The Radial Artery Superficial Palmar (RASP) Branch Free Flap for Finger Soft Tissue Reconstruction

The radial artery superficial palmar branch free flap is based on the perforators of the superficial palmar branch of the radial artery and its venae comitantes. This flap can be used as a sensible flap including palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve. Forty radial artery superficial palmar branch free flaps were performed at Centum Institute during October 2010 to December 2011. There were 32 males and 8 females and their mean age were 48 years (range 30 to 66 years). The thumb injured in 13 patients, the index finger in 16 patients, the middle finger in 4 patients, the ring finger in 2 patients, and the little finger in 5 patients. The mean size of the flap was 2.5x3.5 cm(range 2x2.5 to 3x7 cm). The donor site was always closed primarily. The overall survival rate was 90.2 percent. The flaps showed well-padded tissue with glabrous skin. All patients have touch sensation and showed 12 mm two point discrimination in an average(range 8 to 15 mm). Donor site morbidity was conspicuous. One patient showed unsightly scar. Early postoperative range of motion of the affected thumb showed slightly limited radial and palmar abduction. But it improved after postoperative 2 months, and patients did not complaint limitation of motion. In conclusion, the radial artery superficial palmar branch free flap can be used as an option for soft tissue reconstruction of finger defects where local or island flaps are unsuitable.

Developmental mRNA Expression of cdk5 and its Putative Regulators, p67 and p35, in Rat Brain / 대한해부학회지

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (cdk5) is essential for brain development and p35 and p67 are the regulatory molecules for cdk5. In this study, we have investigated the expression of cdk5, p35, and p67 mRNAs in the developing rat brain with in situ hybridization histochemistry. The expression of cdk5 mRNA was already observed in embryonic day 12 (E12), start point of neurogenesis in rat brain, throughout the brain and gradually increased until postnatal day 3 (P3). At this period, strong expression of cdk5 mRNA was observed in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, dentate gyrus, thalamus, hypothalamus, and inferior colliculus. High level of cdk5 expression was maintained in the postnatal rat brain and prominent expression was observed in the hippocampus, dentate gyrus, cerebellum, and choroid plexus of adult rat brain. Strong expression of p35 mRNA was observed between E16 and E20 in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, dentate gyrus, thalamus, hypothalamus, and inferior colliculus as like as cdk5. After birth, the expression of p35 mRNA was gradually decreased and significant differences in the expression of cdk5 and p35 were observed in the thalamus, hypothalamus, midbrain, and cerebellum. In the embryonic period, the expression pattern of p67 was very similar with that of p35 but expression level was lower than p35. After birth, strong expression of p67 was observed in the areas where the expression of cdk5 was high. From these results, it is suspected that p35 may function in neuronal migration, and p67 in differentiation and maturation, as a major regulator for cdk5 in developing rat brain.

Localization of phospholipase D genes on the human chromosome and various tissues of rat / 대한해부학회지

Phospholipase D (PLD) catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidic acid and choline. A variety of signal molecules such as hormones, neurotransmitters, extracellular matrix molecules, and growth factors are known to induce the activation of PLD in a wide range of cell types. Hence PLD is implicated in a broad spectrum of physio-logical processes and diseases, including mitogenesis, cell differentiation, metabolic regulation, secretion, neural and cardiac stimulation, inflammation, oncogenesis, and diabetes. The signal-dependent activation of PLD has been observed in a variety of brain and neural-derived cells. In this paper, human chromosomal locations and developmental neural expression patterns in rat of PLD1 and PLD2 were investigated with fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and in situ hybridization histochemistry, respectively. The PLD1 was assigned to human chromosome 3q26 and expressed most strikingly in selected ventricular neural cells lining spinal cord and brain during neuronal differentiation and migration period. The PLD2 was assigned to human chromosome 17p13.1 and expressed in differentiating ventricular neural cells and multiple regions of the postnatal rat brain.

