Lasse Kanerva

Effects of ageing on the histochemically demonstrable catecholamines and acetylcholinesterase of human sympathetic ganglia.

SummaryThe sympathetic ganglia of adult and aged humans were obtained during vascular, gynaecological and urological surgery, and studied using the formaldehyde-induced fluorescence (FIF) method for histochemical demonstration of catecholamines. Microspectrofluorimetry was applied to characterize the emission spectra of the fluorophores.The sympathetic ganglia contained two types of cells exhibiting FIF: the adrenergic neurons and the small, intensely fluorescent (SIF) cells. The adrenergic neurons contained pigment granules exhibiting autofluorescence with emission maximum at 530–540 nm. The number of these granules increased with age while the FIF of the neurons decreased. In the oldest patients, most of the neurons in the sympathetic ganglia showed only pigment fluorescence but not FIF. The decrease of the perikaryonal catecholamine stores is interpreted as a degenerative change leading to impaired function of the neurons. The patterns of AChE did not change with age.The SIF cells were sparse and were mostly observed near the ganglia, forming paraganglia of varying size. Because of the rarity of the SIF cells, the effect of ageing could not be judged reliably.

Electron microscopy of the paracervical (Frankenhäuser) ganglion of the adult rat.

SummaryThe ultrastructure of the paracervical (Frankenhäuser) ganglion in the rat was studied after immersion or perfusion fixation with glutaraldehyde followed by post-osmification. This ganglion is located at the uterovaginal junction in the vicinity of arteria uterina and contains three neuronal cell types. (1) Principal neurons have a fine structure mainly similar to the ganglion cells of other autonomic ganglia. (2) Small granule-containing cells occur in clusters often close to fenestrated capillaries. They are divided into two subgroups according to the size of their cytoplasmic granules; those containing only “small” granulated vesicles of 800 to 1400 Å in diameter and those having also “large” granulated vesicles of 2000 to 3000 Å in diameter. (3) Vacuolated nerve cells are large cells that resemble the principal neurons in their cytoplasmic components, except that they contain one to ten vacuoles with corpuscles of different size and shape. The possible physiological significance of the small, granule-containing cells in the uterine function is discussed.

Ultrastructure of sympathetic ganglion cells and granule-containing cells in the paracervical (Frankenhäuser) ganglion of the newborn rat

SummaryA study was made of the ultrastructure of the paracervical (Frankenhäuser) ganglion of the newborn rat, using immersion fixation by glutaraldehyde (2.5%) followed by OsO4 (1%), or KMnO4 (3%) fixation. The cells containing dense—core vesicles were divided into three groups: (1) primitive sympathetic cells, (2) cells containing some dense-core vesicles 700–1100 Å in size and structurally resembling sympathetic neurons, called principal neurons, and (3) cells containing many dense-core vesicles with a larger, darker dense core, 800–2000 Å in diameter, called granule-containing cells. Using glutaraldehyde-osmium fixation, the principal neurons were further divided into dark and light cells on the basis of electron opacity of the cytoplasmic matrix. The granule-containing cells were believed to correspond to the small, intensely fluorescent cells (SIF-cells) previously described using the formaldehyde-induced fluorescence technique. On the basis of the amount of granules, the granulecontaining cells were classified as mature or maturing SIF-cells and as more primitive SIF-cells, and developing sympathicoblasts. The development of synapses in autonomic ganglia was discussed.

The Postnatal Development of Monoamines and Cholinesterases in the Paracervical Ganglion of the Rat Uterus

Publisher Summary This chapter studies the developmental aspects of interesting ganglion, using the formaldehyde-induced fluorescence method for histochemical demonstration of catecholamines and the copper thiocholine method for localization of cholinesterases. Development of cholinesterase activity in the ganglia has been studied relatively little using histochemical methods. Light microscopy has been used to study this development in the dorsal root ganglion of the chicken and rat and electron microscopy in the dorsal root ganglion of the rabbit and the human fetus. Using electron microscopy, the development of cholinesterase activity has been studied in the neural tube and dorsal root ganglion of the rabbit embryo and human fetus. The enzyme appeared very early in development, just before the onset of morphological differentiation of the neuroblast. On the other hand, most of the electrophysiological work, using stimulation of the parasympathetic nerves has failed to cause action potentials in the uterus. However, some reports have also appeared favoring the parasympathetic nervous system control of the uterine function.

Cell types of human fetal superior cervical ganglion

SummaryThe histochemistry and fine structure of human fetal superior cervical ganglion has been studied in 5 fetuses aged from the 13th to the 15th week.The largest neuroblasts of the ganglia contained catecholamines, as was demonstrated by formaldehyde induced fluorescence. Special attention was given to the dense-cored vesicles in the neuronal cytoplasm. The same large neuroblasts probably also gave a positive reaction to acetylcholine esterase.The cells of the sympathetic ganglia were divided into five groups. The most primitive cells, representative of the neuronal differentiation, were the primitive sympathetic cells. These evidently developed towards the sympathetic neuron via two stages named neuroblast type I and II. In addition to the neuroblastic series of cells, catecholamine storing (or SIF-) cells and satellite cells were described. Synaptic profiles were only occasionally found on the cellular surface of the larger type of neuroblast.

