Denonvilliers' fascia in women and its relationship with the fascia propria of the rectum examined by successive slices of celloidin-embedded pelvic viscera.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to reexamine the detailed anatomy of Denonvilliers' fascia in women and to study its relationship with the fascia propria of the rectum. METHODS: Macroscopic dissection was performed and successive slices of celloidin-embedded pelvic viscera were examined. Of 25 formalin-fixed pelvic splanchnic organs removed from adult female pelves, 14 were cut midsagittally, dissected, and observed under anatomic microscopy, and 11 were embedded in celloidin and then made into successive slices. RESULTS: The rectovaginal septum was composed of anterior and posterior layers. The anterior layer was identified as Denonvilliers' fascia; the posterior layer as the fascia propria of the rectum. The bilateral insertions of Denonvilliers' fascia differ at different levels: at the cervix, Denonvilliers' fascia merged into the parametrium; at the upper vagina, it ended laterally at the paracolpium or fused with the fascia anterior to the vagina; at the middle vagina, the fasciae anchored to the arcus tendineus fasciae pelvis; at the lower vagina, it ended at the lateral side of the outlet of the levator ani muscles. CONCLUSIONS: The rectovaginal septum is formed by Denonvilliers' fascia and the fascia propria of rectum and can potentially limit the spread of malignancy.

Muscular structure at the male bladder outlet examined with successive celloidin-embedded slices.

OBJECTIVE: To re-examine the detailed anatomy of the muscular system at the bladder neck and proximal urethra in the male and to explore its function in urinary continence and micturition further. METHODS: The pelvic organs, including bladder, prostate, and rectum, were obtained from 20 formalin-fixed adult male cadavers and were removed from the pelvic cavity and embedded in celloidin in their entirety. The embedded block was cut into successive slices with an immersing-alcohol microtome. RESULTS: Circular muscle fibers of the detrusor at the bladder outlet consist of the anterior downward-projected circular muscle fibers of the bladder outlet (ADPC), the bilateral accumulated circular fibers, and the posterior circular fibers of the bladder outlet. Together, these fibers concentrically surround the internal urethral orifice and trigone muscle. The lower part of the ADPC surrounds the ventral surface of the proximal urethra. Longitudinal muscle fibers are radially inserted into the circular muscle around the internal urethral orifice. Numerous fibers from the ventral longitudinal muscle are inserted into the lower part of the ADPC. The upper part of the trigone muscle exists in bladder cavity; the lower part extends into the proximal urethra to surround the posterior and posterolateral surface of the urethra. CONCLUSION: The ADPC and the upward extension of the rhabdosphincter comprise the anterior fibromuscular stroma. The circular muscle of the bladder outlet may be responsible for closure; the longitudinal muscle of the bladder outlet may be responsible for opening of the internal urethral orifice and proximal urethra.

A preliminary study on progesterone antioxidation in promoting learning and memory of young ovariectomized mice.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the effect of long-term progesterone (P4) treatment on structural and functional deficits associated with the hippocampus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Mice served as sham controls or were bilaterally ovariectomized (Ovx), and a 90-day regimen of placebo or P4 was applied to the animal. After the administration, the acquisition and retrieval of mice in contextual fear conditioning (CFC) and a water maze were examined. Hippocampal tissues from some mice in each group were stained with cresyl violet, and the remainder were taken for determining the antioxidant power. RESULTS: Compared with placebo controls, the time spent on freezing was higher and the latencies were longer for mice given high-dose P4 (HP) (p < 0.05) in CFC, and the HP group also had longer searching time spent in the target quadrant (p < 0.05) in the water maze. Compared with placebo controls, the cell number of hippocampus CA1, CA3 and DG was significantly higher in the HP group (p < 0.05), and the thickness of the cell layer in CA1 and DG was also higher in the HP group (p < 0.05). All the oxidative stress biomarkers show that the antioxidative activity in hippocampus tissue from the HP and LP groups is higher than that in placebo controls (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ovx impairs learning and memory of mice, which can be rescued by a long-term regimen of HP via its antioxidant effects.

The male rectourethralis and deep transverse perineal muscles and their relationship to adjacent structures examined with successive slices of celloidin-embedded pelvic viscera.

