Vol 149, No 2 (2016)

Neurons and glial cells were studied by means of computer-assisted morphometry in the segments of the ventral and dorsal regions of the compact part of the substantia nigra (CPSN) of the brain. The material obtained at autopsy from 6 males and 3 females aged from 52 to 87 years. It was found that in segments of the ventral CPSN region the neuronal cell bodies and nuclei were larger than those in the segments of the dorsal region. The numerical density of neurons and gliocytes in the ventrolateral segment was higher than in the segments of the dorsal region. In the ventromedial segment the glial index was lower than in the segments of the dorsal region. The morphometric differences found between CPSN segments must be taken into account in the assessment of the morphological changes in substantia nigra of the brain, due to both age involution or pathological process.

Adrenergic and cholinergic innervation of the pharyngeal tonsil was studied in 50 children aged 4 to 14 years with chronic adenoiditis. that was removed during the operation from. The children were divided into 3 groups. The 1st group included children with decreased tone of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and autonomic hyperreactivity, the 2nd group - children with increased ANS tone and low autonomic reactivity, the 3rd group - children with optimal autonomic tone and normal reactivity. The state of the nervous structures in the region of adenoid overgrowths was studied by histochemical methods, demonstrating adren- and cholinergic nerve fibers in the same section (incubation in glyoxylic acid and Karnovsky-Roots method). Adrenergic nerve fibers with many varicosities were found mainly in perivasal plexuses, from which the branches passed subepithelially between the nodules, and the terminals of thin fibers penetrated the lymphoid nodules. The assessment of the functional activity of adrenergic nerve fibers demonstrated that in the 1st group the average luminescence intensity in varicose extensions and intervaricose areas was equal to 22.7±2.5 and 37,2±3.5 conventional units (c.u.), respectively, in the 2nd group it was equal to 57.3±1,4 and 15.5±4.3 c.u., while in the 3rd group - to 34,3±2,2 and 30.1±3.8 c.u. It was found that cholinergic nerve fibers were located similarly to adrenergic fibers, but appeared thicker and had larger varicosities. The activity of cholinergic nerve structures could be evaluated by the staining intensity (from light yellow to dark brown) and by the number of varicose extensions in a certain fiber. Similar to adrenergic fibers, cholinergic nerve fibers often passed from perivascular plexuses and innervated the lymphoid tissue.

The goal of this study was to examine the localization and the structural and functional features of mast cells (MC) in the parotid gland in chronic alcohol intoxication. The study was conducted on 15 adult outbred albino male rats receiving 20% ethanol solution as the sole source of drinking for 2 months. The control group included 10 intact animals. Structural changes in parotid salivary glands were studied in paraffin sections, stained with hematoxylin-eosin. MC were demonstrated in cryostat sections stained by Unna’s method; their topography, degranulation were evaluated and their number per field of vision was counted. Serotonin content was assessed quantitatively by using fluorescent microscopy and cytospectrophotometry. In chronic alcohol intoxication, marked variability was demonstrated in the shape of the secretory portions and the size of their glandular cells, which often showed unstained vacuoles. Interlobular ducts are unevenly dilated, their cells had variable height. The number of MC in the connective tissue layer around the interlobular excretory ducts and blood vessels was increased, most of them were in a state of degranulation. However, the content of serotonin in these areas was not changed significantly compared with that in the control group, presumably due to the fact that serotonin released from MC during degranulation, was actively interacting with numerous fibers and terminals of the autonomic nervous system located here, and was quickly trapped by them. Within the lobules, the amount of MC was increased to a lesser extent than in the area of interlobular ducts, but 80% of them were in a state of pronounced degranulation, often with complete disintegration of the cytoplasm. These cells apparently served as the sources of serotonin, the number of which significantly increased in the area of secretory portions. It is suggested that the increased concentrations of serotonin in the area of the secretory portions indicates that under the influence of alcohol intoxication the additional paracrine regulatory mechanisms were activated in the gland, which contributed to its functional activity, aimed at accelerating the excretion of ethanol and its toxic products of metabolism.

