An ultrastructural study was carried out on the muscular coat of human intestine. Special muscle layer(SML), which consisted of 1-6 rows of special muscle cells with the characteristics of smaller volume and more electron density than those of (.he muscle cells of the main component of the circular muscle layer (MCM), was found at the innermost (the mucosal side) of MCM. A space was usually found between the SML and MCM. Numerous nerve fibers were distributed within the connective tissue of the space. The density of nerve distribution and the frequency of varicosities in SML were the highest in the muscular coat of the intestine. A close contact between the axons and the muscle cells was usually found. The density of nerve distribution in MCM was the second and the longitudinal muscle (LM) was poorly innervated. Most commonly the axon was separated from the muscle by a gap over 100 nm in width in MCM and LM. Intermediate junction was present in SML, MCM, and LM, while gap junction could only be observed in MCM, Interstitial cells were seen in the connective tissue septa, and their processes were often in close contact with the muscle cells and axons. In the cytoplasm of the interstitial cells of SML, myofilament-like structure was sometimes found.The ultrastructural features of the muscular coat of human intestine were compared with those found in laboratory animals and the physiological significance of these features was discussed.

This paper is to report the autonomic innervation of the gall bladder and extrahepatic bile ducts studied on whole mount stretch preparations and cryostat sections with acetylcholinesterase staining, glyoxylic acid induced fluorescence histochemical method, and PAP immunohistochemical method.The autonomic nerves of the gall bladder and extrahepatic bile dudts in cats consist of two plexuses, composed of cholinergic, adrenergic and peptidergic nerves, and situated in the subserosa and submucosa respectively. They are known as subserosal and submucosal ganglionated plexuses. They distribute in the region from the fundus of the bladder, to the neck and the cystic duct, through the common bile duct downward, finally to the duodenal papilla.The adrenergic nerves mainly run along the, blood vessels, distributing in the serosa and lamina propria of the mucosa of the bladder, and participating in the formation of the subepithelial and perivasctilar plexuses. The adrenergic nerves are most densely distributed in the cystic duct and mosl sparsely in the fundus. This finding is in good agreement with the tissue concentration of noradrenaline(NA) determined with biochemical asssay, which is also the highest in the tissue of the cystic duct. The difference of NA concentration between the cystic duct tissue and other biliary tissues was statistically Gignificant(P0.05).Immunohistochemical study revealed that there are 4 kinds of immunoactivc peptidergic nerves, i. e. nerves with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), substance P(SP), L-enkephalin (L-ENK), and somatostatin (SOM) respectively. The 4 kinds of nerves distribute extensively in all the tissue layers of the ex-trahepatic biliary tract and participate in the formation of all the nerve plexuses. Among them, VIP nerves are the richest, then the SP and L-ENK nerves, and the SOM nerves the sparsest. In general, peptidergic nerves are densely distributed in the sphincter of Oddi.Finally the physiological significance of the peptidergic nerves was discussed.

The rats were exposed to 20Gy of X-ray one time systemically to imitate the model of AIRS. By using immunocytochemistry, immunoelectromicroscopy and microspectrophotometry (MSP) technique , the changes of rat thyroid gland C cells in AIRS were investigated. The results show that, the changes of C cells could be divided into two phases. In the first phase (the first 24 h after irradiation) , no obvious morphological change could be observed, whereas the concentration of serum calcium (CSC) dropped remarkably. It seems that the synthesis and secretion of calcilonin (CT) within C cells might increase during this period. The second phase is from 24th h to 72th h after irradiation, the TA (total absorbance) measured by MSP reduced. and the ultrastructural pictures showed progressive destructive changes. All these findings suggest that: The C cells of rat thyroid gland, as a kind of APUD system cell, is no doubt involved in the AIRS pathological changes. The possible pathogenic mechanism was briefly discussed.

changes of galanin in the small intestines of the rats which were inflicted with acute intestinal radiation sickness (AIRS) by exposing to 20 Gy gamma rays were studied with immunocytochemistry (ICC) , HE staining of tissue sections, and microspectrophotometer. It was found that the damage of intestinal mucosa was being intensified as AIRS progressed; there no marked change of GAL-LI neurons but the arrangement of GAL-LI fibers was disordered in the irradiated rats as compared with those of the control; the galanin content of the small intestines was significantly tower in the irradiated rats than in the control especially in the 48th and 72nd hour after irradiation (P

Objective\ To exam the expression and the distribution of the aromatase mRNA in the brain of the mouse. Methods\ RNA dot\|blotting as well as in situ hybridization technique were used. Results\ (1)There were aromatase specific mRNA expression in the brain tissue during the period from E16 to P300,the highest levels of mRNA were detected at postnatal 6 days,and the lowest levels were found at adulthood.(2)The location of the aromatase mRNA was confined to neuronal(but not glial)cell bodies and their processes.(3)The mainly distribution of aromatase mRNA was detected in the regions of the cerebral cortex,thalamus,hypothalamus and limbic system.Many heavily labeled cells were found in the layer of pyramidal cells of cerebral cortex,medial preoptic area.medial septal nucleus,pyramidal layer of hippocampus,amygdaloid nuclei.cingulate cortex,piriform cortex and periamygdaloid cortex.The moderately dense signal was present in several thalamic and hypothalamic nuclei such as ventromedial nucleus,ventrolateral nucleus,laterodorsal thalamic nucleus,paraventricular nucleus,etc. Conclusion\ There was relationship between the gene expression of aromatase with the development of brain,there was good agreement between the distribution of aromatase mRNA and aromatase activity as previously reported.The high levels of aromatase mRNA in the region of hippocampus and cerebral cortex suggested that aromatase may implicate for sex dimorphism in cognition as well as learning and memory.\;

