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

Leigh's disease is a rare progressive neurological disorder that is characterized light microscopically by focal spongy necrosis in the brain and electron microscopically by mitochondriopathy. We report an autopsy case of Leigh's disease that showed abnormalities in the liver, kidney and skeletal muscle as well as the central nervous system. The patient was an 18-month-old girl who has carried a diagnosis of cerebral palsy ever since her birth to a 20-year-old mother. The baby was generally hypertonic and mentally retarded. She died of severe metabolic acidosis. Postmortem examination showed growth retardation, fatty liver, fatty kidney and soft brain. Brain section showed multifocal softenings in the brainstem, basal ganglia and periventricular areas. Microscopically increased capillaries with endothelial proliferation, vacuolar degeneration and mild gliosis were seen in the brain. The axons were relatively preserved. Liver and kidneys showed microvesicular fatty change. Myofiber degeneration of the skeletal muscle was also noted. Electron microscopic examination showed markedly increased mitochondria in the parenchymal cells of the brain, liver and kidney. The mitochondria showed round to ovoid ballooned appearance including electron-dense core-like structures and pseudoinclusions of glycogen granules.
Brain/pathology/ultrastructure ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Kidney/pathology/ultrastructure ; Leigh Disease/*pathology ; Liver/pathology/ultrastructure ; Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathies/pathology ; Muscles/pathology

Meningioangiomatosis is a rare benign hamartomatous lesion. We describe a case of meningioangiomatosis in an 18-year-old boy with a 15 year history of seizures. Computed tomography reveals an irregular calcification density along the right temporal gyrus. Microscopically, irregularly branched blood vessels, surrounded by a concentric arrangement of proliferating spindle cells, are extending into the gray matter from the meningeal surface. Ultrastructural and immunohistochemical examination failed to demonstrate features of meningothelial cell origin in this case. This is the first case of meningioangiomatosis published in Korea along with immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies. The pathogenesis and previous reports of this lesion will be discussed.
Adolescent ; Brain Neoplasms/*pathology/radiography/ultrastructure ; Hemangioma/*pathology/radiography/ultrastructure ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of exogenous nucleic acid on physical functions, morphology of hepatic cells and brain neurons in aged rats.

METHODSThirty two aged Wistar rats (20 month-old) were divided randomly into four groups (one aged control group and three aged experimental groups) and eight young rats (3 month-old) was set as young control group. Control groups were fed on standard chow and experimental groups were fed on standard chow supplemented with 93.75 mg/kg (high-dosage group), 46.88 mg/kg (middle-dosage group) and 9.38 mg/kg (low-dosage group) of yeast RNA respectively. SOD, MDA, HDL, sex hormone and growth hormone were determined at the end of a 4-week observation. The microcosmic images of the hepatic cells and brain neurons using the image-pro plus (V.4.0) were also observed.

RESULTSSOD, serum HDL and growth hormone levels in the high dosage group were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that in the aged control group, and the levels were not different from that in the young control group. MDA level of all yeast RNA supplemented groups was significantly lower than that of aged control group (P < 0.05) and that was not different from the young control group. Serum testosterone of the high and middle dosage groups reached the level of young control group, and that was much higher than the aged control and low dosage group (P < 0.05). Estradiol levels among the aged rats were not different, and those were much lower than the young control group (P < 0.05). Much more number of brain neurons were observed in the high-dose group than other aged rats (P < 0.05). Brain neurons, hepatic cells and karyons in the high-dose group were bigger than that in other aged rats (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONExogenous yeast RNA might play an important role in physical functions, the morphology of brain neurons and hepatic cells in natural aged rats. There might have a dose-effect relationship in the process.

Aging ; Animals ; Brain ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Hepatocytes ; ultrastructure ; Liver ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Neurons ; ultrastructure ; RNA, Fungal ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Yeasts ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the change in ultrastructure of C6 glioma cells after photodynamic therapy (PDT), to compare morphological differences in necrosis and apoptosis before and after PDT treatment, and to evaluate the effect of photodynamic therapy on the blood brain tumor barrier (BTB) of C6 glioma.

METHODSThe model was produced by transplanting C6 glioma cells cultured in vitro using Peterson method into the caudate nuclei of Wister rats. The experiment group received PDT for two weeks after the operation. The sub-cellular structure, blood-brain-barrier (BBB) and BTB in both groups were observed under electron microscope.