Cloning and Localization of Developmentally Regulated Gene, Glutamate/Aspartate Transporter (GLAST) Gene, in the Developing Rat Cerebellum / 대한해부학회지

In this study, S59158, a gene of GLAST (L-Glutamate/L-Aspartate transporter), was cloned by ordered differential display PCR with developing rat brains. The mRNA expression of this gene in the developing rat brain and the effect of kainic acid (KA), glutamate analogue, on this gene were investigated with in situ hybridization histochemistry. The expression of S59158 was restricted to nervous system and observed from E12 (embryonic day 12), peaked at E20, and gradually decreased to adult level. In embryos, S59158 was prominently expressed in the subventricular zones throughout the brain. After birth, strong expression was observed in the purkinje cell layer of cerebellum and moderate level of expression was observed in the subventricular zone, olfactory bulb, hippocampal formation, and cerebral cortex. In the KA treated rat brains, the expression of S59158 was significantly increased in dentate gyrus, hippocampus, and cerebral cortex. From these results, it may be suspected that S59158 is related to the development of the brain and is induced by increased extracellular glutamate level.

Case Report of Fibrolipomatous Filum Terminale in Korean Cadaver / 대한해부학회지

Tethered cord syndrome is a symptom complex result from tightening of film terminale. Thickened filum terminale, lipomyelomeningocele, diastematomyelia, dermal sinus tract, intradural fibrous adhesion, and spinal lipoma might cause the tightening. The common mechanism of these injury is suggested an impairment of longitudinal movement of the sinal cord, especially conus medullaris, which subsequently leads to chronic local ischemia. During cadaver dissection, we have observed low conus medullaris (L4) and thickened film terminale with intradural lipoma in 51 years old female. Thickened film terminale merged into lipomtous cyst located in lower marin of sacral canal. These morphologic findings is considered a lipomatous film terminale, which might cause tethered syndrome.

Cloning and characterization of developmentally differentially expressed novel genes from developing rat cerebral cortex / 대한해부학회지

The structural complexity and heterogeneity of cerebral cortex have been obvious since the earliest days of light microscopy. In fact, if there is one word that captures many of the key attributes of cortical structures, it is diversity. Neurodevelopmental approach is the one of the effective ways to understand complicated structures of cerebral cortex. In this experiment, as a first step to clone the genes related with development of cerebral cortex, the developmentally differentially expressed genes were cloned from developing rat brain with ordered differential display PCR(ODD-PCR). Novel genes were screened from these cloned genes by sequencing and sequence analysis with blast search program. The developmental expression patterns of novel genes in the cerebral cortex were investigated with in situ hybridization histochemistry on the developing and adult rat brain sections. Among the forty one developmentally differentially expressed cDNA bands, amplified with InEGA primer and TEAC primer by ODD PCR, twenty novel genes were screened by sequencing and sequence analysis with blast search program. Through the investigation of developmental expression pattern with in situ hybridization histochemistry, specific expression of five novel genes in the developing rat cerebral cortex was identified. 20-E14-2 was highly expressed in the cerebral cortex during the period of neurogenesis. The expression of 20-E20-1, 20-E20-6b, and 20-P0-5 was relatively well matched with neuronal cell migration in the cerebral cortex. And the strong expression of 20-P0-8b was observed in the neuronal cells of cerebral cortex during the period of syanptogenesis. From these results, it may be suspected that the five novel genes play roles in the development of cerebral cortex.

Cytoskeletons of Cultured Rat Fetal Muscle Cells / 대한해부학회지

Myoblasts fuse together to form multinucleated myotubes. However, only a few studies have been reported on the cytoskeletal changes during the fusion process. To understand the change of cytoskeleton during the fusion process, isolated myoblasts from embryonic day 21 Sprague-Dawley rats were cultured on formvar-, carbon-, and gelatin-coated gold grids for electron microscopy. The cells were fixed and plasma membrane and cytoplasm were extracted with triton X-100 and observed directly with Hitachi H-600 transmission electron microscope without staining. Fusiform myoblasts have complex cytoskeletal networks at the center of the cells, which were too dense to be resolved, however the margins of myoblasts and myotubes have bundles of cytoskeletons running in the longitudinal direction with reticulated cytoskeletal networks in between. Lamellipodial ruffles at both ends of myoblasts were characterized by a cytoskeletal lattice at the base and a few radiating strands into the filopodia-like processes. Radiating cytoskeletons originated either from the longitudinally oriented cytoskeletal bundles or reticular lattice continuous to them. The fusion areas were characterized by thin filaments connecting adjacent cells and the connection of longitudinal filament bundles from the fusing cells. These results suggest the modification of cytoskeletons during myoblast fusion.

