OBJECTIVETo investigate the pathological characters and the corresponding clinical significance of internal hemorrhoids tissues.

METHODSNormal anal cushion and internal haemorrhoids tissue samples were obtained after stapled haemorrhoidectomy procedure from 24 grade III hemorrhoidal patients. The macroscopically normal cushions served as own controls and the normal cushions from a patient without a history of haemorrhoids as quality control. Routine Hematoxylin-Eosin and orcein were performed for elastic fibers.

RESULTSCompared with the corresponding normal anal cushions, the subepithelial vessels especially the cavernous vessels of the hemorrhoidal tissues showed obvious structural impair, retrograde changes, and the internal elastic lamina were ruptured and discontinuous. In addition, thrombosis and subsequent ischemic changes were observed. The Trietz's muscle and the fibro-elastic tissues showed hypertrophy, distortion, rupture and tortility. Obvious mucosal injury was observed in the mucous of hemorrhoidal tissues. Venous dilatation was infrequent in the hemorrhoidal tissues.

CONCLUSIONSThe anal cushions of hemorrhoids disease patients show significant pathological changes. The pathological changes include structural impair, retrograde changes of the cavernous vessels and the hypertrophy, distortion, rupture and tortility of the Trietz's muscle and the fibroelastic tissues, and mucosal injury of the mucous membranes. These pathological changes are the basis of pathogenesis and development of hemorrhoids.

Adult ; Anal Canal ; pathology ; Elastic Tissue ; pathology ; Hemorrhoids ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Middle Aged

Elastic Tissue ; pathology ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Pleura ; pathology ; Staining and Labeling

The external elastic lamina (EEL) serves as a barrier for cells and macromolecules between the media and adventitia in the vascular wall. We evaluated the morphological changes and quantitative assessments of the EEL architecture in the coronary circulation of pigs fed with a high cholesterol diet. Confocal microscopy analysis of the EEL from hypercholesterolemic coronary arteries revealed an altered pattern characterized by fragmentation and disorganization of the EEL associated with an increase in the thickness. Computerized digital analysis of the images obtained by confocal scanning microscopy demonstrated that compared to normal coronary arteries, the EEL of hypercholesterolemic coronary arteries decreased in the percentage of their elastin content (30.80 +/- 1.64% vs. 47.85 +/- 1.82%, p = 0.001). The percentage of elastin content was negatively correlated with the vessel wall area (r = -0.82, p = 0.001). The immunoreactivity for matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) increased in cholesterol-fed coronary arteries, predominantly in the neointima and adventitia. This study demonstrates that experimental hypercholesterolemia induced ultrastructural changes of the EEL in coronary circulation. The EEL may also be an atherosclerosis-prone area compared with the intima. The EEL may play an important role in the development of structural changes which characterizes the early phase of coronary atherosclerosis and vascular remodeling.
Animal ; Arteries/ultrastructure ; Arteries/enzymology ; Coronary Vessels/ultrastructure* ; Coronary Vessels/enzymology ; Elastic Tissue/ultrastructure* ; Elastic Tissue/enzymology ; Female ; Hypercholesterolemia/pathology* ; Hypercholesterolemia/enzymology ; Stromelysin 1/metabolism ; Swine

Atherosclerosis is the most severe problem in the high-pressure systemic circulation and similar changes also occur in the high-pressure loading valve. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that early atherosclerosis, induced by a high cholesterol diet in rabbits, is characterized by significant ultrastructural change in the elastic laminae of the aortic valve. However, it is not known whether this process is also taking place in the cardiac valve at the early stage of atherosclerosis. Animals were fed either a high cholesterol diet (n = 5) or a control diet (n = 5) for 10-12 weeks. Histologic analysis demonstrated that subendothelial thickening and foam-cell infiltration were evident in the arterialis of aortic valves. Confocal microscopy revealed an altered pattern characterized by fragmentation and disorganization of the arterialis elastic laminae of hypercholesterolemic valves. Computerized digital analysis of the images obtained by confocal scanning microscopy demonstrated that compared to normal valves, the arterialis elastic laminae of hypercholesterolemic valves decreased in percentage of their elastin content (29.03 +/- 1.10% vs. 42.94 +/- 1.35%, p = 0.023). Immunohistochemical staining for matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) revealed MMP-3 immunoreactivity was increased in hypercholesterolemic valves, predominantly in the arterialis. This study demonstrated that early atherosclerosis, induced by a high cholesterol diet in rabbits, is characterized by significant ultrastructural change in the elastic laminae of the aortic valve. The arterialis endothelium of the aortic valve may be a more atherosclerosis-prone area compared with the ventricularis. The presence of ultrastructural defect in the elastic laminae may play a role in chronic degenerative change and a resultant valvular dysfunction.
Animal ; Aortic Valve/ultrastructure* ; Elastic Tissue/ultrastructure* ; Hypercholesterolemia/pathology* ; Male ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Rabbits ; Stromelysin 1/metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between the extracellular matrix (ECM) and neoplastic progression in hamster with tongue cancer.