Objective Studies have shown that estrogen plays profound roles on nerve system,but the mechanism is now poorly understood.In order to address this question,the distribution of the newly cloned estrogen receptor ?(ER\|?) immunoreactivity(ER\|?\|ir) was examined in the brain of adult female rats. Methods Using nickel ammonium sulfate intensified immunohistochemistry technique. Results 1.ER\|?\|ir was mainly localized in the nuclei of neurons,it was also found in the perikaryon and neuritis;while in very few neurons,positive signals were only detected in the perikaryon and neuritis;2.High level of ER\|?\|ir positive signals were detected in the anterior olfactory nucleus,cerebral cortex,Purkinje cells,vertical limb of the diagonal band,superior vestibular nucleus,endopiriform nucleus,lateral amygdaloid nucleus,red nucleus and loci ceruleus;moderate level of ER\|?\|ir was detected in the medial septal nucleus,posterior cortical nucleus of the amygdaloid,CA3 and CA4 of the hippocampus,dentate gyrus,bed nucleus of the stria terminalis,supraoptic nucleus;weak signals were detected in the nuclei of hypothalamus,oculomotor nucleus,claustrum and some nuclei of the amygdaloid complex.Conclusion\ ER\|? immunoreactive neurons are extensively distributed in the brain of the adult female rats;this receptor may be involved in different brain function in different brain nuclei. \;[

Objective To observe the regulatory mechanism of substance P on the tension of human umbilical vein and the calcium ion of endothelial cells. Methods The tension was recorded by conventional physiological recording methods,and confocal laser scanning microscopy and patch\|clamp technique were used to observe the concentration of intracytosolic free calcium ion and the opening probability of membrane calcium ion channel of cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Results Substance P induced the endothelial\|dependent relaxing of human umbilical vein and the increasing of the concentration of intracytosolic free calcium ion and of the opening probability of calcium ion channel in the cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells.Conclusion\ Substance P could be function as the activator of the releasing of the intracellular stored calcium ion,and the inflowing of calcium ion from the outside cell bodies to relax human umbilical vein.

Objective To explore the gene expression of aromatase and estrogen receptor (ER-?) in malignant glioma cell line SHG-44. Methods Cell culture, immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization and RT-PCR techniques were used. Results Aromatase and estrogen receptor gene expressions were detected in SHG-44 cells.The aromatase gene in these cells was expressed by means of the multi promoters (1^3, 1^4 and P Ⅱ).Conclusion It may provide some new data for the hormone regulation in carcinoma of nerve system.

The morphologc observation of immunoreactive structures and the quantitative analysis of VIP, SP, L-ENK and SOM in the small intestine of the control and the irradiated rats were studied by using the methods of immunocytochemistry (ICC) and radioimmunoassay (RIA). Meanwhile, histopathologic study was carried out by light and electron microscope (LM, EM). The results and findings are as follows.. (1) Viewed on LM, no obvious change of the enteric ganglia was found in the small intestine of the irradiated rats; while under EM, the axons and synaptic vesicles showing swelling and vacuolar degeneration was observed. These stuctures have close relation to the transport and release of the neurotransmitter. (2) The normal morphology and the distribution of the immunoreactive nerves and endocrine cells of VIP, SP, L-ENK and SOM were revealed in the intestine of rats by ICC method. Four kinds of immunoreactive peptidergic nerves were confirmed as an important part of the enteric nervous system. No obvious change was found on the structure of the peptidergrc nerves after 2000 rad r-irradiation. The radiosensitivity of the peptide-containing endocrine cells was similar to that of the intestinal epithelium. (3) We first confirmed with RIA that the level of the 4 regulatory peptides remarkably changed in the small intestine of the irradiated rats. Combining the physiologic founctions and the trends of the 4 regulatory peptides, as well as the pathologic characteristics and process after r-irradiation, it is proposed that the 4 kinds of peptide may be involved in the pathologic process of the mucosa damage and the disturbance of intestinal motility etc. in the intestinal radiation sickness of rats.

By using immunocytochemistry (the whole mount stretch preparations and cryostat sections) and radioimmunoassay, the characteristics of distribution, origins and properties of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were studied. The results show that all layers of small intestine were rich in CGRP-immu-noreactive(CGRP-I)nerves with a high density in myenteric, submucosal and mucosal plexuses. Also it had a rather high density around the small blood vessels of the small intestine and intestinal crypts. Some CGRP-I neurons were seen in the myenteric and submucosal plexuses which were the intrinsic origin of CGRP-I nerves of small intestine. And the denervation and injection of capsaicin demonstrated that the extrinsic CGRP-I nerves of small intestine with mainly sensory origin also existed. The characteristics of distribution of CGRP-I nerves in small intestine indicated that the CGRP-I nerves might be related with the regulation of motion, secretion, absorption, sensation and regional blood flow of the gastrointestinal tract.