The expression of Protein Kinase C Isozymes in the Rat Brain / 대한해부학회지

The mRNA expression of protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon and zeta) in the rat nervous system was investigated with in situ hybridization histochemistry. In the central nervous system of rat, each PKC isozyme mRNAs was expressed in isozyme-specific pattern. PKC alpha mRNA was highly expressed in the olfactory bulb, piriform cortex, hippocampus, substantia nigra compacta, and inferior olive. The expression of PKC beta was highest in the olfactory tubercle, piriform cortex, caudate putamen, accumbens nucleus, neocortex, hippocampus, basolateral amygdaloid nucleus, pontine nucleus, and cerebellum. PKC gamma mRNA was distributed in the caudate putamen, hippocampus and cerebellum and PKC delta was expressed in the thalamus. PKC epsilon had widespread distribution, with relatively high levels in the anterior olfactory nucleus, olfactory tubercle, tinea tecta, piriform cortex, dorsal lateral septal nucleus, neocortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. PKC zeta had widespread and low expression. The spacially differential expression of PKC isozymes (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon and zeta) suggests that each PKC isozyme may be related with specific cellular function in the nervous system.

The effect of convulsive treatments on the expression of heat shock protein 72 mRNA in the rat brain / 대한해부학회지

Recently, there are numerous efforts to explain the psycho-, neurological events through molecular biological standards. Because of the property as a strong stimulant to neural cells, convulsions induced by electroconvulsive shock (ECS) or kainic acid are used for neurobiological research. In this study, the effect of systemic administration of kainic acid and ECS on the expression of hsp 72 mRNA in the rat brain was investigated with in situ hybridization histochemistry. The induction of hsp 72 mRNA was observed in the dentate gyrus from 2 hr after KA treatment. After that, the expression was gradually increased in the various areas including dentate gyrus, hippocampus, olfactory bulb, cerebral cortex, caudate-putamen, thalamus, and peaked at 9 hr after KA treatment. At the 72 hr after KA treatment, weak expression was found only in the CA3 area of hippocampus. However, the expression of hsp 72 mRNA was not detected in any ESC treated rat brains, we examined.The inducton of c-fos was observed from 15 min, peaked at 6 hr, and returned to basal level at 48 hr after KA treatment. The expression of c-fos was observed in the same areas that showed induction of hsp 72 mRNA. In the ECS treated rat brains, the induction of c-fos was found in the dentate gyrus, olfactory bulb and cerebral cortex at 15 min and 30 min after ESC. From these results, it may be suggested that the effects of KA treatment and ECS on the neuronal cells are different, and it is due to difference in induction mechanism of convulsion between KA and ECS. And, the similarity between the expression pattern of hsp 72 mRNA by KA and KA receptor suggests that the induction of hsp 72 mRNA is based on the direct effect of KA through KA receptor.

Immunohistochemical Localization of NCAM at Neuromuscular Contacts in Rat Muscle-Rat Nerve Cocultures / 대한해부학회지

Neuromuscular junction formation is one of the hot research area for understanding synapse formation, and the contact and adhesion between muscle and neurons during this procedure is regarded as one of important steps for synaptogenesis. The changes of neuronal cell adhesion molecules during nerve-muscle contats has not been revealed yet. In this study, we isolated skeletal muscle cells and ventral spinal cord neurons from Sprague-Dawley rats and observed the contact areas with a transmission electron microscpe and studied the presence of NCAM at the contact sites by immunohistochemistry. The ventral spinal cord neuronal processes contact intimately with skeletal muscle cells, some of which were submerged into the muscle surface and had synaptic vesicles. NCAM was expressed on neuronal processes, only sialylated form were associated with acetylcholine receptor aggregates. These results confirmed the significance of adhesion in neuromuscular junction formation and NCAM may participate in this process by preventing the separation of 2 cells at the contact site.

