The adult human female urethra. Enzyme-histochemical study.

In the female urethra, the activity and distribution of 15 enzymes was determined by using both conventional and special histochemical methods. The enzymatic equipment differed according to the type of epithelial lining whose variation is characteristic for the female urethra. In the stratified squamous epithelium of the urethra, alkaline phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase, acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, thiamine pyrophosphatase, and glucose-6-phosphatase exhibited but minimal or no activity, yet the other 10 enzymes studied displayed activity particularly in basally situated cells. Nearer to the lumen of the urethra, the activity in the epithelium kept decreasing and was mostly absent in superficial and desquamated cells. In the pseudostratified columnar and in the transitional epithelium of the urethra, the majority of enzymes showed an evenly distributed activity at all epithelial levels. In the apical parts of the most superficially situated cells bounding the lumen of the urethra, a distinct narrow zone of higher activity was observed. It was seen not only on determining the majority of dehydrogenases but also on examining acid phosphatase and naphthyl esterase. The endocrine cells occurring in the uroepithelial lining of the female urethra displayed, yet always with the exception of squamous epithelium (Zaviacic et al. 1983), distinct activity of acid hydrolytic enzymes, and of the enzymes studied it was particularly acid phosphatase. The majority of the demonstrated enzymes, of the dehydrogenases priority, is to be given to succinate dehydrogenase, enabled to differentiate readily between the highly active striated muscle fibers located in the most peripheral parts of the excisions along the urethral circumference and the smooth musculature of the urethral wall with a lower or only minimal activity.

Immunohistochemical distribution of rabbit polyclonal antiurinary protein 1 antibody in the female (Skene's gland) and male prostate: new marker for neuroendocrine cells?

Using rabbit polyclonal antiurinary protein 1 antibody to study the female prostate (Skene's gland) and the male prostate, characteristic localizations patterns appeared in single cells and groups of cells. The majority correspond to cells positive for neuroendocrine markers. In the cytoplasm, cells positive for protein 1 were most frequently found in the epithelial lining of the female urethra, in the pars prostatica of the male urethra, and in the ducts of the female and male prostate where the lining consisted of pseudostratified columnar epithelium. Their occurrence rate was far lower among secretory and basal cells of the male and female prostate glands. The cells with protein 1 corresponded to those displaying positivity for chromogranin A, silver staining by the Grimelius and less by the Sevier-Munger method, and by neuron specific enolase. Using the Masson-Hamperl argentaffin method, positive cells were only exceptionally found. The cells positive for protein 1, and particularly chromogranin A, and characterized by Grimelius positivity, contained different amounts of neuroendocrine granules and varied in size and shape. The majority of these cells had contact with the lumen of male and female prostatic ducts (open type of neuroendocrine cells). In some cases of the male and female urethra and of the great paraurethral ducts, a remarkably high number of cells containing protein 1 corresponded to cells only containing neuron-specific enolase but not chromogranin A and other neuroendocrine markers. These cells can be considered stem cells responsible for the renewal of the uroepithelium of the urethra and prostatic ducts. Protein 1 may thus be a further, though presumably not specific marker for the identification of cells of the neuroendocrine system in the prostate of the male and female. This marker could well be used to study uroepithelium maturation. The corresponding immunohistochemical distribution of human protein 1 in neuroendocrine and other cells of the male and the female prostate provides another analogous functional and morphological parameter of prostatic tissue in both sexes and further evidence supporting the non-vestigial concept of the prostate in the female.

[Detection of calcium in tissues using alizarin red S and optical properties of the reaction product]. / Dôkaz kalcia v tkanivách alizarínovou cervenou S a niektoré optické vlastnosti reakcného produktu.

A histological method of staining calcium deposits in organs and tissues is presented. Staining at different pH provides a certain differentiation of the characteristics of calcium deposits. Further findings concern optical properties of the reaction product of staining observed at examination in polarized light, differential interference contrast (OPTON), and by fluorescence microscopy. The chemical nature of the Alizarin red S reaction product in sites of calcium deposits is discussed.

[The significance of prostate markers in the orthology of the female prostate]. / Výnam prostatických markerov v ortológii zenskej prostaty.

In addition to knowledge gained in the first half of the 8th decade, the evidence of cross-antigenicity between male prostate and Skene's glands by means of PSA and PSAcP demonstrations in Skene's glands and ducts justifies utilization of the term prostate in both sexes. The authors compared the results of immunohistochemical examination of prostatic markers by means of the PAP method which was used at the beginning of the 8th decade, with that of BSAP technique. Prostatic tissues of 11 females and children at the age ranging from 5 to 71 years were examined. The results gained by means of the BSAP method were identical with those gained by means of the PAP method. Prostatic markers PSA and PSAcP were expressed on the surface and in apical cytoplasm of cells lining the prostatic ducts, and in prostatic glands. The authors proved the expression also in membranes of the stratified cylindrical epithelial cells of the ducts, and in female prostatic fluid in ducts and glands, especially PSAcP. Even though both immunohistochemical methods brought identical results, the authors recommend to prefer the BSAP method to the PAP method due to optically more contrast expression. (Fig. 8, Ref. 36.)