Ultrastructure of pityriasis rubra pilaris with observations during retinoid (etretinate) treatment

The light and electron microscopic structure of pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) is described in five patients. Hyperkeratosis, hypergranulosis, keratotic plugs in the follicular openings, acanthosis and focal parakeratosis were observed. A moderate perivascular infiltrate was seen in the upper dermis. Electron microscopy revealed moderately activated keratinocytes, a decreased number of tonofilaments and desmosomes, enlarged intercellular spaces, parakeratosis with lipid‐like vacuoles and a large number of keratinosomes. Lymphoid cells were present in the epidermis in moderate numbers. At the dermo‐epidermal junction, the basal lamina was focally split, containing gaps.

Small, intensely fluorescent cells of human sympathetic ganglia

Human sympathetic ganglia obtained from sympathectomies were studied using the formaldehyde-induced fluorescence (FIF) method and electron microscopy to identify the small, intensely fluorescent (Sif) cells. Microspectrofluorimetry was used to study the intensity of the emitted FIF and the emission spectra. The SIF cells were found in every ganglion studied, but they were very sparce. They occurred alone or in small clusters and were mostly situated close to the blood vessels. The SIF cells contained high amounts of catecholamines, as indicated by microspectrofluorimetry. Electron microscopy revealed granule-containing cells (GC) enveloped by satellite cells; the former cells contained osmiophilic granules 300--400 nm in diameter and synapses of the cholinergic type were frequently found on their surface.

Hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation of the skin after long term PUVA therapy. Light and electron microscopic observations on three patients.

An electron microscopic study was performed to demonstrate the pathological changes induced by long term PUVA treatment in recalcitrant psoriasis. Three patients developed mottling (hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation) during two to three years of treatment. Three different types of morphological changes were found: disarrangement of keratinocytes, clustering and stimulation of melanocytes and homogenization of papillary dermis. Furthermore, the superficial blood vessels were loaded with the same type of amorphous granular substance. These changes might be specific to PUVA treatment or they might occur only in patients with previous treatment with, e.g., arsenic, methotrexate, anthralin + UVB or a combination of these.

Light and electron microscopic observations on the postnatal development of the rat paracervical (frankenhäuser) ganglion

SummaryThe ultrastructure of the rat paracervical (frankenhäuser) ganglion was studied during postnatal development after immersion or perfusion fixation with the glutaraldehyde, followed by postosmification. Three different neuronal cell types were found in the ganglion: (1) Primitive sympathetic nerve cells. They had a “primitive” structure and contained, in one section, one to two dense cored vesicles (DCV) of 700–1100 Å in diameter. They were not found after the fourth day of postnatal development. (2) Principal neurons grew in size during the whole period of postnatal development. Part of them were already well developed in the ganglia of the newborn rat, and no particular changes in the content of their cytoplasmic organelles occurred thereafter. (3) Small granule-containing (SGC) cells. They usually occurred in small groups, often close to blood capillaries of the fenestrated type and were sometimes devoid of their satellite cell sheath in this region. They became slightly smaller in size as the animal aged. The size of their granulated vesicles (GV) varied mainly between 800–1400 Å in all age groups in most of the cells. In addition, another type of SGC-cell containing larger GV up to 3000 Å in diameter were observed in the ganglia of 32-day old and older rats.Degenerating principal neurons and SGC-cells were encountered, especially in the young animals. Mitotic figures were seen in the SGC-cells up to the 8-day stage.The synapses to the principal neurons were mainly axo-somatic. There were only a few synapses present in the newborn, but their number greatly increased during development. It appeared as if the accumulation of synaptic vesicles preceded or appeared simultaneously with the formation of the pre-and post-synaptic membrane thickenings. Synapses to the SGC-cells were few in all the age groups studied.

Effects of steroid hormones on the differentiation of the catecholamine storing cells of the paracervical ganglion of the rat uterus

SummaryThe effect of hydrocortisone, prednisolone, estrogen, progesterone and testosteron on the differentiation of the paracervical ganglion of the rat uterus was examined by the formaldehyde induced fluorescence (FIF) method. Prednisolone and hydrocortisone treatment caused about a tenfold increase in the number of small, intensively fluorescent (SIF) cells. The SIF-cells were larger and organized in larger groups than in untreated animals. The SIF-cells were also arranged in a satellite cell position around the ganglion cells, which were non-fluorescent or showed a weak to moderate FIF. The amount of solitary SIF-cells was increased. No effects detectable by the FIF-method were found with certainty after administration of estrogen, progesterone or testosterone.The effect of glucocorticoids on the differentiation of autonomic ganglia is discussed. It seems probable that the main part of the developing SIF-cells after glucocorticoid treatment develop from undifferentiated neural cells.