Vol 145, No 1 (2014)

The reactions of forming synapses in rat neocortex to the effect of hypoxia in the early postnatal period (day 2) were studied. Using immunocytochemistry for synaptophysin demonstratoion and electron microscopic methods, the sensorimotor cortex was studied in rats at days 3, 4 and 10 of postnatal development (6 to 10 animals of each age) in both experimental and control groups (intact animals). Immunocytochemical study of the control animals demonstrated significant differences in the quantitative distribution of synaptophysin-positive structures in the different layers of the neocortex in the early postnatal period of development (day 5). It is shown that after exposure to perinatal hypoxia, more than 2-fold decrease of the optical density of the immunocytochemical reaction product took place together with the reduction of synaptophysin-positive granules distribution density in all cortical layers of. At the same time, electron-dense terminals demonstrating early degenerative processes were found. In the neuropil of the neocortex, a sharp decline in the number of growth cones, small processes and forming synapses was accompanied by significant changes of the electron density of synaptic, especially post-synaptic, membranes and densities. In the experimental animals, the number of growth cones and emerging synaptic structures were shown to increase only by postnatal day 10. Thus, the effects of hypoxia in the early postnatal period, causing disturbances of synaptogenesis, persist throughout the whole neonatal period examined.

The aim of the study was the structural and planimetric characteristics of the nuclei and intermediate formations of corticomedial and basolateral groups of structures of the amygdala and the primary somatosensory cortex in 10 alcohol-preferring (AP) and 10 alcohol non-preferring (ANP) rats, as well as demonstration of the ifferences in concentration of dopamine and its metabolite — 3,4 dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAK) in the amygdala. Measurements of absolute and specific areas of the structures studied were conducted on the cytoarchitectonic slides stained using Nissl cresyl violet method. No differences in the specific area of corticomedial and basolateral amygdala groups of structures were detected between two groups of rats studied. In ANP rats higher specific areas of the primary somatosensory cortex and of the amygdala in the left hemisphere were found, predetermined by the larger sizes of basolateral group. Analysis of DOPAK concentration in the amygdala revealed it in nearly equal quantities in AP and ANP rats, while, concentration of dopamine was significantly greater in AP rats. DOPAK/dopamine ratio was twice greater in AP rats which is indicative of dopamine accelerated metabolism.

Neuromuscular spindles (NMS) of soleus muscle and their vascular bed was studied in 250 mature male Wistar rats following long-term (30, 60, 120 and 240 days) hypokinesia. Material was studied using Kulchitsky, Mason and Ranson histological staining, electron microscopic and histochemical methods (demonstration of succinate dehydrogenase). It was found that initial changes involved the decrease of the lumen of precapillary arterioles (by 25.4%) and blood capillaries (by 29.1%). These changes closely correlated with the increase of the subcapsular space width (by 34.7%), the decrease of NMS capsule thickness (by 48.7%) and equatorial zone diameter (by 17.9%). Activity of succinate dehydrogenase in the intrafusal muscle fibers was also decreased. As a result of disintegration of the majority of γ-axon terminals, NMS cross sectional area was decreases by 75,6%. Thus, during hypokinesia initial changes were detected in the sources of NMS blood supply, while their structural remodelling involved destructive alterations.

In the pancreas of fetuses at weeks 22–40 of prenatal development (n=111) and of newborn infants who died during the first week of postnatal life (n=38) the changes were detected that were characterized by exocrine part hypoplasia, retardation of acinar pancreatocyte differentiation, connective tissue outgrowth, pancreatic (Langerhans) islet hyperplasia and hypertrophy. The results of the study have shown that with the increase of the total risk sum of the perinatal period pathology development (expressed in balls), the relative content of the insular part of the organ and the number of large pancreatic islets (larger than 100 μm in diameter) decreased. The morphological features detected in this study indirectly reflect endo-ecologically discomfortable conditions of fetus development within the fetoplacental unit which increase the risk of polyendocrinopathy development and fetal intrauterine growth retardation. These polyendocrinopathies increase further the risk of endocrine disturbance occurence in childhood.

The study of an autopsy material, obtained from females aged 15–74 years (145 organ complexes), using the classical anatomical research methods, resulted in the topographic-anatomical substantiation of transvaginal surgical accesses to subperitoneal and peritoneal pelvic floors taking into account the variants of the uterus position. The projection-syntopic correlations of subperitoneal and peritoneal structures with vaginal fornix were examined, the latter was divided for this purpose into the limited areas — vaginal segments. It was found that the transvaginal accesses in the uterus position of the anteversio-anteflexio and retroversio-retroflexio (with more common symmetrical relations between the pelvic structures and vaginal fornix), should be performed in the projection of vaginal segments 10.5–1.5 and 5.5–6.5. Due to asymmetric projection-syntopic relations of subperitoneal and peritoneal pelvic structures with vaginal fornix, the optimal accesses are recommended in the projection of vaginal segments 12–1.5, 11.5–2 and 6–6.5 in sinistroversio, sinistropositio with a clockwise uterine rotation, while in dextropositio and counterclockwise uterine rotation, the accesses in the projection of vaginal segments 10.5–12, 10.5–1, 6–5.5 and 6–5 are preferable.

This paper describes the study of the neuroepithelial bodies (NEB) in the lungs of adult healthy Wistar rats (n=12). Using the immunocytochemical reaction demonstrating synaptophysin, NEB and immunopositive nerve terminals approaching them, were visualized. It was found that NEB were the structures constantly presented in the rat lung. In contrast to the diffuse neuroendocrine elements, NEB are characterized by grouped distribution of cells. It was found that some part of NEB had no efferent innervation.

Cells with acidophilic granules in the crypts of the small intestine were first described, along with the other cells of intestinal epithelium, in 1872 by a well-known German anatomist, histologist and anthropologist G. A. Schwalbe, however they were named after an Austrian histologist and physiologist J. Paneth, who has performed their detailed morphological analysis in 1888. For many decades the role of Paneth cells (PCs) remained completely unclear, until in 1960–1970 the production of antimicrobial molecules by these cells was found. At present, it is established that PCs produce a broad spectrum of antimicrobial compounds, thus controlling the number and content of intestinal microbial populations. PCs are an important part of innate immunity defense mechanisms, however, by interacting with the other cells, they participate in the reactions of the adaptive immunity. By creating high concentrations of antimicrobial substances within the crypt, PCs protect intestinal stem cells from the damage by potentially pathogenic microorganisms, while by releasing some signaling molecules, they control the vital functions of these cells, being an important component of their niche. Affecting the host tissues and influencing the microbial populations, PCs play a significant role in the maintenance of homeostasis in the intestine.