Immunohistochemical localization of fibronectin in the ocular tissues of adult male albino rat

Fibronectin is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein that binds to membrane receptor integrin and extracellular matrix components such as collagen, fibrin, and heparin sulfate proteoglycans. It plays a major role in cell adhesion, growth, migration, and differentiation, and it is important for processes such as wound healing and embryonic development. Altered fibronectin expression, degradation, and organization have been associated with a number of pathologies including cancer and fibrosis. This study was conducted to evaluate the distribution of fibronectin in the ocular tissues of adult male albino rat. Eyeballs of 10 adult male albino rats were enucleated and processed for immunohistochemical localization of fibronectin in different ocular tissues using a light microscope. Fibronectin showed wide distribution in the ocular tissues of adult male albino rat. The immunoreactivity was apparent in the basement membrane of the cornea, corneoscleral junction and epithelium of the iris, and ciliary processes. Stroma of cornea, sclera, and middle layer of the eyeball revealed strong positive immunoreaction. The lens displayed fibronectin in the capsule, whereas retina revealed its immunoreactivity in the outer and inner plexiform layers and at the internal limiting membrane. Fibronectin displayed wide distribution in the ocular tissues of adult male albino rat. It is strongly expressed in the sclera, followed by ciliary body, choroid, iris, cornea, conjunctiva, retina, and finally lens capsule. The clinical relevance of the different distributions of fibronectin may be a subject of further researches

Histological and immunohistochemical study on the possible protective role of coenzyme Q10 on hepatocytes of simvastatin treated adult male albino rat

Simvastatin, recently introduced in clinical practice for pharmacological treatment of hypercholesterolemia, has been found to induce elevation of serum transaminases. Coenzyme Q10 is a naturally occurring antioxidant appeared to be incorporated into the wall of the mitochondria and cell membrane phospholipid layer. Its deficiency has been linked with long term Simvastatin administration. Accordingly this work was carried to study the histological effect of Simvastatin on hepatocytes of adult male albino rats and to evaluate the possible ameliorating effect of coenzyme Q10. For this aim 35 adult male albino rats were used and were divided into four groups: The first group served as a control group [20 rats]. The second group [5 rats] received 3.6mg/day coenzyme Q10. The third group [5 rats] received 1.44mg/day simvastatin. The fourth or protective group [5 rats] received Simvastatin and coenzyme Q10 simultaneously. Both drugs were given orally once daily for three months. Liver specimens were processed for histological study by LM and EM and stained immunohistochemically for detection of apoptotic cells using caspase-3 antibody. Light microscopic examination of liver sections of simvastatin treated group revealed widely separated hepatocytes and detachment of parts of their cytoplasm into small irregular fragments. Others displayed vacuolated cytoplasm with pyknotic or completely lost nuclei in association with significant increase in caspase- 3 positive cells. At the ultrastructural level, electron dense mitochondria and decrease of glycogen granules were commonly seen together with nuclear shrinkage. Some hepatocytes were fragmented into membrane bound apoptotic bodies which were seen to be phagocytosed by Kupffer cells. On the other hand, the protective group showed resolving of most of the morphological changes to be more or less similar to the control group. It could be concluded that simvastatin induced apoptosis in hepatocytes of adult male albino rats through caspase-3 activation, which could be resolved by concomitant administration of coenzyme Q10

Histological study on the possible protective role of vitamin C against endotoxin on pancreatic acini of adult male albino rat

Endotoxin is a lipopolysaccaride molecule derived from Gram-Ve bacterial cell wall. It acts as a potent signaling molecule which elicits a systemic inflammatory response syndrome [SIRS] defined as sepsis. This syndrome is considered to be the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in intensive care units. Dietary antioxidant vitamins could protect against endotoxin damage. The present study was conducted to illustrate the histological changes in pancreatic acini of albino rat in response to endotoxin administration and the possible protective role of vitamin C. In this study twenty four adult male albino rats were used and divided into four groups, [six rats each]. Group I [Control group]. Group II [Vitamin C treated group] was given vitamin C orally in a dose level of 18 mg/kg body weight once daily for two weeks. Group III [Endotoxin treated group] was given single dose of endotoxin at a dose level of 5 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally. Group IV [Protective group] was given oral vitamin C in a dose level of 18 mg/kg body weight daily for two weeks prior to endotoxin administration [5mg/kg] as in group II. Microscopical examination of H and E stained sections of the endotoxin treated group [group III] showed severely affected pancreatic acini with loss of the normal architectural pattern. Ultrastructurally, dilatation of rough endoplasmic reticulum, cytoplasmic vacuolation, zymogen granule depletion and loss of polarity were the commonly encountered lesions in association with nuclear changes. In Group IV vitamin C reduced endotoxin toxicity to pancreatic acini as revealed by presentation of the pancreatic architecture to be nearly similar to that of the control group. It is concluded that vitamin C had a protective effect to pancreatic acini against endotoxin induced pancreatitis

Evaluation of the morphologic and histologic changes in the testes after spermatic vessels division [fowler-stephens maneuver]: an experimental study

Orchiopexy with division of the spermatic vessels is a commonly used technique for correcting the high undescended testis using either one or two stage Fowler-Stephens procedure. We aimed in this study to determine early and late morphological and histological changes in the ipsilateral and contralateral testes after unilateral testicular vessels division in rat. Four groups, each of 12 prepubertal male albino rats were studied. Group I was a control group without any operative intervention and group II underwent sham operation on the left testis and spermatic cord. Group III underwent in situ left high spermatic vessels division and in group IV, the left spermatic vessels were divided at the same level as in group III, but the spermatic cord and testis were completely dissected and freed from any attachment in the abdomen and scrotum. Six prepubertal rats in each group were sacrificed one day postoperatively. The remaining 6 prepubertal rats in all groups were sacrificed 4 weeks postoperatively after reaching maturity to evaluate spermatogenesis. For each rat, the testes were harvested bilaterally and prepared for histological examination of testicular architecture and evaluation of spermatogenesis. The volume of each testis was calculated. In group III, all testes one day and 4 weeks postoperatively showed no significant changes in the size and shape compared to the control group. One day postoperatively, in-situ division of the spermatic vessels caused morphological changes in primary spermatocytes at all stages of the cycle in the ipsilateral testes. These morphological changes have become normalized after 4 weeks. In group IV, all the ipsilateral testes one day postoperatively showed no significant differences in the testicular shape, size and weight compared to the control group, however, these ipsilateral testes 4 weeks postoperatively, showed statistically significant decrease in weight compared to the control. Histologically, one day postoperatively, more histological alterations were occurred and most of pachytene spermatocytes, at all stages of the cycle, showed marked chromatin condensation and acidophilic cytoplasm. Four weeks postoperatively, two testes showed normalization of the morphological changes, however, in 3 testes; the severe alterations and cell degeneration observed after one day were amplified and the entire population of pachytene spermatocytes disappeared from most of the seminiferous tubules, although infrequent nests of complete spermatogenesis have been observed [<30%]. In one testis, the entire population of the germinal cells was eliminated and the tubules were lined exclusively by Sertoli cells. The contralateral testes in both groups III and IV showed no significant difference either macroscopically or microscopically one day and 4 weeks postoperatively. The spermatic artery and vein can safely be divided above the divergence of the vas to provide additional cord length. Division of the spermatic vessels may result in varying degrees of testicular injury. Often this injury is much greater histologically than one would expect from gross examination of the testis. It is important to divide the spermatic vessels in a separate procedure before orchiopexy. The effects of testicular injury on the sperm production in the contralateral testis are not reported in rats and did not result in any decrease in spermatogenesis