OBJECTIVETo study leaf ultrastructure in varieties of Chrysanthemum morifolium.

METHODThe ultrastructure of leaves was observed through the transmission electron microscope.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONChloroplast, mitochondria, starch grains and peroxide were observed in the ultrastructure of leaves, but the organelle, ultrastructure and their quantity showed differences in various cultivars. The results may explain, why hangju'has a better resistance to the adversity and is planted in large scale.

Chloroplasts ; ultrastructure ; Chrysanthemum ; ultrastructure ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Plant Leaves ; ultrastructure

Cerebellar Neoplasms ; ultrastructure ; Humans ; Medulloblastoma ; ultrastructure

Cell reactions to metastatic tumors in the regional lymph nodes were studied by light and electron microscope in 20 cases; i.e. reactive hyperplasia (3), tuberculosis (3), metastatic carcinomas from the breast (4), from the stomach (2), from the lung (2), metastatic epidermoid carcinoma (2), metastatic malanoma (2), and reticulum cell sarcoma (2). The lymph node response was usually germinal center predominence type and the pyroninophilic cell response was a similar pattern of nonspecific germinal centers with prominent reactive hyperplasia. In two cases of undifferentiated tumors, one from the breast and another from the lung, large numbers of pyroninophilic cells were found within the tumor tissue. However, the majority of lymphoid cells surrounding tumor cell or tumor masses were pyronin negative lymphocytes. Electron microscopic observations revealed that the cells surrounding tumor cells were mostly medium sized lymphocytes, occasionally blast cells and mature plasma cells. The contact border between the tumor cells and the surrounding cells was mostly tight and smooth, but occasionally loose with irregular processes, and widely separated in the case with plasma cells. Degenerative changes of adjacent cytoplasm of either the tumor cells or the lymphocytes were not frequent, but in some instances focal degeneration of adjacent cytoplasm, particularly on the side of the lymphocytes, was noted.
Human ; Lymph Nodes/ultrastructure* ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Lymphocytes/ultrastructure ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasms/ultrastructure* ; Plasma Cells/ultrastructure

The ultrastructural changes of mitochondria in the ovarian oocytes from Graafian follicles, the ovulated tubal ova, and the various stages of preimplantation rabbit embryos have been observed with an electron microscope. From the ovarian oocytes to the 4-cell stage, mitochondria showed oval and round forms with a few cristae arranged concentrically and peripherally at the inner membrane. In 8-cell and 16-cell stages, mitochondria tended to change their forms to be elongated, and their sizes, and the outer membrane of the mitochondria had a tendency to become rough and irregular although there were few changes in the inner structure. In morula, some mitochondria began to show several transverse cristae proceeding into the matrix. Mitochondria rapidly increased in number at the late blastocyst stage. Matrix of mitochondria with transverse cristae found in the morula and in blastocyst stages was less dense than that of the earlier stages. The authors believe that the morphological changes of mitochondria during early embryonal development indicate the level of enzymatic activity at which this organelle is engaged in energy metabolism.
Animal ; Cell Membrane/ultrastructure ; Embryo/ultrastructure* ; Embryo Implantation ; Female ; Microscopy, Electron ; Mitochondria/ultrastructure* ; Organoids/ultrastructure ; Ovum/ultrastructure ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo study the morphology and functional character of blood-spleen barrier (BSB) and establish the concept of BSB.

METHODSThirty healthy Wistar rats were studied. Ten rats were injected with 1.5 ml mixed fluid of India ink and physiological saline through the tail vein. Histological changes of the spleen in all animals were observed with light and electron microscopy, including HE, Foot, Masson staining and immunohistochemistry of CD68 and CD34.

RESULTSMost of the carbon particles were within the splenic sinuses in marginal zone but not in the white pulp after 6 h. There was a characteristic distribution of the macrophagocytes, vessel endothelial cell, reticular tissue and collagen fiber in the BSB.

CONCLUSIONSBSB, surrounding the white pulp, is composed of macrophagocytes, marginal-sinus-endothelial cells and their basement membrane, the reticular tissue (reticular cells and reticular fibers) and collagen fibers. The role of BSB is to keep the microenvironment of white pulp stable. It becomes mature while the formation of germinal center of the white pulp. The permeability of BSB changes during its development.

Animals ; Basement Membrane ; ultrastructure ; Endothelial Cells ; ultrastructure ; Female ; Macrophages ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reticulocytes ; ultrastructure ; Spleen ; blood supply ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVEIt is well known that glioma stem cells-progenitors (GSCP) proliferate indefinitely and hardly differentiate in vitro, however, the reasons remain unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the ultrastructural basis of GSCP.

METHODSGSCP, kept by our laboratory, were collected, embedded, and cut into ultrathin sections and observed under the transmission electron microscope.

RESULTSA single GSCP usually had relatively well developed mitochondria, Golgi apparatuses, ribosomes, and undeveloped rough endoplasmic reticulum, but seldom lysosomes and no typical autophagosomes were found, and the nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio was high. The nuclei frequently contained huge amounts of euchromatin and a small quantity of heterochromatin, and in most nuclei there were only one nucleolus, however, two or more nucleoli were also common. Typical apoptotic cells could hardly be found in tumor-spheres, and between neighboring cells in tumor-spheres there were incompletely developed desmosomes or intermediate junction.

CONCLUSIONThe ultrastructural features of glioma stem cells-progenitors showed that BTSCP were very primitive and the lack of autophagy and the underdevelopment of some other cellular organelles are probably the reasons for the differential inhibition of GSCPs.

