L. Santamaria

Prehepatic portal hypertension produces increased mast cell density in the small bowel and in mesenteric lymph nodes in the rat

Background:u2002 Because most of the characteristics of the portal hypertensive enteropathy can be explained on the basis of increased levels of mast cell mediators, the purpose of the present paper was to study mast cell splanchnic infiltration.

Acquired cystic transformation of the rete testis secondary to renal failure

The histologic study of testicular specimens from 218 consecutive autopsies revealed a cystic transformation of the rete testis in 26 men. Serial sections of the testes, epididymides, and spermatic cords of these men were studied by light microscopy. In 15 cases, the rete testis dilation was caused by obstruction of the epididymis. In five cases, the dilation was due to obstruction of the intratesticular excretory ducts caused by varicocele. In the remaining six men, no evidence of obstructive processes was found. These six patients had been diagnosed with renal failure and underwent hemodialysis. The rete testis in these men showed dilated channels lined by a high columnar or pseudostratified epithelium. They contained spermatozoa, with a proteinaceous material and calcium oxalate crystals. The ductuli efferents showed eosinophilic granules in their epithelial cells and their lumen contained spermatids, spermatozoa, cell remnants, calcium oxalate crystals, and multinucleate giant cells. These rete testis lesions are similar to those previously reported in the kidney of hemodialyzed patients.

Correlation between spermatozoon numbers in spermiogram and seminiferous epithelium histology in testicular biopsies from subfertile men.

A new method for correlating testicular biopsies and spermiograms is proposed. The number of spermatogonia, round spermatids, and elongated spermatids per cross-sectioned tubule were calculated in the testes from 33 subfertile men and in 10 control normal testes. According to these quantitations, the testes in subfertile men were classified as testes with maturation arrest of spermatogenesis, testes with hypospermatogenesis, and testes with associated maturation arrest and hypospermatogenesis. A power regression curve correlating the number of elongated spermatids and sperm numbers in the spermiogram was performed.

Ultrastructural localization of PGP 9.5 and ubiquitin immunoreactivities in rat ductus epididymidis epithelium

SummaryThe distribution of protein gene product 9.5 (PGP) and ubiquitin in the spermatozoa and epithelial cells in the different regions of the rat duetus epididymidis (proximal caput, distal caput, corpus and cauda) was studied by Western blotting analyses and electron microscopical immunogold labelling. Western blotting analyses showed that the PGP immunoreactive band was very intense in the caput and cauda epididymidis and almost irrelevant in the corpus, while the ubiquitin immunoreactive band was intense in the distal caput and cauda. No ubiquitin immunoreactive band was observed in the proximal caput and only a very weak band was seen in the corpus. The results of electron microscopical immunogold labelling varied from one epididymal region to another. The proximal caput epididymidis presented immunoreaction to PGP in the rough endoplasmic reticulum, cytosol, mitochondria and microvilli of most principal cells, and in the cytosol, rough endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria of most basal cells. No ubiquitin immunoreaction was observed in this epididymal region. In the distal caput epididymidis, PGP immunoreactivity was detected in some principal and basal cells in the same intracellular locations as described in the proximal caput. In this region, ubiquitin immunoreactivity appears in the apical cytosol and mitochondria of principal cells. The corpus epididymidis showed no immunoreaction to PGP or ubiquitin. In the cauda epididymidis, immunostaining to PGP was observed in most clear cells and in isolated principal cells. The intracellular location of PGP in both cell types was the cytosol, mitochondria and microvilli. Ubiquitin immunoreactivity was detected in the perinuclear cytosol and mitochondria — but not in the digestive vacuoles — of some clear cells. Scanty ubiquitin immunolabelling was also found in the microvilli, cytosol and mitochondria of some principal cells. The head of the spermatozoa present in the ductal lumen in all epididymal regions immunoreacted intensely to PGP. Ubiquitin was detected in the intermediate piece and residual cytoplasm of intraluminal spermatozoa present in the corpus and cauda epididymidis. These findings suggest that a non-ubiquitinated PGP irnrnunoreactive protein is secreted by the principal cells in caput epididymidis and binds the spermatozoon heads. It is possible that the clear cells of the cauda epididymidis secrete the ubiquitin that binds to spermatozoon tail.

Cytophotometric DNA quantification in human spermatogonia of cryptorchid testes.

The DNA content of spermatogonia was studied by cytophotometric quantification in the testes of cryptorchid children and adults, as well as in age-matched control males. In most cases, the average DNA content of spermatogonia was significantly increased in the cryptorchid testes of children with uni- or bilateral cryptorchidism, as well as in the contralateral scrotal testes of children with unilateral cryptorchidism. In the group of adult men the average DNA content of spermatogonia in the testes was even more increased than in children. There were not significant differences between 4 and 14 years of age, between unilateral and bilateral cryptorchidism, or between cryptorchid testes and contralateral normally descended testes. The DNA content of spermatogonia in the surgically descended testes of 3 children who were re-biopsied 3-4 years after orchidopexy was similar before and after orchidopexy. These findings suggest that the spermatogonia of many cryptorchid males bear a congenital lesion.

