After acupuncture,histamine flares are often found on skin arround acupuncture points in most patients,histamine and other biologically active substances are always present in the local soft tissues.“Meridian phenomena”,such as urticarious skin reaction or red line along the meridian may be shown in a few patients.It is well known that mast cells release histamine and other active mediators.The purpose of this paper is to observe the distribution of mast cells in the connective tissue at points in albino rats and if there is any difference in the distribution pattern of mast cells between adult and new born rats. 52 albino rats,including adult,new born and developing ones were investigated. Points selected on the lower extremities were identified by decreased electric resistance and were marked with indian ink:the electric resistance of skin beside points was detected simultaneously as control.The mast cells in the spread preparations of subcu- taneous connective tissue(fascia)in albino rats were fixed in alcohol-formalin and stained with toluidin blue.Most specimens of fascia were fixed at first and spread on the slides later,while some specimens were spread before fixation.No essential difference between both kinds of specimens was found. In the adult rats,the mast cells in fasciae are distributed not uniformly,they are oval in shape and are usually arranged in rows along the cell length with polarity. Many rows of mast cells are packed to form an elongated zone.Several zones oriented in the direction of the longitudinal axis of lower extremities are found.The mast cells are crowded in the field of marked points along the zone.Besides,it is found that the mast cells along small blood vessels are slender and fusiform in shape. However,in new born rats,mast cells are distributed uniformly and most of them are round in shape.The mast cells are arranged in random way without polarity.In the arrangement of mast cells neither row nor zone is found,and there is no difference in distribution of them everywhere. In the developing rats aged one month or so,the morphology of mast cells is similar to that of the new born,except that they are more numerous at the points. In the adult rats,electric resistance at various points is 260 kilo-ohm,while that of control is more than 500 kilo-ohm.In contrast with the adult,the electric resistance on any part of skin(at point or not)of the new born is equal,more than 500 kilo- ohm,and the electric resistance of points is decreased with development of albino rats in which an apparent decrease may be demonstrated in the rats aged about one month.It seems to be that there are parallel changes with growth of individuals between the morphological character of mast cells in the fasciae and functional property detected by electric resistance at points. It has been considered that the morphology and amount of mast cells may indicate the activity of metabolism of connective tissue.It suggests thence that the metabolism of fasciae at points may be more active and the points may be formed with the developed function in individuals after birth in albino rats.

In order to improve the technique for histochemical demonstration of the different lymphocyte patterns by alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE) activity from a single microscopic slide, 10 kinds of comparative experiments were performed. The results showed as follows. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells first fixed in 0.4% glutaldehyde and postfixed in 15% formol calcium gave the best effect on preserving the enzyme activity and on connterstaning of the leucocyte nuclei. During formol calcium fixation, the erythrocytes were dissolved from the diluted blood film with PBS more easily than from the blood smear without any dilution. The lymphocytes were distributed more uniformly and densely in the former specimen than in the latter. When incubated with 0.5 mg alpha-naphthyl acetate/ml medium in hexoazotized pararosaniline for 1(1/2)～2 hrs at 37℃, the distinct ANAE patterns of circulating lymphocytes were more readily identified.In 28 healthy adults the differential counts of the lymphocyte ANAE patterns from the diluted blood specimen was similar to those found from the specimen of isolated lymphocytes. The focal pattern was about 56%, the diffuse pattern about 25% and the negative pattern about 19%; while the isolated lymphocyte specimen was compared with the diluted blood film from the same individuals, the focal pattern was decreased insignificantly, the diffuse pattern increased and the negative pattern decreased significantly.

The met-enkephalin (MEK), leu-enkephalin (LEK) and ?-endorphin (?-EP) immunoreactivities were detected in the circulating lymphocytes of 64 guinea pigs by PAP immunohistochemical method under the conditions of electroacupuncture, naloxone or exogenous opioid like peptides (OLP). Subsequently the ?-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE)was demonstrated on partial immunostained lymphocyte samples. The results showed that the OLP immunoreactivity with different intensity was found in approximate 96％ of the lymphocytes. There was a positive correlation between the ANAE-focal pattern lymphocytes and MEK-IIRL (intense immunoreactivity lymphocytes)or ?-EP-IIRL; whereas there was no significant correlation between the ANAE-focal pattern lymphocytes and LEK-IIRL. The MEK-IIRL, LEK-IIRL and ?-EP-IIRL were all increased markedly in the guinea pigs which underwent electroacupuncture at "Zusanli" points. There was no significant difference in MEK-IIRL, LEK-IIRL and ?-EP-IIRL, when the acupuncture group, naloxone group and control group were compared with each other. However, the LEK-IIRL, MEK-IIRL and ?-EP-IIRL could be depressed by naloxone, when the lymphocytes were preincubated with 10~(-7)mol/L of MEK, LEK or ?-EP in vitro. Hence, the naloxone group had a significant difference in MEK-IIRL, LEK-IIRL or ?-EP-IIRL when compared with the acupuncture group. A high peak of the lymphocyte MEK-IR among the range of 10~(-10)—10~(-8)mol/L of MEK preincubation in the acupuncture group when compared with the control group. It suggests that electroacupuncture may enhance activity of the unbound MEK receptor.

The cholinesterase(ChE)and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)activities in blood smears of 37 patients were observed before and 20 minutes after electroacupuncture.Hegu and Zusanli were mainly chosen as the acupuncture points.Karnovsky method was used to demonstrate ChE,activity,and tetrazolium-formazan reaction for LDH activity. Before acupuncture,all formed elements of blood showed both ChE and LDH acti- vities.In red blood cells ChE and LDH activities were localized at the cell membrane, while in white blood cells they were found throughout the cytoplasm as colored granu- les.The granulocytes showed greater ChE and lesser LDH activities than the lymph- ocytes.The platelets also showed greater LDH and ChE activities,especially the former. On the whole,platelets and leucocytes,as compared with erythrocytes,showed greater activities for ChE and LDH. Under microscopic observation,according to the amount and color of granules,the degrees of GhE and LDH activities for each kind of blood formed elements before and after acupuncture were recorded as different markes,such as +、++、+++ and so on.The degrees of GhE or LDH activity in various formed elements of blood were compared by means of statistical tests.After acupuncture,both GhE and LDH activities of all blood formed elements were increased(p

70 patients including 60 cases under acupuncture anesthesia and 10 cases under drug anesthesia were observed. Before and 20 minutes after acupuncture the blood samples were taken from the patient ear lobes respectively, and in some patients taken once again 24 hrs after acupuncture. The electroacupuncture point Hegu or Zusanli was mainly adopted. As the method for detection of cell-mediated immunity(CMI) in vitro the improved microtechnique of whole blood for E-rosette (active and nonactive) and lymphocyte transformation tests was used. In performance of active rosetting the total leucocyte count and the differential lymphocyte count were done for calculation of absolute number of active rosette forming cells (RFC). The mean value of increase of active RFC was 12.7?1.43, the decrease was 6.8?1.77 after acupuncture. The increment of the absolute number of active RFC was 175?63.59. However no marked effect on the drug anesthesia group was found. In the lymphocyte transformation assay the increase was 12.7?1.49, the decrease was 7.0?2.19, and the enhancement effect still exhibited 24 hrs after acupuncture. In these tests an increase was mostly found in those with a lower or a usual CMI level; a decrease often found in those with a higher CMI level prior to acupuncture. The increase or decrease level in the results of three kinds of test (active, nonactive RFC and lymphocyte transformation) was similar, the increase range was 12～13%, the decrease range 6～7%. As the former compared with the latter, the promotion was prominent by all means.