Mitsuaki Yoshizuka

An anatomic study of the extensor tendons of the human hand

A total of 548 upper limbs (276 right and 272 left hands) from Japanese cadavers were dissected. The arrangements of extensor indicis proprius, extensor digitorum communis (EDC), and extensor digiti minimi tendons and the intertendinous connections were studied. The most common pattern of extensor tendons was as follows: the index finger had a single EDC tendon, the middle finger had a single EDC tendon, the ring finger had a single EDC tendon, and the small finger had a single EDC tendon or a single common EDC tendon distributed to the ring and small finger. A single extensor indicis proprius tendon ran along the ulnar side of the EDC, and the extensor digiti minimi tendon consisted of 2 slips. Intertendinous connections were classified into 3 types: type 1 with a filamentous band, type 2 with a fibrous band, and type 3 with a tendinous band subdivided to r-shaped and y-shaped. The most common patterns were type 1 in the second intermetacarpal space (IMCS), type 3r in the third IMCS, and type 3y in the fourth IMCS.

Chronological study of the appearance of adenohypophysial cells in the ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis).

We previously reported the chronological appearance of adenohypophysial cells in freshwater teleosts using an immunocytochemical technique. The present study investigated the chronological appearance of adenohypophysial cells in the ayu, which is spawned and has its early development in brackish water, and the results were compared with those obtained in freshwater and seawater teleosts, as well as in other vertebrates. In the adult teleostean adenohypophysis, seven or eight types of secretory cells have been distinguished, each of which produce different hormones: prolactin (PRL), growth hormone (GH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), gonadotropic hormones (GTH I and GTH II), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), melanophore stimulating hormone (MSH) and somatolactin (SL). In the pituitary of adult ayu, seven distinct types of glandular cells (PRL, GH, TSH, GTH, ACTH, MSH and SL cells) were identified. Chronologically, a few immunoreactive (ir)-PRL and ir-GH cells appeared in the ventral side of the pituitary one day before hatching. Then, just after hatching, ir-GTH cells were observed in the central to dorsal portion; ir-ACTH cells were found distributed in the anterior portion and some ir-MSH and a few ir-SL cells were seen in the posterior portion of the pituitary. Finally, a small number of ir-TSH cells were identified 50 days after hatching. These results differed from those obtained in other fishes previously reported with regard to the times of appearance of the PRL and GH cells. PRL cells appeared first, followed by GH cells in the freshwater teleosts, PRL and GH cells appeared at the same time in the brackishwater teleosts, while GH cells appeared first and PRL cells appeared last in the seawater teleosts. These results reflect the fact that PRL plays a major role in osmoregulation among freshwater teleosts, as compared with GH, which plays a similar role in seawater teleosts. It seems that both PRL and GH may play important roles in osmoregulation in brackishwater fish.

Cadmium toxicity in the thyroid gland of pregnant rats

The toxic effects of cadmium on the thyroid gland of pregnant rats were studied with an electron microscope and an X-ray microanalyzer. Serum levels of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) were also analyzed. Deterioration of the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum occurred in the thyroid follicular epithelium on the fifth day of cadmium treatment. Large intracellular vacuoles, which arose from dilated cisternae of the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum, were fused together, and marked swelling of the mitochondria was also noted. Thyroglobulin-secreting granules at the apical cytoplasm were decreased in number. By energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, cadmium peaks were preferentially obtained from swollen mitochondria in the follicular epithelial cells. Serum levels of T3 and T4 were significantly decreased in cadmium-treated rats dams when compared to those of controls. In the present experiment, cycloheximide also caused degenerative changes in the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum and the disappearance of thyroglobulin-secreting granules. Cycloheximide is a known inhibitor of protein synthesis on cytosolic ribosomes. These results indicated that accumulated cadmium in the mitochondria of thyroid follicular epithelial cells might disturb the oxidative phosphorylation of this organelle and the loss of energy supply possibly caused the inhibition of the synthesis and release of thyroid hormones.

