Franceliusa Delys de Oliveira

Mesenchymal stem cells: emphasis in adipose tissue

The study of stem cells has evolved rapidly in recent decades. The importance is given to the concept that these cells are potentially able to become any cell type and have the power of self-renewal throughout the life of the organism. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be isolated from various organs of the body such as bone marrow, adipose tissue, synovium, muscle and dermis, deciduous teeth, umbilical cord, placenta, liver, spleen and thymus. After their isolation in vitro, mesenchymal stem cells have the capacity to differentiate into various mesenchymal lineages and various tissues after the use of appropriate cultures. Studies have reported that mesenchymal stem cells from adipose tissue have the potential to differentiate themselves, like the cells commonly studied bone marrow. Adipose tissue is attractive due to its easy access, rapid expansion in vitro and only one collects the large amount of tissue. This review intends to show the protocols for isolation, cell culture and means of commercial cellular differentiation most widely used with emphasis on adipose tissue.

Development and Morphological Changes in the Vaginal Closure Membrane Throughout Gestation in Galea spixii (Rodentia: Caviidae)

Present research was carried out in order to perform the monitoring of development, recognizes the type of tissue and describes histological and cellular changes of the vaginal closure membrane (VCM) throughout pregnancy in Galea spixii. The results showed that at 20 days of gestation (DG), the VCM occludes completely the external vaginal ostium. Microscopically, the VCM presented juxtaposed cells, derived from the stratum germinative of the stratified epithelium of vaginal mucosa at 20 DG and areas with cell clusters with the presence of intercellular spaces in the final stages of pregnancy (40‐50 DG). At 0 DG, the stratified epithelium of vaginal mucosa presented all strata but at 20 DG presented stratified epithelium without the stratum corneum and stratum granular and showed communicant junctions by desmosomes and interdigitations in the cell membrane compound the VCM. Gradually from 40 to 50 DG the stratum germinative became barely perceptible. Many cells showed apoptotic nuclei and emerged many intercellular spacing. So, the interdigitations and desmosomes were not observed. Here, it was demonstrated for the first time that the VCM is formed after the extinction of the stratum granular and corneum of the vaginal mucosa epithelium, with the proliferation of the cells of stratum germinative and communication and junction through desmosomes and interdigitations of these cells. At the end of pregnancy, cellular apoptosis; the spread of stratum germinative; and, absence of cellular communication and junction may be responsible for the weakening of the VCM and may assist the process of rupture of this membrane. Microsc. Res. Tech. 79:359–364, 2016.

Compostas medicinais do Brasil. 2. Estudo químico de Solidago microglossa, Mikania triangularis, M. diversifolia, M. smilacina, M. microlepsis e Wedelia paludosa

The aerial parts of M. triangularis, M. diversifolia, M. smilacina, M. microlepsis and Wedelia paludosa afforded great quantity of diterpene acids. To these acids may be correlated some of the medicinal activities ascribed to those species. The ethanolic extract of Solidago microglossaafforded, as principal constituent from the aerial parts quercetrin. The activity of these glicoside against cappilary fragility is well known, justifying the use of Solidago microglossa as succedaneous of Arnica montana.

Development of urinary organs in domestic cat during the embryonic and fetal periods

The embryonic origin of the urogenital system came from the intermediate mesoderm. Kidney development involves three successive renal systems with a fast chronological overlap: the pronephro, the mesonephro, and the metanephro. Due to the lack of specific knowledge about this system in cats the present work aimed to describe their urinary organs development, focusing on the structures seen in pronephro, mesonephro, and metanephro during the embryonic and fetal stages of development. The techniques used in this study were: light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. For that, embryos and fetuses from 12 pregnant mixed‐breed domestic cats in different gestational stages were used to describe the proposed organs. The pronephro is present at early stages of embryonary development in embryos from 15 to 19 days with the presence of pronephros corpuscles, ducts and tubules. The mesonephro is found, in general, between days 17 and 37, and contains mesonephric ducts, mesonephric tubules, and glomeruli. The metanephro is seen since 21 days of pregnancy with the presence of glomeruli, proximal and distal contorted tubules and at day 37, the cortex‐medullary region is already differentiated. The evaluation of these structures enhances the knowledge about embryology of the urinary system in cats, aiding a better anatomical understanding of the system in the specie allowing the correlation with other species.

