Effects of cigarette smoke exposure on the ultrastructure of the golden hamster parathyroid gland.

Cigarette smoking has been identified as one of the risk factors to induce osteoporosis. However, we find no study on the morphology of the parathyroid gland under smoking exposure. We studied the ultrastructure of the parathyroid gland, lung and femur of the golden hamster exposed to cigarette smoke. Four-week-old male hamsters were housed in a plastic case (48x31x30 cm) and were exposed to cigarette smoke for 12 weeks, 5 minutes exposure, 4 times a day, 4 days a week. There were no differences in serum calcium level and the whole bone mineral density between the control and the smoke-exposed groups. In the parathyroid gland of the smoke-exposed animals, the Golgi complexes associated with many prosecretory granules were well developed and many secretory granules were located near the plasma membrane. Large lipid-like inclusion bodies were observed in the alveolar macrophages of the smoke-exposed animals. The femur morphology showed a wider area of resorbing surface in the smoke-exposed group than in the control group. From these findings, it is conceivable that the secretory activity of the parathyroid gland was stimulated with cigarette smoke exposure.

Occurrence of the parathyroid cyst in golden hamsters.

Parathyroid cyst is a rare lesion, but has clinical significance because of it's ability to mimic a thyroid mass and it's association with hyperparathyroidism. The occurrence and morphology of parathyroid cysts in golden hamsters from neonatal to senile periods were investigated using light and electron microscopy. The results demonstrate the presence of chief cell cysts in the parathyroid glands of 5-day-old hamsters. Some chief cells lining the cyst wall showed mitosis and apoptosis. The existence of chief cell cysts may represent the rapid proliferation of the parathyroid chief cells in 5-day-old hamsters. Ciliated cysts were observed in the parathyroid glands of 5-day-, 1- and 3-month-old hamsters. Three cell types were distinguished in the wall of the ciliated cyst: Ciliated, mucous and basal cells. Ciliated cysts possessed the features of the pharyngeal epithelia without endocrine cells and may arise from embryological remnants of pharyngeal pouches in the neck undergoing cystic degeneration and entrapping portions of parathyroid tissue. The frequency of parathyroid cysts decreased with age.

Macrophages in the hamster parathyroid gland: immunohistochemical and ultrastructural investigations.

The distribution and morphology of the parathyroid macrophages in golden hamsters from neonatal to senile periods were investigated using the monoclonal antibody to ED2 and electron microscopy. The results showed that definite ED2-positive cells were hardly detectable in the parathyroid gland of 1-day-old hamsters. A few ED2-positive cells could be identified in the parathyroid gland of 10-day-old hamsters. The ED2-positive cells were more densely and became conspicuous in 1-, 3-, and 12-month-old hamsters. The number of the cells seems to be increased with aging. Ultrastructurally, we did not find any macrophages in parathyroid glands of 1-day-old hamsters. In the 10-day-old hamster parathyroid gland, a few macrophages existed only in the interstitial tissues. In the parathyroid gland of 1-, 3-, and 12-month-old hamsters, many macrophages were found in the perivascular regions, some cells located among the parenchymal chief cells with no obvious vascular association. These cells showed some physical contacts with chief cells. These results suggest that the parathyroid macrophages exhibit dramatical changes in their distribution and morphology from neonatal to senile periods.

Nuclear bodies of the human lung in psittacosis.

Lung piece obtained from a female patient with psittacosis by biopsy. A nuclear bodies of five different types were observed, depending on their degree of ultrastructural development. First type showed fibrillary nuclear bodies surrounded by a clear halo. Type II resembled the nuclear body of type I but showed heterogeneously electron density. Type III comprised nuclear bodies with a fibrillary cortex containing a central granular component. These bodies were separated from the nucleoplasm by a clear halo. Type IV was characterized by a more complex structure and resembled the nuclear body of type III but with dense osmiophilic granules. Nuclear bodies of type V were comprised of numerous osmiophilic granules.

Effects of progesterone on the ultrastructure of the golden hamster parathyroid gland.

The ultrastructure of the parathyroid glands in golden hamsters after administration of progesterone was investigated. In the parathyroid glands of the female hamsters after administration of progesterone, the mean serum calcium concentration was significantly higher when compared to that of the control hamsters. In the male experimental hamsters, the percentage area occupied by Golgi complexes and lipid droplets was significantly increased when compared to that of the control hamsters, respectively. In the female hamsters after administration of progesterone, the percentage area occupied by large vacuolar bodies was significantly decreased when compared to that of the control hamsters. In the male and female experimental hamsters, the mean number of secretory granules per 100 microns2 of cytoplasm showed a significant increase compared with that of the male and female control hamsters, respectively. These findings suggest that the secretory activity of the parathyroid glands may be stimulated in response to hypocalcemia induced by progesterone.