Effect of cigarette smoking on the structure of hepatocytes: TEM study / Efecto del tabaquismo sobre la estructura de los hepatocitos: estudio MET

The liver is one of the major organs that is indirectly affected by cigarette smoke. The aim of this project is to define the histologic and ultrastructural changes in normal liver cells after exposing animals to cigarette smoke. Thirty albino rats were exposed to cigarette smoke for 90 days, followed by morphologic examination of their livers under light microscope and electron microscope. The liver cells of cigarette smoke exposed rats showed mild swelling with increased eosinophilia. Ultrastructural examination of these cells demonstrated cytoplasm with highly proliferated and crowded mitochondria. There were many electron dense mitochondria. These mitochondria were pleomorphic in shape compared to mitochondrias of control rats. Also, loss of mitochondrial cristae and widening of the intermembranous space was noticed. It is concluded that smoking exerts cellular damage and oxidative stress on normal liver cells resulting in ultrastructural changes.

El hígado es uno de los principales órganos indirectamente afectado por el humo del cigarrillo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue definir los cambios histológicos y ultraestructurales de las células normales del hígado después de exponer a los animales al humo del cigarrillo. Treinta ratas albinas fueron expuestas al humo de cigarrillo durante 90 días, seguido de un examen morfológico de los hígados bajo microscopio de luz y microscopio electrónico. Las células hepáticas de las ratas expuestas al humo de cigarrillo mostraron una leve inflamación con un aumento de la eosinofilia. En el examen ultraestructural de estas células se observó el citoplasma mitocondrial altamente proliferado y saturado. Se observó gran cantidad de mitocondrias electrón-densas y éstas presentaban forma pleomórfica en comparación con las mitocondrias del grupo control. Además, se observó pérdida de las crestas mitocondriales y ensanchamiento del espacio intermembranoso. Se concluye que el tabaquismo ejerce daño celular y estrés oxidativo en las células hepáticas normales, lo que resulta en la aparición de cambios ultraestructurales.

Biochemical Changes Induced by the Toxicity of Variable Sizes of Silver Nanoparticles.

Background: Silver nanoparticles (SNPs) rapid involvement in industry and nanomedicine increased human exposure to variable forms of these particles, with possible potential risk on human health. Aims: The aim of this study is to investigate the biochemical changes induced by variable sizes of SNPs toxicity. Place and Duration of Study: Faculty of Medicine, The University of Jordan and the College of Applied Medical Sciences at Aljouf University, Saudi Arabia, between January 2013 and January 2014. Study Design: Forty-two male mice were subjected to a daily single dose (1mg/kg body weight) of SNPs using five different sizes (10 nm, 20 nm, 40 nm, 60 nm and 100 nm) for 35 days. Methodology: Biochemical changes of the following eleven biochemical tests were determined: aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, triglycerides, total bilirubin, creatinine, total protein, albumin, urea, uric acid and total cholesterol. Results: Silver nanoparticles significantly elevated aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, triglycerides, total bilirubin and creatinine, with no significant change in total protein level while albumin and total cholesterol levels were lowered. Conclusion: The findings indicate that exposure to SNPs produced significant biochemical changes that might affect the functions of the vital organs. Moreover, these alterations were size-dependent with smaller particles (10 nm and 20 nm) induced more alterations than the larger ones.