ABSTRACT
In this article we describe a unique and complex variation in the arterial pattern of the left hand of a female cadaver. The following variations were found in this case: a) persistent median artery of the palmar type, terminating in the hand as the princeps pollicis and radialis indicis arteries; b) the ulnar artery giving only two common palmar digital arteries; c) the second digital palmar artery without division into two digital branches and instead supplying only the radial side of the ring finger; d) absence of the first common digital artery with the contiguous sides of the second web space supplied by the first palmar metacarpal artery from the deep palmar arch; e) early bifurcation of the median nerve proximal to the flexor retinaculum.
Subject(s)
Hand/blood supply , Median Nerve/abnormalities , Radial Artery/abnormalities , Ulnar Artery/abnormalities , Cadaver , Dissection , Female , Hand/anatomy & histology , Humans , Median Nerve/anatomy & histology , Radial Artery/anatomy & histology , Ulnar Artery/anatomy & histologyABSTRACT
The prostate gland concentrates Zn more than any organ in the body and Zn is increased and decreased in benign prostatic hyperplastic and adenocarcinoma of the prostate, respectively. Zn is a key structure in zinc finger proteins and hence is involved in cell proliferation and differentiation. The role of Zn may be attributed to a zinc binding protein, metallothionein (MT), which can be induced by certain metals, e.g. Cd. Induced MT may be involved in Zn metabolism and transport in the prostate gland. X-ray microanalysis was used to detect quantitatively the Zn in the nuclei of the glandular epithelium of the gland. It was found that Zn concentration was elevated and reduced in the lateral and dorsal lobes, respectively, after Zn treatment, but the Zn concentration was elevated in the lateral lobe after cadmium treatment. The ventral lobe did not show any substantial change in Zn concentration after either treatment. These results suggest that the three lobes of the gland respond differently to treatment. The variations in the response may reflect different mechanisms of Zn transport and metabolism in the three lobes of the rat prostate. Binding Zn to MT may indicate the involvement of MT in the metabolism and transport of zinc, an effect which may be modified by treatment.
Subject(s)
Cell Nucleus/metabolism , Prostate/metabolism , Zinc/metabolism , Animals , Cadmium/pharmacology , Electron Probe Microanalysis , Male , Prostate/drug effects , Prostate/ultrastructure , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Zinc/pharmacologyABSTRACT
Metallothionein (MT), which binds zinc and other metals, was localized within the rat prostatic complex at light and electron microscopic levels utilizing immunocytochemistry. Two groups of mature, male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with cadmium chloride subcutaneously (2 mg/kg body weight) to induce the synthesis of MT, and were sacrificed 48 h postinjection. From the first group, prostatic tissue from the three lobes was prepared for light microscopy. The indirect peroxidase antiperoxidase procedure was used for MT localization using rabbit anti-MT as the primary antibody. The three lobes of the rat prostate demonstrated a positive reaction for MT, but among the lobes variations in the intensity and localization of the reaction product occurred. Tissues from the second group of animals were prepared for electron microscopy. Using the indirect immunogold labeling technique with anti-MT, MT localization was confirmed in the rough endoplasmic reticulum, secretory vesicles, secretory products, and subepithelial connective tissue. These localizations suggest that MT binds zinc both intra- and extracellularly, where it may function in zinc storage and metabolism.
