Connective tissue regeneration after laser-CO2 therapy.

The ultrastructural pattern of fibroblasts involved in the healing process of laser-treated tissues has been investigated. This study has been performed on the uterine cervix, the epithelial abnormalities of which are frequently treated by laser. Observations carried out immediately and two and seven days after treatment, have demonstrated that: fibroblasts show an active and almost uniform pattern; myofibroblasts are not present; and macrophages are limited in number. This healing process is interpreted as a proliferative pattern of the connective tissue which differs from that of some benign tumors and of healing wounds.

Junctional pattern in the squamous metaplasia of the female trigone. A freeze-fracture study.

The junctional pattern of squamous metaplasia in the female trigone was studied by the freeze-fracture technique. Desmosomes were observed in all epithelial layers and varied in complexity from the basal to the superficial layers. Gap junctions were observed in the lower and upper epithelial layers. Tight junctions were detected occasionally in the superficial layer only, which appeared as maculae and did not form zonulae occludens. These data support previous suggestions that the squamous metaplastic epithelium is not waterproof and may interfere with the contraction-expansion mechanism of the bladder.

Age-related frequency of viral lesions and their association with uterine cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Data collection forms of 50,165 routine smears were examined, and of these 47,577 were considered for this study. Viral cytological lesions (VL) were observed in 101 cases: of these, 19 were associated with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. The total frequency of VL was 0.21%, with the peak in the teenager group (0.49%). The frequency of CIN among VL showed an overall frequency of 18.8%: this was null under 21 years of age and highest (50%) between 51 and 60 years of age. The frequency of VL in relation to clinical provenance of patients and the season of the year did not attain significance.

The junctional pattern of the human villous trophoblast. A freeze-fracture study.

This investigation of the junctional pattern of the human trophoblastic epithelium was carried out on the fractured faces of (a) the syncytial plasma membrane bathed by the maternal blood (S-PMm); (b) by syncytial plasma membrane in contact with either the cytotrophoblast or the trophoblastic basement membrane (S-PMf), and (c) the cytotrophoblastic plasma membrane (C-PM). The most relevant findings were tight junctions on the SPMm, and the intertrophoblastic junctional pattern, not realizing a tight subcompartmentalization between syncytium and cytotrophoblast. The following aspects were discussed: the SPMf represents the last membrane barrier before the fetal capillary, and the function of the cytotrophoblast seems to be limited to the modulation of syncytial activity.

The morphology of early trophoblast after dioxin poisoning in the Seveso area.

The placental morphology in 22 cases of induced abortion performed one to three months after the Seveso disaster is described. In 15 cases no gross histological or ultrastructural alterations were observed. In seven cases there were many prominent microprecipitates beneath the trophoblastic basement membrane at various distances from the fetal capillaries. Intermediate patterns between simple dense bodies, already well known, and complex pluri-stratified giant structures not previously reported have been described. Combined ultrastructural and x-ray investigations (EDAX analysis) have recorded calcium- and iron-related emissions from these structures. The significance of these findings and their possible relationship to dioxin poisoning has been discussed.