The Interstitial Lymphatic Peritoneal Mesothelium Axis in Portal Hypertensive Ascites: When in Danger, Go Back to the Sea

Portal hypertension induces a splanchnic and systemic low-grade inflammatory response that could induce the expression of three phenotypes, named ischemia-reperfusion, leukocytic, and angiogenic phenotypes.During the splanchnic expression of these phenotypes, interstitial edema, increased lymph flow, and lymphangiogenesis are produced in the gastrointestinal tract. Associated liver disease increases intestinal bacterial translocation, splanchnic lymph flow, and induces ascites and hepatorenal syndrome. Extrahepatic cholestasis in the rat allows to study the worsening of the portal hypertensive syndrome when associated with chronic liver disease. The splanchnic interstitium, the mesenteric lymphatics, and the peritoneal mesothelium seem to create an inflammatory pathway that could have a key pathophysiological relevance in the production of the portal hypertension syndrome complications. The hypothetical comparison between the ascitic and the amniotic fluids allows for translational investigation. From a phylogenetic point of view, the ancestral mechanisms for amniotic fluid production were essential for animal survival out of the aquatic environment. However, their hypothetical appearance in the cirrhotic patient is considered pathological since ultimately they lead to ascites development. But, the adult human being would take advantage of the potential beneficial effects of this “amniotic-like fluid” to manage the interstitial fluids without adverse effects when chronic liver disease aggravates.

Proliferative Activity of Human Spermatogonia from Fetal Period to Senility Measured by Cytophotometric DNA Quantification

The proliferative activity of human spermatogonia from the fetal period to senility was studied by means of cytophotometric quantification of the nuclear DNA content in histological sections. Proliferating spermatogonia that were replicating or had replicated their DNA (DNA content between 2.5c and 4.5c) were observed in all ages. The percentages of these spermatogonia were high (18.2%) in the second trimester of gestation, decreased in the third trimester (8.2%), maintained similar values in newborns (7.1%) and infants (9.5%), and increased markedly in 4- to 9-year-old children (22.5%). The latter percentage was maintained during puberty (20.1%), decreased significantly in adulthood (17.8%), and was higher in aging testes (25.2%). About 2% of spermatogonia with a DNA content higher than 4.5 c were observed from 4-15 years of age as well as in the testes of elderly men. Sertoli cells replicating their DNA were observed only in fetuses.

Partial hepatectomy, partial portal vein stenosis and mesenteric lymphadenectomy increase splanchnic mast cell infiltration in the rat

It is currently believed that portal hypertension induces an inflammatory response in which mast cells may be involved. The aim of this study was to verify the involvement of the intestinal submucosal and mesenteric lymph node mast cells in the splanchnic inflammatory response related to portal hypertension. Mast cell infiltration in the intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum and distal colon) and in the mesenteric lymph node complex (MLC) was measured using a stereological method in sham-operated rats (SO; n = 12), in two experimental models of portal hypertension, chronic (triple partial portal vein ligation, TPVL; n = 12) and transient (microsurgical partial hepatectomy; n = 12) and in rats in which the MLC was resected (n = 12). The small and large bowel submucosal infiltration increases in MLC-resected rats (p = 0.0001), in TPVL rats (p = 0.0001) and in rats with partial hepatectomy (p = 0.0001). An extensive mast cell infiltration in the MLC (p = 0.0001) was found in TPVL rats and in rats with partial hepatectomy (347.40+/-45.25 and 351.92+/-99.28/mm(3), respectively) in relation to sham-operated rats (135.27+/-30.28/mm(3)). We conclude that mast cells could be involved in the splanchnic alterations developed in the surgical experimental models of portal hypertension studied.

Multinucleate Leydig cells in normal human testes

Summary:u2002 The number of mononucleate and multinucleate Leydig cells per unit area of the testis was determined in normal adult men using the peroxidase‐anti‐peroxidase method for testosterone detection. The results of this study indicate that the number of multinucleate Leydig cells increases markedly with age, whereas the total Leydig cell population decreases.

Multinucleate epithelial cells in the ductuli efferentes of human epididymis: Mehrkernige Epithelzellen in den Ductuli efferentes des menschlichen Nebenhodens

Summary The histological and ultrastructural study of the ductuli efferentes in epididymides from 40 adult men revealed the occurrence of multinucleate epithelial cells in all specimens. These cells appeared in the luminal protrusions of epithelial folds and correspond to either principal or ciliated cells. The ultrastructure of their cytoplasm did not differ from that of their respective mononucleate cells. Multinucleate cells contained 3–20 closely juxtaposed nuclei, thus appearing much more irregularly outlined than those of the mononucleate epithelial cells. Multinucleation four times more frequent in the principal cells than in the ciliated cells. The number of multinucleate cells increased progressively from the age of 60 years onwards. The average number of nuclei per cell increased in the fourth decade of life, was maintained up to the eighth decade, and then increased again.