Plasticity of synapses between Purkinje cell dendritic spines and parallel fiber varicosity in tottering/leaner mice cerebellum / 대한해부학회지

The tottering (tg/tg) is neurologic mutant mouse exhibiting three neurological disorders: ataxia, petit mal-like absence seizures and myoclonic intermittent movement disorder. The tottering mouse carries an autosomal recessive single gene mutation on chromosome 8. The leaner (tgla) and Nagoya rolling (tgrol) are another two alleles of the tottering (tg). The combination of two mutant (tottering and leaner) produces compound heterozygous, tottering/leaner (tg/tgla) mouse. The genetic etilogy of the tottering and leaner was identified to be a mutation in voltage-dependent calcium channel a1A subunit. It made us link these animal model to human neurologic disease such as autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia (SCA6), familial hemiplegic migraine and episodic ataxia type-2. The different onset and severity of neurological symptom of these three mutants (tg/tg, tg/tgla, tgla/tgla) offer good scale to analysis of pathophysiolgy of the neurologic disorder. Altered synapase between parallel fiber varicosity and dendritic spines of Purkinje cell was observed in adult tottering and leaner mice. Through the electron microscopic observation and anticalbindin-28 kd immunohistochemistry, we anaylzed not only the relationship between neurologic symptoms and synaptic plasticity around the ataxic onset of tottering, leaner and tottering leaner double mutation but also Purkinje cell morphology affected by voltage-sensitive calcium channel a1A subunit mutation in totterring mouse. Purkinje cell dendritic spines from proximal dendrites and axonal swellings of Purkine cell were observed frequently in wild type mice. The first apperance point of altered synapse based on semi-quantitative analysis was postnatal 15 days in leaner, postnatal 18 days in totering/leaner double mutation, and 30 days in tottering. These data suggest that altered synapse is associated with ataxia in tottering and leaner mice. Further study is needed to determine whether altered synapse is primary cause of ataxia.

Expression of protein kinase C-gamma mRNA on the spinal cord in a rat model of neuropathic pain / 대한해부학회지

Partial peripheral nerve injury occasionally results in neuropathic pain, including spontaneous burning pain and increased sensitivity to sensory stimuli such as hyperalgesia and allodynia. The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this disease are poorly understood and the available treatments unsatisfactory. Presently, the neuropathic pain is believed to result from an increase in the excitability of the dorsal horn neurons (central sensitization), which is induced by abnormal signals from injured afferents. PKC-gamma is known to play a pivotal role in central sensitization following peripheral nerve injury. In the present study, we examine the expression of PKC-gamma mRNA of the spinal dorsal horn after neuropathic injury. There was no significant difference of PKC-gamma mRNA between lesion and control sides. These results suggest that PKC-gamma mRNA is not a key factor for the generation of neuropathic pain.

Chromosomal localization and neural distribution of voltage dependent calcium channel alpha1A and alpha1E subunit genes / 대한해부학회지

