bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Morphometry of GFA and vimentin positive astrocytes in grafted and lesioned cortex cerebri
Authors: Björklund Håkan , Dahl Doris , Olson Lars 
Published: April 2003

AbstractThe presence and morphology of GFA‐ and vimentin‐positive astrocytes were studied immunohistochemically in rats using smear preparations of single intraocular grafts of the cortex cerebri anlage and of cortex pieces grafted to eyes containing a previously grafted piece of the locus coeruleus area. Similarly, astrocytes were studied in lesioned cortex cerebri in situ. A high number of GFA and vimentin‐positive cells were found in smears of both types of cortex grafts as well as in smears of the lesioned cortex cerebri in situ. In contrast, only a limited number of GFA‐positive astrocytes were seen in smears of normal cortex. Using computerized image analysis, the two‐dimensional cell area and cell perimeter were found to be significantly increased in individual GFA‐positive astrocytes in both types of intraocular cortex grafts as well as in the lesioned cortex when compared to GFA‐positive astrocytes in normal cortex cerebri.GFA‐positive cells in smears of cortex grafts from locus coeruleus‐cortex combinations had significantly smaller cell area and cell perimeter values compared to similar cells from single cortex grafts. A similar, although less pronounced difference was observed between vimentin‐positive cells from the same type of grafts. This suggests that the presence of the mature locus coeruleus graft in some as yet unknown way influences the development of the adjacent cortex graft towards a more normal astrocytic maturation. An additional finding was the large size difference between GFA‐ and vimentin‐positive cells in the intraocular grafts. Since most evidence indicates that vimentin‐positive cells are also GFA‐positive, this may indicate that the two intermediate filament systems have a partially different distribution within individual astrocytes.It is concluded that computerized image analysis of smears processed for immunohistochemistry with antisera against GFA and vimentin is a useful technique for studies of astrocyte morphology in normal as well as experimentally perturbed CNS tissue. Cortex tissue that develops in contact with a locus coeruleus graft in the eye chamber show a significantly lesser degree of gliosis than cortex tissue developing in isolation in the eye.
Brain malformations in prenatal mice following acute maternal ethanol administration
Authors: Sulik Kathleen K. , Lauder Jean M. , Dehart Deborah B. 
Published: April 2003

AbstractAcute maternal ethanol administration (two i.p. injections of 2.9 g ethanol/kg maternal body wt) to C57B1/6J mice during gastrulation stages of embryogenesis (gestational day 7) induces a spectrum of brain and facial malformations characteristic of those seen in the human Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Scanning electron microscopic and light microscopic analyses of the brains of embryos of gestational days 11–14 demonstrate ventro‐medial forebrain deficiencies of varying degrees of severity in affected specimens. Even at the mild end of the spectrum, reductions in the size of the septal nuclei and the shape of the third ventricle are observed. As the severity of the effect increases, the septal nuclei disappear altogether, resulting in midline fusion of the corpora striata (basal ganglia). In such cases, the third ventricle is totally absent anteriorly (preoptic area) and significantly narrowed at more posterior levels, adjacent to the ventromedial nuclei. In addition, the hippocampal primordium is absent at levels which include the corpora striata, and septation of the cerebral cortex is incomplete. More posteriorly, at the level of the posterior commissure, the hippocampal primordium is present, but greatly reduced in size, and the entire brain is distinctly narrower in width. Still further posteriorly, at levels of the metencephalon which include the tectum and cerebellar plate, the cerebral aqueduct is significantly expanded, fusion of midline (raphe) structures is incomplete and the cerebellar plate does not extend as far medially as it does normally. Interestingly, these abnormalities are analogous to those observed in the holoprosencephaly series of malformations.The results of the present study support our hypothesis that severe forms of the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome mimic certain aspects of the holoprosencephaly spectrum, and indicate that special attention should be paid to possible deficiencies in the septal nuclei and basal ganglia of children born to women who abuse alcohol. The fact that gross brain malformations can be induced in this animal model at a time corresponding to the third week of human gestation (a time when most women remain unaware of pregnancy) is of significance in terms of the possible prevention of alcohol‐induced birth defects and mental deficiency in man.
Growth of myenteric plexus explant cultures in a serum‐free, hormone‐supplemented culture medium
Authors: Saffrey M.J. , Burnstock G. 
Published: April 2003