[Morphology of systemic anaphylactic reaction in rabbits to bovine serum albumin and ferritin. I. Manifestations of the reaction after antigen administration: laboratory, macroscopic and optical microscopic findings]. / K morfológii systémovej anafylaktickej reakcie králikov na hovädzí sérový albumín a feritín. I. Niektoré prejavy reakcie organizmu na podaný antigén, laboratórne, makroskopické a opticko-mikroskopické nálezy.

A report is presented on systemic anaphylactic reaction [SAR] of rabbits to bovine serum albumin and ferritin. Active anaphylactic sensibilization with a high yield of sensibilized animals was achieved by administering antigens to rabbits aged a few hours up to 3 months. Tre rabbits showed no presence of precipitins in the circulation, but there were reagins against bovine serum albumin or ferritin. There were various types of SAR activity. Macroscopic findings showed acute emphysema and signs of right heart overload. Apart from acute pulmonary emphysema, histology showed occasional bronchospasm and certain manifestations of RES activation as there was evidence of oedematous infiltration of the peribronchial and perivascular spaces. The above morphological findings cannot as yet be regarded as pathognomonic for SAR.

Immunohistochemical localization of human protein 1 in the female prostate (Skene's gland) and the male prostate.

Mouse monoclonal anti-urine protein 1 antibody and the biotin-streptavidin-peroxidase technique were used for the immunohistochemical demonstration of human protein 1 in prostatic tissue of both sexes. In the female prostate (Skene's gland), like the male prostate, high expression of human protein 1 was observed on the luminal surface and in the apical cytoplasm of secretory cells of prostatic glands, as well as on the luminal surface of the epithelium of the large ducts of the female prostate and urethra. Expression was also found in the membranes of secretory and basal cells of the glands, in membranes of the urethral uroepithelium and of the female prostate ducts, in the content of glands and ducts, as well as in vascular endothelium and smooth muscle. Human protein 1 (urine protein 1) expression in the secretory cells of the male and female prostate and its incorporation into the surface of cells lining the lumina of the female urethroprostatic complex is indicative not only of the secretory role of protein 1 but also of its potential protective properties operative in shielding the uroepithelium from the aggressive urinary environment. All genito-urinary tissue, and especially the female prostate, were found to be a potential source of urine protein 1 (human protein 1), refuting the notion held so far that it is exclusively the genito-urinary prostatic tissue of the male that participates in its production. The corresponding immunohistochemical distribution of human protein 1 in the same structures of the male and female prostate provides yet another analogous functional-morphological parameter of prostatic tissue in both sexes and further evidence supporting the non-vestigial concept of the prostate in the female.

Circadian ultrastructural changes in rat gastric parietal cells.

The ultrastructure of rat parietal cells of the gastric mucosa was investigated during the twenty-four hours of a day. Male rats were housed at ad libitum feeding under normal light conditions with dark night. The animals were sacrificed at 6.00 h, 12.00 h, 18.00 h and 24.00 h respectively, in groups of 5 animals after standard 24 hours of starvation. From this material the electronograms of 356 parietal cells (19% in 6.00 h, 26% in 12.00 h, 21% in 18.00 h and 34% in 24.00 h samples) were evaluated. Based on literary data, the parietal cells were specified as secreting parietal cells (S, 38% of the total), secreting parietal cells returning to resting state (SR, 18% of the total), resting parietal cells (R, 35% of the total) and resting parietal cells tending to early secreting state (RS, 9% of the total). Some types of parietal cells are statistically highly significantly (x2 = 130.9, p less than 0.001) unequally distributed during the circadian rhythm: S are less numerous at 6.00 h (2% of the total) and 12.00 h (4% of the total) than expected (7 and 10% respectively), and more numerous at 18.00 h (11% of the total) and 24.00 h (21% of the total) than expected (8 and 13% respectively). Conversely, R are more numerous in the morning (13 and 15% instead of 7 and 9% respectively) and less in evening samples (4 and 3% instead of 7 and 12% respectively). Distribution differences were proved statistically (x2-test) for all cell-cell and hour-hour combinations expect the combinations S-RS and 6.00 h to 12.00 h. The maximal differences in distribution were found to be between the amounts of S and R at 6.00 h and 24.00 h (x2 = 77.3, p less than 0.001) and at 12.00 h and 24.00 h (x2 = 69.3, p less than 0.001). Thus, a distinct circadian rhythm of parietal cells, especially as to their fine cell structures involved in acid production was demonstrated. The results render further evidence of the rhythmicity of gastric acid production in rats.