BACKGROUND: The precise relationship of the structures dorsal to the membranous urethra, including the rectourethralis muscle, the rhabdosphincter, the deep transverse perineal muscle (DTPM), the perineal body, and Denonvillier's fascia, remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to reexamine the detailed anatomy of the rectourethralis muscle and the deep transverse perineal muscle and their relationship with adjacent structures. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The pelvic viscera, including bladder, prostate, and rectum, were obtained from 20 formalin-fixed adult male cadavers. MEASUREMENTS: The pelvic viscera were embedded in celloidin and then cut into successive slices with an immersing-alcohol microtome. All slices were explored with anatomic microscopy. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: The longitudinal muscle of the anterior rectal wall was divided into anterior and posterior bundles at the junction of the rectum and anal canal. The intermediate fibers of the anterior bundle ended at the perineal body. The lateral fibers of the anterior bundle terminated at the posterior connective tissue of the bulbus penis. The DTPM occupied the space between the rhabdosphincter, rectum, and the bilateral levator ani muscle. Denonvillier's fascia terminated at the junction of the prostate and rhabdosphincter. Numerous slender nerves coming from the neurovascular bundle perforated the DTPM. CONCLUSIONS: The anterior bundle of the longitudinal muscle of the rectum inserts into the bulbus penis forming the rectourethralis muscle and ends at the perineal body forming the rectoperinealis muscle. The anterior bundle and DTPM together may contribute to the rectal angle of the anterior rectal wall, and they support the posterior border of the rhabdosphincter.

Measuring the space between vagina and rectum as it relates to rectocele.

AIM: To measure the normal space between the posterior wall of the vagina and the anterior wall of the respectively rectum using computed tomography (CT) and reveal its were relationship to rectocele. METHODS: A total of twenty female volunteers without rectocele were examined by CT scan. We performed a middle level continuous horizontal pelvic scan from the upper part to the lower part and collected the measurement data to analyze the results using t-test. RESULTS: Twenty volunteers were enrolled in the study. The space between the posterior wall of the vagina and the anterior wall of the rectum was measured at three levels (upper 1/3, middle, lower 1/3 level of vagina). The results showed that the space from the posterior wall of the vagina to the anterior wall of the rectum at the upper 1/3 level and the middle level was 3.896 +/- 0.3617 mm and 4.6575 +/- 0.3052 mm, respectively. When the two groups of data were compared, we found the space at the upper 1/3 level was shorter than at the middle level (P < 0.01). Moreover, at the lower 1/3 level the space measured was 10.058 +/- 0.4534 mm. The results revealed that the space at the lower 1/3 level was longer than that at the middle level (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: These measurement data may be helpful in assessing rectocele clinical diagnosis and functional outcomes of rectocele repair.

[Synergetic cytotoxicity of cisplatin and etoposide to leukemia cell line K562 and its mechanism].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Etoposide (VP-16) is one of the most common chemotherapy drugs, but its usage is limited by drug resistance. Some researches on solid tumors show that cisplatin (DDP) have synergetic effect with VP-16. This study was to evaluate synergetic cytotoxicity of VP-16 and DDP to leukemia cell line K562, and explore the mechanism. METHODS: K562 cells were treated with VP-16 (0 or 5 microg/ml) and DDP (0, 0.3, 3, 15, or 30 microg/ml) in different combination patterns. Inhibitory effect of VP-16 and DDP on survival of K562 cells was measured by MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by AO/EB double fluorescent labeling. The expression of topoisomerase (TOPO) II alpha and II beta, and transcription factor Sp1 and Sp3 were measured by semi-quantitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot. RESULTS: MTT assay showed significant synergetic cytotoxicity of VP-16 and DDP. VP-16 in combination with DDP obviously enhanced cell apoptosis. RT-PCR showed that DDP significantly up-regulated the expression of TOPO II and Sp1 in concentration-dependent manners (TOPO II alpha, II beta, and Sp1 were up-regulated by 36%, 25%, and 75% of control, respectively, when treated with 30 microg/ml of DDP), and down-regulated Sp3 by 49% of control; VP-16 (5 microg/ml) down-regulated TOPO II alpha by 71.9%, and up-regulated Sp3 by 14%; VP-16 (5 microg/ml) in combination with DDP (30 microg/ml) up-regulated TOPO II alpha by 83%, II beta by 11%, and Sp1 by 58% when compared with using VP-16 alone (but the levels were lower than using DDP alone), and down-regulated Sp3 by 61.3% when compared with using DDP alone. Western blot showed similar results to RT-PCR. CONCLUSION: Through up-regulating TOPO II, DDP could enhance the chemotherapeutic effect of VP-16 on K562 cells by provide more target enzyme to act on.