Steroidogenesis during postnatal testicular development of Galea spixii

The androgen/estrogen balance is essential for normal sexual development and reproduction in mammals. Studies performed herein investigated the potential for estrogen synthesis in cells of the testes of a hystricomorph rodent, Galea spixii The study characterized the expression of the key enzymes responsible for estrogen and androgen synthesis, cytochromes P450 aromatase (P450arom), 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (P450c17) respectively, as well as the redox partner NADPH cytochrome P450 oxido-reductase (CPR) required to support electron transfer and catalysis of these P450s, by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis, throughout postnatal sexual development. Testes (immature, pre-pubertal, pubertal and post-pubertal) were collected, fixed for IHC (CYP19, CYP17 and CPR) and stored frozen for qPCR for the relevant gene transcripts (Cyp19a1 and Cyp17a1). Expression of P450c17 was significantly elevated at the pre-pubertal and pubertal stages. Based on IHC, P450c17 was expressed only in Leydig cell clusters. The expression of P450arom was detectable at all stages of sexual development of Galea spixii IHC data suggest that estrogen synthesis was not restricted to somatic cells (Leydig cells/Sertoli cells), but that germ cells may also be capable of converting androgens into estrogens, important for testicular function and spermatogenesis.

The Development of the Integumentary System in Dogs

The skin and its appendages are components of the integumentary system. Particularly in dogs, the appendages are: the hair, claws, footpads, and sebaceous, sweat and mammary glands. Few studies report the initial development of these structures in domestic species. The present study aimed to describe the development of the integumentary system during the embryonic and fetal periods in dogs (Canis familiaris). Totally, 9 embryos and 31 fetuses were used for gross and microscopic descriptions. Macroscopically, the skin of concepts in embryonic ages had a translucent aspect, which allowed for the visualization of internal organs with a remarkable presence of blood vessels. The skin appendages were only identified in fetuses. Microscopically, in the embryonic period, the epidermis consisted of a single surface layer of flattened cells denoted the germinativum stratum or germinal layer. Later, a new layer form due the proliferation of keratinocytes to form the periderm. When the epidermis of the fetus was observed. There was more than one cell layer that developed between the germinal and periderm layers. In conclusion, the skin shows little development during the embryonic period, whereas its division into the dermis and epidermis and the formation of several cell layers is pronounced in the fetal period. Similarly, skin appendages developed during the fetal period

Bovine conceptus of Bos indicus produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer and parthenogenesis present morphological variations since the blastocyst stage

In cattle, embryo development is characterized by the appearance of two distinct cell layers, the trophectoderm and the inner cell mass. The latter will undergo differentiation to form the embryonic disc consisting of the epiblast and hypoblast. The aim of this study was to ultrastructurally characterize the bovine embryo from different in vitro production techniques, with emphasis on trophectoderm and inner cell mass cells. Bovine embryos on day 7 (conception = D1) of pregnancy, derived via in vitro production techniques, were fixed for light and transmission electron microscopy processing. Results suggested that embryos produced by nuclear transfer of somatic cells and parthenogenesis showed significant changes in macroscopic and microscopic structure. Size was reduced, and the inner cell mass had no defined shape. Furthermore, organelles responsible for the absorption processes, communication, growth, and cellular metabolism were fewer and had changes in shape, when compared to results in embryos produced by in vitrofertilization. We concluded that embryos produced by parthenogenesis and SCNT exhibit morphological differences when compared with IVF embryos, such as undeveloped blastocoel, poorly defined distribution of ICM, and morphological differences in organelles.

Classificação morfofuncional dos dentes de saguis-de-tufo-branco (Callithrix jacchus, Callitrichidae), saguis-de-tufo-preto (C. penicillata) e saguis-de-cara-branca (C. geoffroyi)

A study was conducted to analyze the morphology of the teeth of white-tufted-ear-marmoset (C. jacchus) black-tufted-ear-marmoset (C. penicillata) and marmosets-white-faced (C. geoffroyi), to compare them among themselves and with other species described in the literature. Teeth of the three species were submitted to macroscopic, microscopic and ultrastructural analyzes. The results were correlated with those of other species. We concluded that: the three species have a similar dental formula, reaching a total of 32 teeth, expressed in the formula 2x: incisors 2/2; canines 1/1, pre-molars 3/3 and molars 2/2, ich are classified as diplodont, anelodont, bunodont and brachyodont.