AbstractExplant cultures of the myenteric plexus from beneath the taenia coli of newborn guinea‐pig caeca were grown on glass substrates in a serum‐free, hormone‐supplemented culture medium. The growth of enteric neurons, glial cells and fibroblasts and their interactions in this medium were studied over 3 weeks in vitro, and compared with those of cells cultured in the presence of foetal calf serum and in serum‐free medium in the absence of added hormones. Enteric neurons, glial cells and fibroblasts survived in the serum‐free, hormone‐supplemented medium, but this was dependent on the presence of the hormone supplements and also on a brief initial period of exposure to serum‐supplemented medium.The pattern of development of the cultures grown in serum‐free medium, however, differed markedly from that of cultures grown in serum‐supplemented medium: the numbers of enteric glial cells and fibroblasts were substantially reduced in the absence of serum; neurites grew extensively on the glass substrate rather than being restricted to a carpet of glial cells; and reaggregation of neurons and glial cells into compact groups resembling differentiated enteric ganglia did not occur.This ability to grow enteric neurons in a defined chemical environment, without the presence of unknown serum components, thus offers an opportunity for detailed study of the effects of growth and trophic factors on neuronal survival, neurite outgrowth and neurochemical differentiation in the entericnervous system, and also for study of the factors involved in enteric ganglion formation.
Monoamine concentrations in brain regions of the developing rabbit
Authors: Crawford I.L. , Connor J.D. , Doller H.J. 
Published: April 2003

AbstractGrowth patterns in selected areas of rabbit brain were studied neurochemically by assaying for norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin from the neonatal to adult stages of development. These measurements showed that the various monoamines reached adult concentrations at different rates within a brain region; each region had a unique pattern of amine development. Changes in content were most marked in the first 2 weeks of life. Concentration increases were pronounced for norepinephrine and serotonin in the hypothalamus and for dopamine in the caudate nucleus. By contrast, norepinephrine concentrations in the pons‐medulla and colliculi were relatively stable. The marked changes and differences in amine concentrations of maturing rabbit brain provide basic data on monoaminergic innervation of discrete regions and indicate the rabbit merits consideration in neurochemical and physiologic studies on the development of neurotransmission.
Development of substance P‐immunoreactive neurons in cranial sensory ganglia of the rat
Authors: Ayer‐LeLievre C.S. , Seiger Å. 
Published: April 2003

AbstractSubstance P‐like immunoreactivity has been observed in fetal and adult cranial sensory ganglia. It first appears at day 16 of gestation in sensory neurons of trigeminal, superior‐jugular, petrous and nodose ganglia, as well as in the autonomic myenteric plexus, and at day 17 in cervical dorsal root ganglion cells. Substance P immunoreactivity can be visualized much earlier (day 12) in the central nervous system. The ganglionic immunoreactivity subsequently increases during fetal life but drops at birth. The reactive material is first diffuse, then slowly becomes granular, and is mostly concentrated in coarse perinuclear inclusions in adult sensory neurons. Most substance P‐positive neurons in trigeminal and superior‐jugular ganglia are small, but medium‐sized and large positive neurons are also observed in the trigeminal, petrous and nodose ganglia.Our observations give a precise picture of the development of substance P immunoreactivity in sensory neurons and are in general agreement with previous reports on some fetal and adult rat sensory ganglia. They indicate that in the rat, maturation of peripheral substance P‐containing sensory neurons is slower than that of central substance P neurons or equivalent sensory neurons in other species. The examination of fetal material allows the observation of numerous immunoreactive sensory neurons which cannot be visualized after birth. We hypothesize a possible different embryonic origin (neural crest or placodal) for small nociceptive and larger substance P‐containing neurons in rat cranial sensory ganglia.
Ganglioside glycosyltransferase activities in the cerebral hemispheres from developing rat embryos
Authors: Maccioni Hugo J.F. , Panzetta Pedro , Arrieta Daniela , Caputto Ranwel 
Published: April 2003