METHODSForty-eight specimens of hamster tongue cancer were divided into control group (n=6) and experimental group (n=42). The pathological grade of the specimens was assessed (including 3 stages, namely atypical hyperplasia, carcinoma in situ and early invasive carcinoma). The sections of the tongue were stained with Masson and aldehyde-fuchsin (AF) staining for microscopic observation of the elastic fiber and collagen fiber changes.

RESULTSWithin the connective tissue cores (CTC) of the papillae in the control group was a framework of numerous and fine Gomrori's aldehyde fuchsin-positive elastic fibers. But in the stages of dysplasia and carcinoma in situ, these elastic fibers decreased and further diminished in the CTC in early invasive carcinoma. In dysplasia and carcinoma in situ stages, most of the elastic fibers collapsed with scattered elastic fibers, and the elastic fibers decreased significantly in early invasive carcinoma. The control group showed a significantly greater number of elastic fibers in the experimental group. The collagen fiber was obviously increased and irregularly arranged in dysplasia and carcinoma in situ stage; in early invasive carcinoma, the collagen fibers became thicker with deposition in the lamina propria.

CONCLUSIONAn excessive deposition of collagen fiber and reduction of the elastic fibers is an important factor contributing to the development of tongue carcinoma in hamsters.

Animals ; Carcinoma ; pathology ; Collagen ; metabolism ; Connective Tissue ; pathology ; Cricetinae ; Elastic Tissue ; pathology ; Extracellular Matrix ; pathology ; Neoplasms, Experimental ; pathology ; Tongue Neoplasms ; pathology

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Detailed information on how an epithelial differentiation and elastic structures occurred in the developing eustachian tube would be helpful in understanding both normal physiology and pathology of the tubotympanum. This study was undertaken to establish elastic structures such as cartilage, elastic fiber, and collagen fiber in the embryonic mouse eustachian tube at a stage when epithelial differentiation is taking place. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Thirty four mice (BALB/c mouse), aged from gestational day 11 to postnatal day 21, were investigated using Verhoeff stain, Masson trichrome stain and alpha-1 antitrypsin immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The cartilage-like structures were first found after birth, however, matured cartilages appeared at postnatal day 7. The elastic fibers and collagen fibers surrounding cartilage were abundantly found about 5 days after birth. alpha-1 antitrypsin, which is an strong inhibitor of elastase, began to be immunolabelled at gestational day 16. Its expression has been significantly increased after birth. CONCLUSION: Although the epithelial differentiation and maturation in eustachian tube occured at late embryonal stage, the elastic structures have developed and matured after birth. These findings might be a explanation to why young children are highly susceptible to otitis media.
Animals ; Cartilage ; Child ; Collagen ; Elastic Cartilage ; Elastic Tissue ; Elasticity ; Eustachian Tube* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Otitis Media ; Pancreatic Elastase ; Parturition ; Pathology ; Physiology

Hereditary sclerosing poikiloderma (HSP) is a very rare disease. The clinical features are principally widespread poikiloderma and linear hyperkeratotic and sclerotic bands. We report an 18-yr-old male who presented reticular hyperpigmented lesions on the trunk and extremities since 2-yr-old. Also, linear sclerosing bands appeared on both antecubital and popliteal fossae after yr. Histopathologic finding showed dense sclerotic collagen fibers with telangiectasia in the upper dermis and fragmentations of damaged elastic fibers in the elastic stain, consistent with HSP. We report the first Korean case of HSP.
Abnormalities, Multiple ; Adolescent ; Elastic Tissue/pathology ; Fingers/abnormalities ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation/pathology ; Male ; Micrognathism/pathology ; Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome/*diagnosis/pathology ; Sclerosis/pathology ; Skin Diseases/diagnosis/pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the adaptive alterations of elastic fibers in the bilaminar zone (BZ) of rabbit temporomandibular joint (TMJ) following disc displacement.