RESULTSApoptosis in different phases and necrosis could be observed in some C6 glioma cells. Swelling occurred on the ultrastructure of cellular organs such as mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum in most of the cells. Damage to the BTB, reduction of the number of cellular organs in endothelial cells of the capillary blood vessels, stretch of the tight junction, and enlargement of the gaps between endothelial cells were also seen in the experiment group. Meanwhile, limited impact on the normal sub-cellular structures and BBB was observed.

CONCLUSIONPDT could induce apoptosis and necrosis of C6 glioma cells due to the damage to the ultrastructure of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. The weakened function of C6 glioma BTB initiated by PDT makes it possible to perform a combined therapy of PDT and chemotherapy for glioma.

Animals ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; ultrastructure ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Glioma ; drug therapy ; ultrastructure ; Photochemotherapy ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo document ultrastructural changes of brain, spinal cord, skeletal muscle, jejunum and lung of EV71 infection mouse model, and to explore the myotropism and pathogenesis of EV71 in nervous system.

METHODSTen-day-old suckling mice were infected with EV71 strain via the intraperitoneal route. Mice with paralysis were scarified on day 4 post infection and the brain, spinal cord, skeletal muscle, jejunum and lung were sampled for transmission electron microscopy and light microscopy.

RESULTSLesions in brain were generally mild with inner chamber swelling in some of mitochondria. Myelin sheaths of medullated fibers were split with vacuolated changes. The Nissl bodies in anterior motor neurons disappeared along with mitochondria swelling, rough endoplasmic reticulum swelling and degranulation. Cytoplasm of anterior motor neurons showed cribriform appearance accompanied by neuronophagia. The bands of skeletal muscle in the infected group disappeared with degeneration and karyopyknosis in myocytes, in addition to mitochondrial swelling. Microvilli of epithelium in jejunum became loosely arranged along with formation of spiral medullary sheath structure and mitochondria swelling. Interstitial pneumonia was observed in lungs with type II pneumocyte proliferation and evacuation of the multilamellar bodies.

CONCLUSIONSEV71 infection causes severe myositis in the mouse model suggesting a strong myotropism of EV71 virus. The presence of lesions of various degrees in central nervous system and changes in anterior motor neurons may be associated with limb paralysis.

Animals ; Brain ; ultrastructure ; virology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Enterovirus A, Human ; Enterovirus Infections ; pathology ; virology ; Jejunum ; ultrastructure ; virology ; Lung ; ultrastructure ; virology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Muscle, Skeletal ; ultrastructure ; virology ; Spinal Cord ; ultrastructure ; virology

OBJECTIVETo investigate pathological changes in the epileptogenic foci of children with intractable epilepsy and their clinical significance.

METHODSThirty children with intractable epilepsy were included in the study. The epileptogenic foci were surgically resected and pathological changes in the obtained specimens were observed under a light microscope (LM) and a transmission electron microscope (TEM).

RESULTSUnder the LM, cortical dysplasia was found in 14 cases (47%), hippocampal sclerosis in 11 cases (37%), dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor in 1 case (3%), ganglioglioma in 1 case (3%), and encephalomalacia in 3 cases (10%). The TEM observation revealed pathological changes in the ultrastructure of the hippocampus and extra-hippocampal cortex, such as changes in the number of synapses and synaptic structure, decrease in neurons and karyopyknosis, swelling and degeneration of astrocytes, and changes in mitochondrial structures.

CONCLUSIONSPathological changes in the hippocampus and extra-hippocampal cortex, especially synaptic remodeling, may be the morphological basis for spontaneous recurrent seizures in children with intractable epilepsy. The pathological changes and epileptiform activity are related to an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission.

Adolescent ; Brain ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Cerebral Cortex ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Epilepsy ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Hippocampus ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Humans ; Infant ; Intelligence ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission

AIMTo observe the effect of fimbria-fornix (FF) transection on rat's hippocampal synaptic configuration.

METHODSAnimal models were produced by transecting rat's bilateral fimbria-fornix (FF). Y-type maze test were carried out respectively before and after the models were built, and emphasis was laid on the quantitative analyses of the parameters of synapses in the hippocampal CA3 areas.

RESULTSThe thickness of postsynaptic density material, the curvature of synaptic interface and the occurrence of perforated synapses decreased, while the width of synaptic cleft increased.

CONCLUSIONFimbria-fornix transection resulted in evident changes of the synaptic configuration in the hippocampal CA3 areas and we presume that the normal Ach level in the hippocampus plays a key role in maintaining the normal synaptic interface ultrastructure of the hippocampus CA3 area.