The aim of the study was the morphological analysis of the effect of exposure to low-intensity infrared laser radiation on reparative osteogenesis and angiogenesis in bone regenerate formed during the treatment of fracture under the conditions of transosseous osteosynthesis. In the experiment on rats in control (n=16) and experimental (n=16) groups the fracture of the tibia was modeled, and the reposition and fixation of bone fragments with a device for transosseous osteosynthesis was carried out. In animals of the experimental group, the area of the fracture was exposed to pulsed infrared laser radiation of low intensity. In the group of control animals, similar exposure was imitated. The operated bones were studied using radiography, light and electron microscopy, x-ray electron probe microanalysis. It was found that the sessions of laser irradiation reduced the severity of the inflammatory process, stimulated fibrillogenesis and endovascular capillary growth, accelerated the compaction of the newly formed bone, increased the degree of its maturity, with the fracture healing occurring by primary-type mechanism. Laser therapy of the fracture area provides for the formation of bone regenerate and bone fragment unification at an earlier date.

Tissue reactions to the grafting of samples of composite hydrogel based on polyacrylamide and cellulose of different origin (plant and bacterial) were studied in 48 laboratory outbred rats and 24 rabbits of chinchilla breed. The observations were carried out on Days 5, 14, 45 and 90 after placement of implants in the muscle, joint cavity, deep defects of the articular cartilage and subchondral bone. The study has revealed no migration and degradation of the samples. On Day 90, the signs of their biointegration (regardless of their nature) were detected in the muscles and in one case (the sample containing bacterial cellulose) in the cavity of the knee joint of the rat. The materials had good biocompatibility with muscle, cartilage and bone tissues, did not cause perifocal inflammation and effectively functioned as a prosthetic articular cartilage until the end of the study period.

To detect the anatomical correlations between the form of the palato-alveolar complex and the shape and degree of pneumatization of the maxillary sinuses, skull frontal saw cuts obtained from 60 adult persons were studied at the level of the second molars. The form of the palato-alveolar complex was found to change significantly with the loss of teeth. Thus the palato-alveolar complex with well expressed alveolar process of the upper jaw and high palatal vault more often corresponded to the maxillary sinus of a trihedral or uncertain form with the varying degrees of pneumatization. The palato-alveolar complex with a considerable atrophy of an alveolar process of the upper jaw and the flat palate was accompanied by the hyperpneumatitized sinuses of a tetrahedral form, while the transitional form of the complex which was observed in cases of partial loss of the teeth, was combined with the asymmetry of the form and degree of a pneumatization of the sinuses. These correlations are important for oral and maxillofacial surgery and dentistry.

The relationship of biological age with the indices of body mass, body composition, and constitutional type was studied in 832 students aged 18-22 years (302 youths and 530 girls). To determine the biological age, the method of V.P.Voytenko (1981) was used that allowed to establish functional class, rate of aging and health condition. It was found that almost half of the students had poor health associated with the accelerated rate of biological aging. A decline in the proportion of active cell mass and an increase in body fat mass was noted. In 40.6% of students with normal values of body mass index, excessive amount of body fat was determined by bioimpedance method. 62.2% of the students with an accelerated rate of biological aging had an increased content of a fat component in the body.

This paper analyzes the characteristics of the structure of the hair follicles (HF) at various stages of the cycle of hair growth. The study was conducted on autopsy material of the scalp in women of middle age. The morphological description of the anagen, catagen and telogen HFs is illustrated with the photomicrographs of histological sections of HFs in different planes and supplemented by the appropriate schemes.

The review analyses the data on the structure of submandibular (SMG), parotid and sublingual salivary glands in rodents and on biologically active substances produced by them. The evidence is presented on the mutual influence of rodent major salivary glands (MSG) and the testes. Special attention is paid to gender differences of MSG in rodents, which are more fully apparent in mature individuals and are most pronounced in SMG. Sexual dimorphism is morphologically manifested in a larger size of secretory portions, the relative areas of granular and interlobular excretory ducts of SMG and greater number of granular cells of striated ducts of the sublingual glands in males. Biochemically sexual dimorphism is characterized by different amounts of biologically active substances secreted by the epithelial cells of secretory portions and granular cells of the ducts. Epidermal growth factor, nerve growth factor, kallikrein and other substances are synthesized in granular cells of the excretory ducts of all MSG in rodents, however, to the greatest extent - by SMG. The higher content of physiologically active substances in MSG saliva in males plays an important biological role.