METHODSTwenty-eight Japanese white rabbits were used in this study. The right temporomandibular joints of 20 of 28 rabbits were subjected to the surgical procedure of anterior disc displacement (ADD). Four rabbits in the surgical group were sacrificed at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks after operation. Their temporomandibular joints were studied histochemically.

RESULTSElastic fibers were reduced in number and ran irregularly in the superior lamina of BZ from ADD rabbits. The jungly elastic fibers (EFs) could still be seen at 2 weeks after operation. At 4 weeks, the number of EFs decreased significantly; EFs lost their jungly arrangement and were shaped like rough dots, of which the arrangement and the lengths were different. Six weeks after operation, many EFs were replaced by distorted, uneven, non-oriented fine EFs, distributed unevenly and some thick or fine EFs that ran irregularly. The number of EFs decreased further and their arrangement was more deranged at 8 weeks. At 10 and 12 weeks, EFs in the superior lamina of BZ were similar to those at 8 weeks.

CONCLUSIONOur results show that EFs lost their function as well as their distribution and arrangement after disc displacement.

Adaptation, Physiological ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Elastic Tissue ; pathology ; Extracellular Matrix ; pathology ; Joint Dislocations ; pathology ; Rabbits ; Temporomandibular Joint Disc ; pathology ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders ; pathology

STUDY DESIGN: Histopathological analyses were performed in ligamentum flavum (LF) hypertrophy patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and lumbar disc herniation (LDH). PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate histopathological changes in LF patients with LSS and LDH. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: LSS is the most common spinal disorder in elderly patients. This condition causes lower back and leg pain and paresis, and occurs as a result of degenerative changes in the lumbar spine, including bulging of the intervertebral discs, bony proliferation of the facet joints, and LF thickening; among these, LF thickening is considered a major contributor to the development of LSS. METHODS: A total of 71 patients operated with the surgical indications of LSS and LDH were included. LF samples were obtained from 31 patients who underwent decompressive laminectomy for symptomatic degenerative LSS (stenotic group) and from 40 patients who underwent lumbar discectomy for LDH (discectomy group). LF materials were examined histopathologically, and other specimens were examined for collagen content, elastic fiber number and array, and presence of calcification. RESULTS: The stenotic and discectomy groups did not differ with regard to mean collagen concentration or mean elastic fiber number (p=0.430 and p=0.457, respectively). Mean elastic fiber alignment was 2.36±0.99 in the stenotic group and 1.38±0.54 in the discectomy group (p<0.001). Mean calcification was 0.39±0.50 in the stenotic group, whereas calcification was not detected (0.00±0.00) in the discectomy group; a statistically significant difference was detected (p<0.001) between groups. CONCLUSIONS: LF hypertrophy in spinal stenosis may occur as a result of elastic fiber misalignment along with the development of calcification over time. Further studies determining the pathogenesis of LSS are needed.
Aged ; Collagen ; Diskectomy ; Elastic Tissue ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Intervertebral Disc ; Laminectomy ; Leg ; Ligamentum Flavum* ; Paresis ; Pathology ; Spinal Stenosis* ; Spine ; Zygapophyseal Joint

BACKGROUND: Over the years many possible explanations for the development of varicose vein have been suggested. The main possible mechanisms are a valvular failure theory and a weak wall theory. However, the definite cause of varicose has not been determined yet. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study are to observe the pathologic changes in the smooth muscle cells and extracellular matrix of the primary varicose vein. An understanding of the pathology may possibly help to understand the pathogenesis of varicose veins. METHODS: A total of 20 vein specimens of primary varicose vein were collected from 13 patients who underwent ambulatory phlebectomy. Among them, 16 specimens were thick segments and 4 specimens were thin segments of varicose veins. Control samples were collected from two patients with no history and clinical evidence of varicose vein. Each specimen was examined with a JEM 1200EX-II electron microscopy. Ultrastructural findings between thick and thin segments of varicose veins and normal veins were also compared semiquantitatively. RESULTS: The smooth muscle cells of varicose veins were abnormal in shape and lost their fusiform appearance with many vacuoles. Increased extracellular matrix shows the increase of degenerated collagen fibers and decrease of elastic fibers. Thin segments revealed more atrophic smooth muscle cells and phagocytosis than thickened segments. Thick segments showed increased collagen fiber. CONCLUSION: These ultrastructural changes may be not the primary cause of varicose veins but the secondary remodeling processes of vein walls by hemodynamic stress.
Collagen ; Elastic Tissue ; Extracellular Matrix ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Leg* ; Microscopy, Electron ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Pathology ; Phagocytosis ; Vacuoles ; Varicose Veins* ; Veins