Fluorescent in situ hybridization using human genomic DNA probes was performed to localize genes encoding the alpha1A and alpha1E of voltage dependent calcium channels (VDCCs) in the human chromosome and the mRNA expression of these two alpha1 subunits of VDCC was demonstrated in the 18 day old embryo (E18) and adult rat brain by in situ hybridization histochemistry. The genes for the VDCC alpha1A and alpha1E were specifically localized on human chromosome 19p13.1 and 1q25, respectively. In 18 days old rat embryos, the mRNAs of the VDCC alpha1A and alpha1E were predominently expressed in the nervous system including brain and spinal cord. In adult rat brain, the expression pattern of each subunit was extremely different. The expression of alpha1A mRNA was strong in the purkinje cells of cerebellum and CA3 area of hippocampus, relatively high level of expression was found in the dentate gyrus, CA1 area of hippocampus, superficial layer of cerebral cortex and olfactory mitral cells. Whereas alpha1E was highly expressed in the dentate gyrus, CA1-3 area of hippocampus, medial habenula nucleus of thalamus and olfactory mitral and internal granule cells and relatively high level of expression was found in the Purkinje cells of cerebellum, cerebral cortex and caudate-putamen. Until now, no neurological disorder has been mapped to 1q25, location of VDCC alpha1E gene. Recently, it has been reported that mutation of VDCC alpha1A gene causes episodic ataxia type 2 (EA-2) and spinocerebellar ataxia 6 (SCA6). These reports comfirm the our experimental results of chromosomal mapping and prominent cerebellar expression of VDCC a1A gene.

The effect of kainic acid induced convulsions on the expression of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor mRNA in the rat brain / 대한해부학회지

In this study, the effect of systemic administration of kainic acid (KA) on the expression of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor mRNA in the rat brain was investigated with in situ hybridization histochemistry. After the injection of KA in a convulsive dose (10 mg/kg i.p.), inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor mRNA was reduced significantly in dentate gyrus, cerebral cortex, and caudate-putamen and moderately in CA1-CA3 areas of hippocampus and cerebellum. In dentate gyrus, the expression of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor mRNA was significantly decreased at 6 h, lowest level at 9 h, after that the expression was gradually recovered and returned to basal level at 72 h after KA injection. However, in the CA1-CA3 areas of the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and caudate-putamen, the expression of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor mRNA was abruptly decreased at 9 h and almost return to basal level at 24 h after KA injection. The significant repression of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor mRNA in cerebellum was only found at 9 h after KA injection. But significant change of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor mRNA was not found in the brains of rats treated with NMDA receptor blocker, MK-801, followed by KA injection. These observations suggest that the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor is one of the genes whose expression can be altered by KA treatment and the NMDA receptor is related with this alternation.

Aging and gender effects on mid-sagittal structures of Korean brain / 대한해부학회지

The brain size is a useful parameter describing ontogenic characters and functions. Recent studies of brain size with medical imaging techniques such as MRI and CT made us understand the functions of brain and pathophysiology of various neurologic diseases. With these advances in medical imaging technique, study on Korean brain size needs more attention. In this study, neurologically intact brain MRIs of 66 females and 58 males (ages 19 through 80) were analyzed. Areas of corpus callosum, midbrain, pons, and cerebellar vermis were estimated from mid-sagittal plane of MRI films. Statistical analyses were performed to reveal the effects of aging and gender on these structures. Our results demonstrate statistically significant sexual difference of pons size in healthy adult Korean. Size of other structures examined were not different between female and male. Age-related atrophy was observed in midbrain of male and female midbrain and the corpus callosum of male. This is the first report of sexual difference of pons size in normal adult Korean. Sexual dimorphism of ageing response in copus callosum differences needs further investigation.

Cloning and localization of two forms of voltage-dependent calcium channel beta3 subunit gene / 대한해부학회지

Voltage-dependent calcium channel (VDCC) is composed of at least four subunits: alpha1, alpha2, beta, delta. Four mammalian beta subunit isoforms (beta1, beta2, beta3 and beta4) have been identified from nervous system. beta subunit accelerates the kinetics of activation (channel openning) and inactivation (channel closure), and regulates the channel activity by phosphorylation through various signal transduction mechanisms. We have cloned three cDNAs (RB8, RB10, and RB11) encoding beta3 subunit of voltage-dependent calcium channel from rat cDNA library using the oligonucleotides of which sequences obtained from the highly conserved regions of rat b subunits. The RB8 and RB10 (rtB3a) encode a same protein of 484 amino acids with estimated Mr of 54,571 Da, which was identical to beta3 subunit gene previously reported. The RB11 (rtbBb) is diffferent from RB10 at N-terminal region but shares common amino acid sequences from the glycine, the 16th amino acid of RB10, to the end of the gene. Open reading frame of RB10 encodes a 483 amino-acid protein with a predicted Mr of 54,473 Da. The RB10 and RB11 are suspected to be alternatively spliced variants from a single b3 subunit gene. The existence of the variants was confirmed by RT-PCR using the oligonucleotide primers from the specific sequences of each variant. The expression patterns of VDCC beta3 (rtB3a) and its specific variant (rtB3b) were investigated in the rat brain by in situ hybridization histochemistry. The mRNAs for rtB3a and rtB3b were exclusively expressed in the nervous system. In the brain, strong expression of both mRNAs (rtB3a and rtB3b) was found in the medial habenular nucleus of thalamus, hippocampus, dentate gyrus, olfactory bulb and cerebellum. But significant discrepancy of expression was found in the lateral posterior thalamic nucleus and olfactory bulb. From these results, it is suspected that newly cloned VDCC variant (rtB3b) should be the alternatively spliced variant of VDCC beta3 gene.