AbstractThe developmental patterns of three ganglioside glycosyltransferases were determined in the embryonic rat cerebral hemispheres from day 14 of gestation until birth. Considering the values of day 14 of gestation as 100%, the activity per μg of DNA at birth of the CMP‐NeuAc:GM3 sialosyltransferase decreased to 40%, that of UDP‐GalNAc:GM3 N‐acetylgalactosaminyltransferase increased to 230% and that of UDP‐Gal:GM2 galactosyltransferase showed minor variations. The changes in the activities of these enzymes correlated with the changes occurring in this embryonic period in the complexity of the oligosaccharide chain of gangliosides which result in a relative increase of gangliosides having the gangliotetraosyl backbone.
Pre‐ and postnatal development of the small intensely fluorescent cells in the rat superior cervical ganglion
Authors: Soinila Seppo 
Published: April 2003

AbstractA fluorescence microscopical study has been performed in the pre‐ and postnatal development of the sympathetic superior cervical ganglion of Sprague‐Dawley rat. Ganglia from 10.5‐ to 21.5‐day‐old embryos and newborn to 90‐day‐old postnatal rats were freeze‐dried and the catecholamine‐containing cells were demonstrated by formaldehyde‐induced fluorescence.The first catecholamine‐containing cells appeared on day 11.5 of gestation. The ganglia of 11.5‐ to 12.5‐day‐old embryos contained a continuous range of cells showing weak to bright fluorescence intensities. In the ganglia of 13.5‐ to 14.5‐day‐old embryos few solitary cells or small groups of cells showing bright fluorescence were discernible among weakly fluorescent developing principal nerve cells. The cell numbers of both types markedly increased during the prenatal period while the mean diameter of the brightly fluorescent cells significantly decreased. In the late prenatal ganglia clusters were observed in which a large brightly fluorescent cell was surrounded by other intensely fluorescent cells of various sizes.There were about 300 small intensely fluorescent (SIF) cells in the ganglia of newborn rats. This number decreased by about 50% during postnatal week 1 and again increased during postnatal week 4 reaching the adult value of about 500 cells/ganglion. During the postnatal development the SIF cells formed clusters, the largest of which contained several hundred cells.Occurrence of large intensely fluorescent cells during a limited period suggests that this cell type represents a transitional form. It is possible that in the rat the primitive sympathetic cells continue their development along two lines: some cells remain weakly fluorescent and give rise to the principal nerve cells, and others accumulate catecholamine(s) and are transformed, possibly after mitotic divisions, into smaller brightly fluorescent cells which mature into SIF cells late postnatally.
Thyroid hormone dependency of the developing dorsal raphe nucleus but not the superior cervical ganglion. Evidence from intraocular grafting experiments
Authors: Granholm A.‐CH. , Siegel R.A. , Seiger Å. 
Published: April 2003

AbstractImmature superior cervical ganglia and brain stem pieces containing 5‐hydroxytryptamine neurons of the dorsal raphe nucleus were grafted to the anterior eye chamber of intact and thyroidectomized recipients. The grafts were left in the eye to mature for 4–6 weeks and were measured through the translucent cornea repeatedly to follow survival and growth. Monoaminergic nerve fibre outgrowth from the grafts onto the host irides was evaluated with Falck‐Hillarp monoamine histochemistry on iris whole mounts.Body weight and plasma concentrations of thyroid‐stimulating hormone monitored the thyroid state of both experimental and control animals. Intraocular survival and growth of immature superior cervical ganglia was not influenced by thyroid hormone deficiency, whereas the size of dorsal raphe nucleus grafts significantly increased during similar conditions. This increased size was entirely counteracted by daily substitution with l‐thyroxine (100 μg/kg, s.c.) to the thyroid deficient host animals. Fluorescence microscopy, including semiquantitative estimations of fibre outgrowth area and axon bundle formation in the irides, revealed no effects of the thyroid hormone deficiency on the peripheral superior cervical ganglia. The outgrowth of 5‐hydroxytryptamine‐containing nerve fibres from the brain stem grafts, on the other hand, showed a 50% decrease in both axon bundle formation and fibre outgrowth area in thyroidectomized hosts. This effect of the thyroidectomy could be completely reversed by daily substitution with l‐thyroxine. These data strongly support earlier reports describing a thyroid hormone dependency for central noradrenaline‐ and dopamine‐containing neurons during similar conditions. Furthermore, the results indicate a role of thyroid hormones for nerve fibre growth during development of intraocularly isolated central but not peripheral monoaminergic neurons.
Astrocytes grown in oculo: Expression of cell morphologies on the iris as revealed by GFA immunohistochemistry
Authors: Björklund H. 
Published: April 2003

