Lectin histochemistry of feline sphingomyelinosis.

The brain from a Siamese cat with sphingomyelinosis was examined with lectin histochemistry. Swollen neurons were stained with Canavalia ensiformis agglutinin (Con A). Some of them were also stained with Ricinus communis agglutinin-I (RCA-I) and Ulex europaeus agglutinin-I (UEA-I). A small number of axonal spheroids and glia cells were positive for Con A, RCA-I, UEA-I and wheat germ agglutinin. Control tissues were weakly stained with Con A, but not with any of the other lectins. These results indicate that affected neurons contain mannose and glucose residues in addition to sphingomyelin. This study points to the possibility that the characteristics of lectin histochemical study might be helpful for the diagnosis of sphingomyelinosis.

Polyglucosan bodies in the central nervous system of a fox.

Polyglucosan bodies (PGB) in the central nervous system of an old male fox, Vulpes vulpes japonica, without neurological signs were examined by light and electron microscopy, lectin histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. Fox PGB were round, slightly-basophilic and PAS-positive structures. Most of the bodies were situated free in the neuropil. Electron microscopically, fox PGB were composed mainly of branching filaments and electron-dense material. Lectin histochemistry revealed that fox PGB contained mannose and galactose in addition to glucose. Fox PGB were immunoreactive for monoclonal antibodies raised against human polyglucosan. These findings indicate that fox PGB are similar to feline ones.

Lectin histochemistry of feline polyglucosan bodies.

Lectin histochemistry was conducted to identify sugar residues of the polyglucosan bodies (PGB) in the feline brain. PGB stained with Concanavalia ensiformis agglutinin (Con A) and peanut agglutinin, but not with soybean agglutinin, wheat germ agglutinin, Dolichos biflorus agglutinin, Ricinus communis agglutinin or Ulex europaeus agglutinin. In addition, PGB bound to Con A after periodate oxidation. These results suggest that feline PGB contain mannose and galactose in addition to glucose and that the partial component of PGB is derived from rough endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus.

Lectin histochemistry of foamy cells in non-nervous tissues of feline sphingomyelinosis.

Foamy cells in non-nervous tissues from a female Siamese cat with sphingomyelinosis were examined by lectin histochemistry. Many foamy cells, so-called Niemann-Pick cells, were found in the non-nervous tissues, such as liver, spleen, lung, kidney, adrenal gland, lymph node and tonsil. These cells were positive for Concanavalia ensiformis agglutinin, Ricinus communis agglutinin-I and wheat germ agglutinin. Storage materials in the foamy cells were different from those in affected cells of the nervous tissues. This study suggests that lectin histochemistry might be helpful in the diagnosis of sphingomyelinosis.

Distributions of extracellular matrix and carbonic anhydrase-III during bovine palatine ridge development.

The present study describes histological alterations and immunohistochemical distributions of extracellular matrices (ECMs) and the carbonic anhydrase isozyme-III (CA-III) during the period of bovine palatine ridge formation. Morphogenesis of bovine palatine ridges was preceded by epidermal placodes and the mesenchymal condensation (MC). During the early stages of less than 44 cm crown rump length (CRL), fibronectin (FN) was distributed densely in the MC. Strong reactions against type I collagen (C-1) were detected outer to the FN positive site. In the stages of more than 44 cm CRL, FN and C-1 were distributed diffusely in subepithelial mesenchyme. Laminin (LN) and type IV collagen were distributed in the epithelial and endothelial basement membranes (BMs) in all of the stages examined, except in the stage of 7 cm CRL, where LN was not detected only in the BM just beneath the epidermal placode. CA-III was detected in basal epithelial cells except for palatine ridge rudiments in the stages of more than 21 cm CRL. It is suggested that the expressions of LN and CA-III might play a role in the spatial determination of rudiments of bovine fetal palatine ridges.

Prenatal development of subepithelial vasculature related to appearance of ruminal papillae in the bovine rumen.

The mucosal surface of the fetal bovine rumen was studied with ruminal papillae standing at an interval of 400 microns on an average with a slight increase in distance from each other during gestation. Nevertheless, the overall area of the inner surface of the rumen was greatly increased with fetal age, suggesting a successive development of new ruminal papillae appearing at the sites among older ones. In the 3rd month of gestation, the subepithelial microvasculature consisted into 2 layers (adluminal and submucosal) of capillary networks with anastomoses between them. Junctional sites of the adluminal capillary and the anastomosing ramus were gradually elevated by extension of the ramus to form hairpin-like, and later papilla-like, capillary projections in the lamina propria. These projections further pushed the surface epithelium up and formed the cores of the ruminal papillae. The number of capillary projections, regardless of their sizes, in the lamina propria always exceeded that of ruminal papillae at any time of gestational period. Therefore, it seems that the successive formation of new ruminal papillae is preceded by the formation of subepithelial capillary projections in the lamina propria.

Effect of pregnancy on gravid sclerosis of bovine uterine arteries.

Gravid sclerosis of the uterine artery was histologically examined in multiparous cows. This sclerosis was characterized by a thickening of the intima and a lamination of the internal elastic lamina. It was clearly observed at non-pregnant and early-pregnant stages and in the late postpartum period, but it could not be detected at term-pregnant stages and in the early postpartum period. These results suggest that the gravid sclerosis disappears during pregnancy and re-establishes after parturition. The importance of local factors, e.g. hemodynamics, in the cyclic appearance of gravid sclerosis is discussed.

Distributions of fibronectin, laminin, type I and IV collagens and carbonic anhydrase isozyme III during bovine ruminal epithelial development.

The present study describes the immunohistochemical distributions of extracellular matrices and the carbonic anhydrase isozyme III (CA-3) in the bovine ruminal epithelium during fetal development. Fibronectin (FN), laminin and type I and IV collagens were distributed in the ruminal subepithelial mesenchymal regions with nonspecific regionality during the gestational periods. At stages after about 59 cm crown-rump length (CRL), FN of the epithelial basement membrane disappeared, and CA-3 appeared in the basal epithelial cells of the root of the ruminal papillae, suggesting that the functional differentiation of the ruminal epithelium might start at around 59 cm CRL in bovine fetuses.

SV40-adenovirus immortalized cell lines derived from mouse lymphoid dendritic cell preparations.

Dendritic cells (DC) are antigen-presenting cells characteristic in their rarity and potent ability to stimulate resting T cells. We established several cell lines from purified mouse spleen DC and Langerhans' cells (LC) by infecting them with recombinant SV40ori(-)-adenovirus. Using this method, cells from these fractions are efficiently transformed at a frequency as high as 5 x 10(-6). Some established lines have dendritic morphology, express surface markers specific for DC (defined by mAb 33D1 and NLDC145) and weak substrate adherence. Interestingly, these lines simultaneously express B cell markers (B220 and Ly-1) and/or macrophage markers (Mac-1 and F4/80). Among the lines, OT6.2 and OT8.3.1 have retained stimulating activity in mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR) which is attributable to the primary T cell stimulating activity of native DC. However, these lines also present soluble antigens to T cell clones, a secondary T cell stimulating activity, characteristic of B cells and macrophages. Although transformation has perturbed the functional discreteness of the DC cell lineage, DC-specific properties are partially preserved in the cell lines. These cell lines may provide useful experimental systems for the elucidation of molecular mechanisms involved in the MLR and the differentiation of DC.

Developmental changes of the fore- and hind-limbs in the fetuses of the southern minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata.

15 fetuses of southern minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata (from 8.2 mm C.R.L. to 38.9 mm C.R.L.), obtained from the Kyodo whale company in Japan (in whaling seasons from 1982 to 1986), were used for the present study. The fore-limb first appears in the 11.4 mm fetus, and the hind-limb in the 15.3 mm fetus. The fore-limb develops progressively during gestation, while the hind-limb disappears by the 38.9 mm fetus. The critical period of limb development in southern minke whale was shown to be at a stage between that in the small sized species; Common Porpoise, Phocoena communis and Striped Dolphin, Prodelphinus caeruleoalbus, and in large one; Humpback Whale, Megaptera nodusa.

Development of the external genitalia in fetuses of the southern minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata.

The developmental changes of the anogenital distance and external genitalia were studied in 81 fetuses of the southern minke whale. It was difficult to sex the fetuses with less than 55.8 mm crown-rump length (CRL) even by histological means, but it was easy in the fetuses with more than 77.0 mm CRL and less than 110.0 mm CRL. The histologically determined male fetuses had a ratio of anogenital distance to CRL or body length of more than 5%, while females had a value of less than 4%. At later stages with a CRL of more than 113.0 mm, male fetuses had an umbilicus-directed genital tubercle, while in females a tail-directed tubercle was observed. The present study suggests that the stage with sexual dimorphism might be earlier in the southern minke whale than that previously reported.

Distributional change of achromatic epithelial cells of the intestine in the fetuses and young of rats.

The achromatic epithelial cells (AEC), whose cellular materials remain unstained by several stains, e. g., H.E, PAS, Alcian blue, Orange G Anilin blue and Mucicarmin, are detected in the intestinal mucous epithelium of the Iar: Wistar Imamichi rat from the 19th day of gestation to the 21st day after birth. The results of light microscopic and transmission electron microscopic observations suggest that the rats AEC are equivalent to the previously reported vacuolar cells (VC) in cattle and in mice. The present paper describes that rat intestinal AEC appear first in the small intestine, and spread progressively toward the anal direction, while they disappear first in the cecum, and finally disappear at the ileum and the colon 22 days after birth.

Immunohistochemical demonstration of S-100 protein in epithelial cells of bovine oviduct.

The present study deals with an immunohistochemical localization of S-100 protein in the bovine oviduct. The epithelium of the infundibulum, ampulla and isthmus showed a positive staining for S-100 protein. The immunoreactivity for S-100 was observed both in the ciliated and nonciliated (secretory) cells of the oviductal epithelium at any stages of the estrous cycle. The immunoreactivity was also found in nervous elements and endothelial cells of blood vessels. No cell outside these cells showed any immunoreactivity for S-100. Although the functional significance of S-100 protein in the oviductal epithelium remains to be elucidated, the present results introduce new perspectives into the investigation of function and localization of S-100 protein.

Immunoreactivity of canine and feline polyglucosan bodies for monoclonal antibody against human polyglucosan.

With the use of monoclonal antibodies, raised against the human polyglucosan, positive staining of polyglucosan bodies (PGB) was detected in the brain, spinal cord and cecum of aged dogs. PGB in feline brain were also positively stained with these antibodies. These findings indicate that animal PGB share common antigenicity with human PGB.