A rare case of absence of the celiac trunk: the left gastric, the splenic, the common hepatic and the superior mesenteric arteries arising independently from the abdominal aorta

This report describes a rare case of absence of the celiac trunk, which was encountered in a Japanese female cadaver in the dissecting room at Kurume University School of Medicine in 1993. In this case, the left gastric, the splenic, the common hepatic and the superior mesenteric arteries arose independently in that order from the abdominal aorta. In addition, the left aberrant hepatic artery arose from the left gastric artery. This anomalous case belongs to type 5 (Typus primitivus) of Moritas classification (1935), and is the fifth case of this kind of vascular variation to be reported in Japan.

Studies on the hepatotoxicity induced by bis (tributyltin) oxide

The toxic effects of bis (tributyltin) oxide (TBTO) on the rat liver were studied with an electron microscope and the accumulation sites of tin were determined with an X-ray microanalyzer. The activities of serum enzymes and the concentration of serum bilirubin were also analyzed. Male Wistar rats received an intramuscular injection of 0.5 ml/kg of TBTO. Marked swelling of the mitochondria appeared in the hepatocytes 4 h after injection of TBTO. Cytoplasmic vacuoles, which contained degenerated mitochondria, gradually increased in number in these hepatocytes. This in turn may have caused a decrease in the volume of hepatic cell cords and an enlargement of sinusoids in the entire hepatic lobule. However, fine structures of intrahepatic bile ducts were not altered. By X-ray microanalysis, tin peaks were preferentially obtained from swollen mitochondria of the hepatocytes. By polarographic analysis of the respiratory responses of mitochondria, it was demonstrated that rates of state 4 respiration and respiratory control ratio were significantly disturbed in TBTO-treated rats in comparison with those of controls. The activities of AST (aspartate aminotransferase) and ALT (alanine aminotransferase) were significantly increased after TBTO treatment, but those of ALP (alkaline phosphatase), LAP (leucine aminopeptidase) and total bilirubin were not changed. These results indicated that parenterally administered TBTO accumulated in the liver cell mitochondria and disturbed oxidative phosphorylation. Mitochondrial dysfunction might induce severe damage of the hepatocytes. Four days after injection of TBTO, hepatic structures and chemical indices were almost restored by the regeneration of hepatocytes.

Increase in number of Weibel-Palade bodies and endothelin-1 release from endothelial cells in the cadmium-treated rat thoracic aorta.

Male rats received daily intraperitoneal injections of cadmium sulphate (2.0 mg/kg) for 3 (Cd-3 group), 6 (Cd-6 group) and 8 days (Cd-8 group). The blood samples were prepared for endothelin (ET)-1 assay, and the thoracic aorta was investigated by both electron microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy using anti ET-1 sera. The plasma ET-1 concentrations of both Cd-6 and Cd-8 groups increased significantly in a cumulative dose-dependent manner. The cadmium-treated rat aorta showed an increase in the number of Weibel-Palade (WP) bodies in endothelial cells, and degranulation and exocytosis of WP bodies occurred exclusively in the Cd-8 group. Immunoreaction for ET-1 was localized preferentially in WP bodies of both cadmium-treated and control groups, and in the rough endoplasmic reticulum of the cadmium-treated groups only. Reactivity was also found on the WP bodies undergoing exocytosis in the Cd-8 group. Cadmium intoxication induces an increase in number of ET-1-storing WP bodies in the rat aorta endothelium. The enhancement of extracellular release of their contents by exocytosis results in elevation of the plasma ET-1 concentration.