Brain Neoplasms ; ultrastructure ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Membrane ; ultrastructure ; Cell Nucleus ; ultrastructure ; Chromatin ; ultrastructure ; Cytoplasm ; ultrastructure ; Glioma ; ultrastructure ; Humans ; Intercellular Junctions ; ultrastructure ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Mitochondria ; ultrastructure ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVECharacters of stem epidermis, leaf epidermis and stoma could be used as important microcosmic morphological characteristic when inheritance trend is studied in Ephedra breeding and identification.

METHODThe stomatic density, stoma major axis and mimor axis, stomatic morphylogy, characters of leaf and stem epidermis of 6 Ephedra plants' stems were examined by SEM.

RESULTThe stomatic density and characteristic of leaf epidermis and stem epidermis in six Ephedra species was differenc, there were no obvious morphological differences in stoma shape and size. The guard cells were covered with heavy cuticle and sunken stomata, which were the typical characteristics of xerophytes. The stomas of leaf lower epidermis were oblong or hexagon, but the stomas of steam epidermis were narrowed-oblong or dumbbell-shape, they all belonged to anomalous type.

CONCLUSIONThe stoma type and characters of Ephedra plants is stable and conservative, there was no obvious morphological differences in stoma shape and size between species, so it is difficult to distinguish different species by the variance of stomas, but that can be applyed to distinguish Ephedra from others at plant taxonomy.

Ephedra ; classification ; ultrastructure ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Plant Epidermis ; ultrastructure ; Plant Leaves ; ultrastructure ; Plant Stems ; ultrastructure ; Plant Stomata ; ultrastructure ; Plants, Medicinal ; ultrastructure ; Species Specificity

OBJECTIVETo observe the surface ultrastructure of different tumor cells in vivo using atomic force microscope (AFM) and analyze their common characteristics.

METHODSWe selected 60 specimens of each of normal liver cells, liver cancer, cervical squamous cells, cervical cancer cells, ductal epithelial cells and breast cancer cells for scanning using AFM. The cell surface scan images were analyzed using image analysis software to identify their common morphological features.

RESULTSFrom normal cervical squamous epithelial cells, intermediate cells, and basal cells to HPV-infected cells, CIN2-3 cells and cervical cancer cells, the membrane surface roughness became gradually increased (P<0.05). Similarly, the surface roughness increased significantly in the order of normal liver cells, hepatitis B cirrhosis liver cells, and hepatocellular carcinoma cells (P<0.05). The average surface roughness also tended to increase from normal mammary gland cells to mammary gland hyperplasia cells and breast cancer cells (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONNormal cells and tumor cells show different cell membrane morphologies, and such morphological features provide a reliable basis for clinical pathological diagnosis and differential diagnosis of malignancies.

Breast Neoplasms ; ultrastructure ; Epithelial Cells ; ultrastructure ; Female ; Hepatocytes ; ultrastructure ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Liver Neoplasms ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; ultrastructure ; Microscopy, Atomic Force ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes of cell gap junction ultrastructure of gastric epithelial cells in patients with gastric cancer(GC) and precancerous lesion(PL),and to investigate the relation between these changes and H.pylori infection. METHODS: Seventy patients with GC, 88 with PL, and 33 with chronic superfial gastritis (CSG) were studied. H.pylori was detected by rapid urease test,basic fuchsin stain and 14C-urea breath test. The CagA gene of H.pylori was determined by polymerase chain reaction(PCR).The cell gap junction ultrastructure was observed under transmission electronic microscope. RESULTS: Length of junction/unit perimeter of gastric epithelial cells in patients with PL was smaller than that in CSG patients, and the smallest width of the intercellular space was bigger than that in CSG patients. The number of cell junction, the number of junction/unit perimeter, and the length of junction/unit perimeter in patients with GC were all smaller than those in patients with CSG or PL, and its smallest width of the intercellular space was bigger than that in patients with CSG. In patients with GC, the number of cell junction, the number of junction/unit perimeter and the length of junction/unit perimeter in CagA+ H.pylori group were smaller than those in CagA(-) H.pylori group, and its smallest width of the intercellular space was bigger than that in CagA(-) H.pylori group. In PL patients, the intercellular space decreased, and the length of cell junction of gastric epithelial cells became bigger after H.pylori eradication. The length of junction/unit perimeter in patients of H.pylori eradication was bigger than that in patients without eradication, and the smallest width of the intercellular space was smaller than that in patients without eradication. CONCLUSION The changes of cell gap junction of gastric epithelial cells in patients with GC and PL are associated with H.pylori infection especially CagA+ H.pylori infection. Eradication of H.pylori can promote the formation of cell junction.
Adenocarcinoma ; microbiology ; ultrastructure ; Epithelial Cells ; ultrastructure ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; ultrastructure ; Helicobacter Infections ; pathology ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Intercellular Junctions ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Precancerous Conditions ; microbiology ; ultrastructure ; Stomach Neoplasms ; microbiology ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVETo explore the possible relationship between the ultrastructural characteristics of pulmonary veins and the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation originating from pulmonary veins.

METHODSThe pulmonary veins from domestic pigs were serially sectioned (2 mm) transversely along the vessels. The odd number sections were fixed in 10% phosphate buffered formalin solution and the even number sections were fixed in 3% Glutaral for further electron microscopy observations.

RESULTSTwo cell types were found in the pulmonary veins of pigs. One cell type was the P-like cells that had an empty-appearing cytoplasm containing only sparse myofibrils and small mitochondria, both of which were randomly distributed. Another cell type was slender transitional cells with plenty of longitudinally displayed myofibrils.

CONCLUSIONP-like cells in the pig pulmonary veins were found using electron microscopy in this study and ectopic beats from P-like cells in the myocardial sleeves in the pulmonary veins might be responsible for atrial fibrillation originating from pulmonary veins.

Animals ; Microscopy, Electron ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; ultrastructure ; Pulmonary Veins ; ultrastructure ; Swine