AbstractUsing two experimental approaches, the morphology of central astrocytes growing in vivo with the iris as a substratum were studied. When irides with mature intraocular grafts of cortex cerebri or locus coeruleus were stretch‐prepared as whole mounts and processed for immunohistochemistry with antiserum against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFA), a restricted halo of fluorescent cells and fibers was seen surrounding the grafts. Similarly, injection into the anterior eye chamber of adult rats, of a cell suspension prepared from cortex cerebri of 10‐day‐old rat pups gave rise to both multiple GFA‐positive astrocytic islets of different sizes and cell densities as well as scattered individual cells on the anterior surface of the host iris. In contrast, astrocytes from similar cell suspensions prepared from young adult animals survived very poorly. In both types of experiments, a large variation in cell morphology ranging from immature epitheloid, via large flat cells with few thick processes, to typical mature star‐shaped astrocytes was observed. This morphological variation is in agreement with that reported for similar cells in tissue culture. Immature‐looking cells always had a strong perinuclear fluorescence; an inverse correlation was observed between cell body size and development of cell processes. Likewise, the fluorescence intensity was higher in well‐developed cells as compared to more immature ones.The morphology of individual cells did not seem to be dependent upon the time in oculo, since no difference was observed between GFA‐positive cells on irides examined 10 days and 6 weeks after injection of a cell suspension. Similarly, a high number of immature‐looking cells was seen in irides with locus coeruleus transplants grafted more than 6 months earlier. Instead, the cell density seemed to be the crucial factor. Thus, star‐shaped, well‐developed cells were seen growing singly or in less dense groups whereas denser areas contained mainly immature‐looking cells.Astrocytic processes had a tendency to follow the course of already existing intrinsic GFA‐positive bundles and fibers in the iris. However, exceptions to this were occasionally seen. The fluorescence intensity was clearly higher in astrocytes growing on the iris than in intrinsic GFA‐positive structures, suggesting molecular differences between central and peripheral GFA‐immunoreactive material.
Effects of sex steroids on the growth of neuronal processes in neonatal rat hypothalamus‐preoptic area and cerebral cortex in primary culture
Authors: Uchibori Masayuki , Kawashima Seiichiro 
Published: April 2003

AbstractDissociated cells of neonatal rat hypothalamus‐preoptic area and cerebral cortex were grown in primary culture, and the effects of sex steroids on neurons were morphometrically studied. In cultures of the hypothalamus‐preoptic area estradiol‐17β or testosterone propionate significantly increased the total neuronal process length as compared with control cultures given no steroids in the medium. Significant stimulatory effects were detected on 1, 2 and 3 days after plating, while, 5a‐dihydrotestosterone failed to show any stimulatory influence. In contrast, none of these steroids was effective in cultures of cerebral cortical cells. Based on the number of processes arising from the soma, neurons were divided into unipolar, bipolar and multipolar neurons. Percentage of multipolar neurons of the hypothalamus‐preoptic area was more in cultures treated with estradiol‐17β or testosterone propionate than the controls. Significant effect was not noted in cultures with 5α‐dihydrotestosterone, while, in cultures of the cerebral cortical cells, effects on sprouting of these steroids were far less marked than in cultures of the hypothalamus‐preoptic area. The present findings substantiate the importance of aromatization of androgen to exert its influence on neuronal process growth in cell culture.
Effects of ischemia on free fatty acids and diacylglycerols in developing rat brain
Authors: Tang Wilson , Sun Grace Y. 
Published: April 2003

AbstractPost‐decapitative ischemic treatment imposed on the developing rat brain elicited a marked increase in its susceptibility to free fatty acid (FFA) release between 14 and 17 days, an observation similar to that reported by Bazan (Acta Physiol. Lat. Am.21, 15, 1971). Although the level of diacylglycerols (DG) also increased during this period, the extent of the increase was not as obvious as the FFA. Ischemic treatment to rats after 17 days of age elicited increases in DG and FFA enriched in stearic and arachidonic acids. The delayed response in susceptibility of brain tissue to ischemia‐induced changes seems to suggest that the biochemical mechanism(s) responsible for the FFA and DG release is better correlated to events commensurating with synaptogenesis than with myelination.
Perinatal development of adrenergic, cholinergic and non‐adrenergic, non‐cholinergic nerves and sif cells in the rabbit urinary bladder
Authors: Crowe R. , Burnstock G. 
Published: April 2003