Endothelial specific granules in the umbilical veins of the postnatal rabbit

SummaryA remarkable increase in number of endothelial specific granules was observed in the rabbit umbilical veins between 2 and 5 days after birth. Electron microscopy indicated that the granules were segregated in the Golgi complex of the endothelial cells and released into the vascular lumen during the postnatal obliteration stage of this vessel.Incubation of the postnatal vessels in Ringer solution containing a histamine releasing compound induced remarkable morphological alterations of these cytoplasmic components; a reduction of their osmiophilia, swelling with a widened space separating the granular matrix from the limiting membrane, fusion to each other and expulsion of their contents into the vascular lumen, as in mast cell degranulation by this drug, were noted.High-performance liquid chromatography of the homogenized vessels demonstrated appreciable concentrations of histamine in the postnatal samples. There was a correlation between the histamine concentration and the quantity of granules in the respective postnatal samples.The present study strongly suggests that the granules are reservoirs of histamine and have an important role in the obliteration of this vessel.

Histochemical and Immunological Analyses of Differentiating Skeletal Muscle Fibers of the Postnatal Rat

Fiber type differentiation as revealed by myosin ATPase activities and the immunological analysis of myosin light chains (MLC) by the Western blotting method were done on the postnatal rat soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles. In the soleus, type 1 (slow-twitch) muscle fibers gradually increase in percentage after postnatal day 10, and, in the EDL, the differentiation of type 2A and 2B (fast-twitch) muscle fibers is also pronounced between postnatal days 10 and 15. The present immunological analysis of MLC indicates that the antigenicity of Lc1S becomes more intense with a rapid decrease in antigenicity of Lc2F from postnatal day 7 in the soleus, while the antigenicity of Lc1F becomes noticeable during the same period in the EDL. These results suggest that the differentiation of slow-twitch fibers is mainly due to that of Lc1S in the soleus and the differentiation of fast-twitch fibers is mainly due to that of Lc1F in the EDL.

Corneal edema induced by bis (tributyltin) oxide

Comeal edema induced by bis (tributyltin) oxide (TBTO) was studied with an electron microscope and the accumulation sites of tin were determined with an X-ray microanalyzer. Male Wistar rats received an intramuscular injection of 0.5 ml/kg TBTO. After time intervals of 2,4, 6, 8, 10, 12 h after injection, corneas were isolated and provided for electron microscopy. Corneas from untreated rats served as controls. Marked swelling of mitochondria in the corneal endothelial cells occurred at 4 h after TBTO injection. The corneal edema appeared in the endothelial layer and the stroma at 6 h after injection. By X-ray microanalysis, Sn peaks were obtained from swollen mitochondria in the endothelial cells. At 12 h after TBTO injection, edematous swelling of the corneal tissue became more advanced. These results indicated that parenterally administered TBTO accumulated in the mitochondria of corneal endothelial cells. The direct toxic effects of TBTO on the mitochondria might cause the interference with active pump function of endothelial cells and induced the corneal edema.

Cadmium toxicity in perinatal rat hepatocytes: Electron microscopy, X-ray microanalysis, and morphometric analysis

Effects of cadmium on the fetal and postnatal rat hepatocytes were studied with an electron microscope and an X-ray microanalyzer. Pregnant and lactating Wistar rat dams at 15 and 21 days of pregnancy and at 3 days after delivery received intraperitoneal injections of cadmium sulfate (1 mg/kg body weight) for 3 days. On the day following the last injection, the livers were isolated from the fetal and suckling rats and provided for electron microscopy. The livers from the untreated fetal and newborn rats served as control. Large bile canaliculi, which were formed by five or more hepatocytes, were frequently observed in the cadmium-treated perinatal rat livers. The intercellular space between each adjacent hepatocyte was widened. By X-ray microanalysis, cadmium peaks were preferentially detected out from intramitochondrial granules of the cadmium-treated hepatocytes. By morphometric analysis, the increase both in the mitochondria volume and in the number of intramitochondrial granules was evident in the cadmium-treated hepatocytes when compared to those of control. These data suggest the preferential accumulation of cadmium in mitochondria of the hepatocytes interferes with the morphogenesis of the perinatal rat liver.