstration of glucose-6-phosphatase activity in rat liver

Activities of histochemically demonstrated glucose-6-phosphatase were quantified by computerized densitometry using image analysis in livers of female adult Wistar rats fed ad libitum and fasted 22 h before sacrifice. Mean optical densities along the path between small portal tracts and efferent hepatic venous branches and enzyme activities obtained from biochemical assays exhibited a strong positive correlation. The gradients of high periportal to lower perivenous glucose-6-phosphatase activities were analysed by profiles of optical density along these distances. Mapping optical densities in an image of equidensity range provided information on the distribution pattern of hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase over an extended two-dimensional area. This visualisation of histochemical enzyme reaction based on quantitative data supports the approach of sampling across the entire protal----hepatic venous distance disregarding parenchymal zonation. Utilities provided by computer assisted image analysis will have some bearing for further adequate quantitative description of liver function and structural make up.