The mRNA Expression of Phosphoinositide-specific Phospholipase C-beta Isozymes in Postnatal Rat Brains / 대한해부학회지

Phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C(PLC) is known as a key enzyme which produces two major second messengers: diacylglycerol and inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate. Although it has been suggested that PLC beta isozymes have important roles in nervous system, less is known about the function of PLC beta in development of nervous system. We have localized the mRNA expressions of PLC beta isozymes in the postnatal rat brains by id firm hybridization histochemistry. In the postnatal rat brains, each isozyme of PLC beta showed differential expression pattern. The expression of PLC beta1 mRNA was found in various areas including olfactory bulb, cerebral cortex, caudate putamen, hippocampus, dentate gyrus, and cerebellum. In general, the expression in these areas was gradually increased after birth (PO) until postnatal day 21 (P2l) and slightly decreased to adult level. The expression of PLC beta2 mRNA was not found in postnatal rat brains. The expression of PLC beta3 mRNA was found from P0, peaked at Pl4, and decreased to adult level in the purkinje cells of cerebellum. PLC beta4 mRNA was strongly expressed in the thalamus, cerebellum, cerebral cortex, and olfactory bulb. In these areas, the expression was gradually increased after birth, peaked at P2l, and decreased to adult level. In whole body parasagittal sections of 18 day old rat embryo, PLC betal mRNA was exclusively expressed in nervous tissue, PLC beta3 and PLC beta4 were expressed in various tissues, and the expression of PLC beta2 was not found in any kind of rat tissues. From the different spatiotemporal mRNA expression patterns of PLC beta isozymes in the postnatal rat brains, it is suspected that each PLC beta isozyme may have specific role in signal transduction for postnatal development of rat brain.

Changes of Neuropeptides in the Basal Ganglia of Hemiparkinsonian Rat Model

We used in situ hybridization histochemistry with synthetic oligonucleotide probes to examined the effects of unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions (which eliminated tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA containing cells in mesencephalon) on enkephalin, dynorphin, and substance P mRNA exprssion in the striatum. The expression of tyroxine hydroxylase mRNA on ipsilateral substantia nigra pars compacta, which reflect dopamine activity, totally decreased for 2weeks after lesioning. After lesioning 1week, 2weeks, and 4weeks, a significant increase of the expression of enkephalin mRNA in ipsilateral to the lesioned striatum was observed (p<0.05). Substance P mRNA expressions were depressed significantly in ispsilateral to the lesioned striaturm, whereas enkephalin mRNA expressions were elevated in consecutive sections from striatal aresas in all rat model. The effect of lesions on dynorphin mRNA expressions in ipsilateral to the lesioned striatum less robust, but significant decreased tendency was observed (p<0.05). These data show that the expression of enkephalin, dynorphin and substance P mRNA is differentially regulated by mesostriatal dopaminergic system.

Treatment of chronic osteomyelitis of the calcaneus by calcanectomy: Report of 3 cases / 대한정형외과학회잡지

No abstract available.

Clinical analysis of intra-articular fracture of the calcaneus / 대한정형외과학회잡지

No abstract available.