Animals ; CA3 Region, Hippocampal ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Fornix, Brain ; surgery ; Male ; Neurons ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Synapses ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the findings of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and histopathology in early postoperative normal brain, and to define the correlation between MR images and histopathology.

METHODSThirty-six New Zealand rabbits weighing 2.0 to 3.0 kg were divided into 10 groups according to different postoperative days: 1 to 10 days. A partial resection of the parietooccipital region was performed under usual aseptic conditions after the animals were anesthetized intravenously with 3% pentobarbital (30 mg/kg). MR imaging procedures consisted of pre- and postcontrast scanning and were carried out on postoperative days 1 to 10. Brain tissue samples were prepared for examination immediately after MR scanning. Histopathological examination was done under light both and electron microscopes. The findings of MR imaging were compared with histopathologic findings.

RESULTSSurgical margin contrast enhancement on MR images could be seen 24 hours after surgery. The degree of contrast enhancement increased gradually up to 5 days postoperation, and no remarkable changes were present from days 5 to 10. Disruption of the blood brain barrier (BBB) was the main cause of contrast enhancement during the first 3 postoperative days. After that period, the mechanism responsible for contrast enhancement was the formation of neovascularity and a broken BBB. An increase in the amount of neovascularity played a predominant role in contrast enhancement in normal postoperative brain tissue.

CONCLUSIONSThe features of enhanced MR images present at the surgical margin followed a typical time course during the early postoperative period. The role of neovascularity and BBB disruption in the formation of contrast enhancement at the surgical margin varies with time. Knowledge of the features of contrast enhancement in postoperative MR images of normal brain can help in differentiating benign changes from residual malignant glioma.

Animals ; Brain ; pathology ; surgery ; ultrastructure ; Dura Mater ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Edema ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Microscopy, Electron ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo probe the changes of fast component of brainstem auditory evoked potentials (FC-BAEP), slow component of brainstem auditory evoked potentials (SC-BAEP) and the mitochondrial ultrastructures of the neurons in the brainstem in the rat pups with hyperbilirubinemia.

METHODS7 days old SD rat pups were randomly divided into control group (C, 17 rat pups) and two test groups (T1, 17 rat pups and T2, 17 rat pups). Bilirubin solutions (2 g/L) were injected into the abdominal cavity of the rat pups in the group T1 and T2 at the postnatal day 7 and 10. Six hours after the second injection, seven rat pups of each group were randomly selected to test serum bilirubin concentration via a micro-gauge. FC-BAEP and SC-BAEP were examined with an evoked potential recorder in the rest rat pups of each group at postnatal day 17 and 20. At the postnatal day 20, the endocardial perfusion was performed in these rat pups for the fixation of the brain, and then the brains were taken out. The cochlear nuclei were used for observation via electron microscope.

RESULTSSix hours after the injection of bilirubin solution at the postnatal day 10, the serum bilirubin concentrations of the rat pups in group T1 and T2 were increased significantly. Except for II-IV inter-peak latency(IPL), all the peak latency(PL) and IPL of FC-BAEP evoked via three sound stimulating rates (10/s, 40/s,80/s) at the postnatal day 17 prolonged significantly in the rat pups of group T1 and T2, and the PL in group T2 were much longer than that in group T1. Except for II-IV IPL of FC-BAEP evoked via sound stimulating rates of 10/s and 40/s, all the PL and IPL at the postnatal day 20 prolonged significantly in the rat pups of group T1 and T2. The PL of SC-BAEP evoked via sound stimulating rate of 10/s at the postnatal day 17 and 20 in the rat pups of group T1 and T2 prolonged significantly, and the PL at the postnatal day 17 in group T2 were much longer than that of group T1. The changes of mitochondria of the neurons in the cochlear nuclei at the postnatal day 20 in the rat pups of group T1 and T2 were characterized by swell, the slurred membranes, the broken crista and so on.

CONCLUSIONThere were the abnormal changes of FC-BAEP, SC-BAEP and the mitochondrial ultrastructures of the neurons in the brainstem in the rat pups with hyperbilirubinemia. The PL and IPL of FC-BAEP and SC-BAEP could be taken as the objective and sensitive indexes for early monitoring the bilirubin-induced hearing loss and brain injury.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Brain Stem ; pathology ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; physiology ; Hearing Loss ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; complications ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mitochondria ; ultrastructure ; Neurons ; ultrastructure ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley