[Innervation of the human adrenal gland]. / Inervación de la glándula suprarrenal humana.

OBJECTIVE: To study the innervation of the human adrenal gland by immunohistochemical techniques using monoclonal antibodies against the 200-kDa phosphorylated neurofilament and S-100 protein, specific markers of the axons and Schwann cells, respectively. METHODS: 24 specimens of normal adrenal gland from patients that had undergone radical nephrectomy for a renal tumor were analyzed. The tissue was embedded in paraffin and prepared for analysis by immunohistochemical techniques with the indirect peroxidase method using primary monoclonal antibodies against the 200-kDA phosphorylated neurofilament and protein S-100. RESULTS: The nerves localized in the adrenal gland form a subcapsular plexus where branches arise that extend to the medulla and come into contact with the enterochromaffin cells and medullary neurons. The adrenal neurons are restricted to the medulla; they are dispersed or form ganglia. The satellite cells of the medullary ganglia and the sustentacular cells were positive for S-100. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the nerve fibers penetrate into the human adrenal gland, extending directly to the medulla apparently without coming into contact with the cells of the adrenal cortex and form similar connections to the synaptics with the chromaffin cells and the medullary neurons. The microganglia of the human adrenal gland are dispersed and comprised of few neurons.

Ultrastructural study of neuromuscular junction in rectus femoris muscle of streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

The neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) from rectus femoris muscle in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were examined by electron microscopy eight weeks after the STZ injection. When compared to controls and vehicle-injected groups, both the axon terminal and the junctional sarcoplasm showed serious alterations including mitochondrial degeneration, presence of myeloid bodies, breakdown of presynaptic membrane and changes in the form of the synaptic vesicles. The results suggest that NMJ can contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic proximal myopathy.

Proximal skeletal muscle alterations in streptozotocin-diabetic rats: a histochemical and morphometric analysis.

The response of rat quadriceps muscle fibers to chronic streptozotocin (STZ) diabetes was studied. Transverse sections of rectus femoris muscle from diabetic and weight-matched control rats were assayed for myofibrilar adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-tetrazolium reductase (NADH-TR). A quantitative analysis was carried out by an automatic interactive analysis system focused on the fiber type size and distribution. STZ-induced diabetes caused important effects in this muscle, with changes in the distribution of oxidative enzyme reactions, type I fiber hypertrophy, and type II fiber atrophy, which was greater in type IIB than in type IIA. It is concluded that hypoinsulinism produces morphological alterations in proximal skeletal muscle fibers that are similar to those of neurogenic myopathy. Thus the pathological changes in these mammalian muscle fibers could explain the clinical syndrome seen in diabetic patients called "diabetic symmetrical proximal motor neuropathy," perhaps the least understood of the major neuropathic complications of diabetes.

[Microscopic innervation of the skin and annexes of the labium oris]. / Inervación microscópica de la piel y anexos del labium oris.

It is studied the skin and annexes innervation of cat and Wistar rat lips with argentic impregnation and acetylcholinesterase technique. It is made evident the existence of a subepithelial plexus from where some nervous fibers leave ending in the epithelial deep stratums and nervous fibers that finish in dermis thickness forming complex ramifications and different type I and II of SETO morphotypes of nervous receptors. They aren't found typical Merckel, Meissner o Paccini mechano-receivers. The nervous terminations in the transition skin-mucous zone are like the ones found in the rest of skin epidermis. Some intraepithelial fibers have been described at level of sudoriferous and sebaceus glands and sensitive corpuscles in connexion with pilous follicles.

[Morphometric study of epithelial neoplasms of the parotid gland]. / Estudio morfométrico de las neoplasias epiteliales de la glándula parótida.

The histological diagnosis of parotid gland tumoral pathology is difficult in some cases. Morphometry provides a possibility to quantify the histopathology minimizing the risk of a misdiagnosis. On this basis, a morphometric study of the normal parotid tissue and 13 types of parotid tumors is carried out and nuclear Area, D. Circle, Form. PE, and Form. AR are calculated. Statistical analysis the results is made using the Student's "t-test" and significant differences between benign and malignant tumors and between each tumor and the remainder are obtained. Contribution of the results to the histopathological diagnosis is discussed.

The capsule structure of Pacinian corpuscles from the cat mesentery.

Using the electronograms of Pacinian corpuscle capsule of the cat mesentery the authors have studied in details the structure of its layers and lamellae. The thickness of the capsule lamellae ranged between 30 nm-320 nm, the mean width being 150 nm. On the surface they are overlaid by means of lamina basalis. The capsule is formed by circular layers composed, most often, by 1-2 lamellae, less frequently, by larger number of lamellae. The width of the space between the layers of lamellae is 150-820 nm. A number of lamellae is provided with longer or shorter processes. They are directed more often to the adjacent lamella with which they can be also connected by means of membrane specialization. However, they are also directed into the space between individual layers of the capsule. The importance of these processes has not been known. Furthermore, the authors have studied the reciprocal link-up of the lamellae within one layer. The lamellae are connected either side-to-side, by inserting the end of one lamella into the infolding of the other, end-to-side or end-to-end. Rich pinocytotic activity (rich occurrence of caveolae) was observed in the lamellae of the capsule. Therefore the authors are of the opinion that the capsule and its lamellae have not only mechanical significance or the function of the transfer system and filter, but they form an important component (subsystem) of the whole metabolic system in the sensory corpuscle.

Histochemical study, morphometric analysis and systematic distribution of fiber types in the rectus femoris muscle of the albino rats.

The histochemical and morphometric characteristics as well as the systematic distribution of fiber types in the muscle rectus femoris (RF) of adult male rats were studied from ATPase (pre-incubated at pH 9'4, 4'6 and 4'2) and NADH stained sections. The muscle fiber types were classified as I type, IIA type and IIB-type. In 20 RF muscles 90-95% of total fibers were sampled and the mean diameter, length and irregularity-degree analysed. The data were grouped in four quadrants and the percent of fiber types was determined. The type IIB fibers predominate in all quadrants. The largest fibers were the IIB type and the smallest ones the type I, for all the quadrants. Our findings support a functional compartmentalization as proposed by many authors.

[Cholinergic innervation of the prostate in the white rat (Rattus norvegicus)]. / Inervación colinérgica de la próstata en la rata blanca (Rattus norvegicus).

We studied the cholinergic innervation of the prostate in male albino rats using a technic for demonstrating acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. We observed AChE-positive nerve fibers surrounding the acini and blood vessels. In the prostatic ventral lobe, a large number of AChE-reactive neurons (isolated or forming microganglia) were observed. However, no neurons were observed in the dorsal-lateral prostatic lobe. The foregoing findings suggest a different cholinergic innervation for these prostatic lobes.

[Morphostructure of myoneural synapses of the lingual musculature]. / Morfoestructura de las sinapsis mioneurales en la musculatura lingual.

The human and the rabbit tongue with different histologycal techniques are studied. Most muscle fibers of the tongue shown one or various motor end-plates derivated from a single axon. It is not frequent a polisynaptic innervation. The muscular polo of the synapse have few nyofibrils, nucleus and sarcoplasma without differentiation. Does not exit differences between the motor end-plates of the tongue from the man and the rabbit.

[Lingual neurons: localization, morphology and possible functional significance]. / Neuronas linguales: localización, morfología y posible significación funcional.

Neurons either isolated or clustered in small ganglio are found in the thickness of the connective tissue of the lamina typical of the lingual mucous membrane and the perimysium; they lack processes, are scare in number and of a primitive aspect. Its possible nature and functional significance are discussed.

Semi-automatic morphometric analysis of secretory granules in the cells of the rat adenohypophysis.

The authors carried out a morphometric analysis--using a semi-automatic system for image analysis--of the secretory granules in the cells of the Wistar rat adenohypophysis. They evaluated the mean diameter (CIRCLE D), maximum diameter (MAX D), the factor of circular form (PE FORM) and the harmonic factor of form (HAR FORM). They also computed the coefficient of correlation between CIRCLE D and PE FORM and the percentual distribution of the values according to mean diameter.

Sexual dimorphism in the cholinergic innervation of the hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) harderian glands.

We study the cholinergic innervation of the Harderian gland in male and female golden hamsters. There is a clear sexual dimorphism in the cholinergic innervation between both sexes. The Harderian gland from male animals contain much more nervous fibers with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) positive reaction than in female. The nervous fibers containing AChE activity are surrounding the acini and blood vessels.