AbstractThe development of adrenergic (indicated by catecholamine fluorescence), acetylcholine‐sterase‐positive (possibly cholinergic), non‐adrenergic, non‐cholinergic (indicated by quinacrine fluorescence) nerves and small intensely fluorescent (SIF) cells in the rabbit urinary bladder was examined in foetal (from 23 days of gestation), newborn and adult animals. Acetylcholinesterase‐positive nerve fibres and ganglion cells and quinacrine‐positive ganglion cells were both present on day 23 of gestation, while quinacrine‐positive varicose nerve fibres were first seen on day 24. At foetal age 26 days, 25–38 ganglia containing quinacrine‐positive cells were seen in whole‐mount preparations of detrusor muscle of the bladder. Each ganglion contained 30–40 quinacrine‐positive cells (diameter 20–40 μm). In contrast, only 5–12 ganglia contained acetylcholinesterase‐positive nerve cell bodies at the same foetal age with only 3–20 cells in each ganglion; these figures remained at about the same level from foetal age 23 days to maturity. No catecholamine‐containing nerve cell bodies were seen at any foetal age or in the adult. Adrenergic nerve fibres were not detected until day 28 of gestation, although small intensely fluorescent cells were first observed on day 26 of gestation. In the adult bladder there was a reduction of approximately 25–35% in the number of quinacrine‐positive nerve cell bodies within the ganglia when compared with the ganglia in 1‐day‐old bladders and an increase in nerve fibre density of about 50% when compared with bladders of earlier ages. A reduction of approximately 90% in small intensely fluorescent cells and a 2‐fold increase of adrenergic nerves was also characteristic of the adult bladder, although no changes were observed in the density of the acetylcholinesterase‐positive cell bodies and nerve fibres. It is concluded that catecholamine‐containing, acetylcholinesterase‐positive and non‐adrenergic, non‐cholinergic nerves follow very different developmental patterns in the bladder.
Neurogenesis of the magnocellular basal telencephalic nuclei in the rat
Authors: Bayer Shirley A. 
Published: April 2003

AbstractNeurogenesis in the magnocellular basal telencephalic nuclei of the rat was examined with [3H]thymidine autoradiography. The experimental animals were the offspring of pregnant females given two injections of [3H]thymidine on consecutive embryonic (E) days (E12–E13, E13–E14, … E21–E22). On postnatal day (P) 60, the percentage of labeled cells and the proportion of cells originating during 24 h periods were quantified at several anatomical levels throughout the magnocellular basal telencephalic nuclei. The neurons of the horizontal limb of the diagonal band originate mainly between E13 and E16 in a combined rostral‐to‐caudal and lateral‐to‐medial gradient. The neurogenetic gradients in the horizontal limb are continued by generation patterns of cells in the vertical limb of the diagonal band‐medial septal complex, the large cells in the polymorph layer of the olfactory tubercle, and the large cells of the anterior amygdaloid area. The substantia innominata originates between E13 and E17 in combined caudal‐to‐rostral and lateral‐to‐medial gradients. The globus pallidus originates between E13 and E17 in combined caudal‐to‐rostral, ventral‐to‐dorsal and medial‐to‐lateral gradients. The entopeduncular nucleus originates between E12 and E14 in a ‘sandwich’ gradient where neurons in the core of the nucleus are older than those in either the anterior or posterior ends. There is an overall superficial (ventral) to deep (dorsal) neurogenetic gradient between the magnocellular basal nuclei present at any given rostrocaudal level. An important finding is that neurogenetic gradients in the individual components of the magnocellular basal nuclei are alike (with the possible exception of the entopeduncular nucleus) indicating they are part of a single system. Finally, evidence is presented that neurogenetic gradients in the magnocellular basal telencephalic neurons can be correlated with their anatomical projections to the cerebral cortex.