Sclerosing hemangiomas of the lung are benign neoplasms of uncertain histogenesis. We analysed two cases of sclerosing hemangiomas of the lung with histochemistry and electron microscopy. They had a variegated histologic appearance characterized by an admixture of solid, hemorrhagic, papillary and sclerotic lesions. Characteristic uniform round cells, unique to this tumor, were found within the stroma in all lesions. In the electron microscopic examination, we found Weibel-Palade bodies like small bodies in the tumor cells. We suspect hypothesis originating in the endothelial cell can not be completely excluded yet. Sclerosing hemangioma is a distinct clinicopathologic entity and should be distinguished from other benign neoplasms or inflammatory lesions of the lung.
Endothelium/ultrastructure ; Female ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous/pathology/*ultrastructure ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/pathology/*ultrastructure ; Male ; Middle Aged

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to characterize the morphology of the mucinous layer on rabbit, bovine, owl, and human corneal endothelial cells. METHODS: Corneoscleral buttons were fixed using cetylpyridinium chloride to stabilize "mucus" and the tissue was prepared for transmission electron microscopy. Photomicrographs were measured to determine the thickness of the endothelial and epithelial mucinous layer in the central cornea. RESULTS: The endothelial mucinous layer was seen as a nearly uniform electrodense region on the apical aspect of the endothelium. It was found to be 0.9 microm, 0.9 microm, 0.9 microm, and 0.5 microm thick in rabbit, bovine, owl, and human, respectively. The owl endothelium had an additional less electrodense layer with a granular appearance and a thickness of about 200 microm. The mucinous layer on the epithelium was similar in appearance to that on the endothelium and across species. CONCLUSIONS: The morphologic similarity of the endothelial and epithelial mucinous layers is a serendipitous finding that should prove valuable in experimental design. Ultimately, it is hoped that studies of the posterior corneal surface will deepen our knowledge of endothelial protection.
Adult ; Animal ; Cytokines/pharmacology ; Endothelium, Corneal/ultrastructure ; Endothelium, Corneal/metabolism* ; Endothelium, Corneal/cytology ; Human ; Microscopy, Electron ; Mucins/ultrastructure ; Mucins/metabolism* ; Owls ; Rabbits ; Staining and Labeling

Recently iridectomy using an argon or Nd-YAG laser to treat narrow angle glaucoma has become popular, and is now the procedure of choice over the standard surgical technique. However, the shock wave of the Nd-YAG laser causes hemorrhage in almost all cases and the high energy level of the Nd-YAG laser, which is required for iridectomy, causes injury to the lens and cornea. Furthermore, there is a tendency toward closure of the iridectomy site after argon laser application. We performed iridectomies by a combined application of argon and Nd-YAG lasers in pigmented rabbits to improve iris bleeding, iridectomy patency, and lens and corneal damage. The iridectomy patency and the lens and corneal damage were examined with a scanning electron microscope. The rabbits that underwent laser iridectomies with only the Nd-YAG laser were used as a control group. Based on the results, it can be concluded that laser iridectomy by a combined application of argon and Nd-YAG lasers results in a lower rate of bleeding, a higher rate of patency, and less damage to the lens and cornea as compared with iridectomy performed by Nd-YAG laser only.
Animals ; Cornea/ultrastructure ; Endothelium, Corneal/ultrastructure ; Eye Hemorrhage/etiology ; Iris/blood supply/*surgery/ultrastructure ; *Laser Therapy/adverse effects ; Lens, Crystalline/ultrastructure ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation

AIMTo observe the change of cardiovascular endothelium's ultrastructure and its intercellular adhesion molecules-1 (ICAM-1) expression in rat after repetitive high positive acceleration (+ Gz) exposures and further to explore the mechanisms of myocardial injuries induced by high + Gz stress.

METHODSThirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group, + 1Gz group and + 10Gz group (n = 10 for each). The rats of + 10Gz group were exposed to five plateaus at + 10Gz for 30s with + 1Gz 1 min intervals, 3 times a week, for 3 weeks, while rats of + 1Gz group subjected to + 1Gz for 5 mim daily. The control group didn't undergo acceleration stress. The rats were decapitated in the next day after the last centrifuge run and myocardium were immediately dissected from left ventricles for ultrastructural examination using transmission electron microscope and immunohistochemical staining of ICAM-1.

RESULTSThe ultrastructural changes of the cardiovascular endothelium were observed in rats of 10Gz group, including endothelium edema and platelet aggregating in lumen of blood vessel. Also, the expression of ICAM-1 in + 10Gz stressed rats increased significantly (P < 0.05). While there was no difference between control group and + 1Gz group in ultrastructure of cardiovascular endothelium and its ICAM-1 expression.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggested that repeated high + Gz exposures could injury cardiovascular endothelium of rat and increase ICAM-1 expression, which indicated cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) inducing inflammation took part in myocardial injuries induced by high + Gz stress.

Acceleration ; Animals ; Endothelium, Vascular ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cellular response and morphological changes of cells on the intraocular lens(IOL) implanted over a course of time and to identify the basic mechanism of IOL adaptation to tissue reaction in the implanted eye by comparing polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) IOL with heparin surface modified PMMA IOL. ECCE using Healon was done in 36 eyes of 36 rabbits. A heparin surface modified IOL was implanted in 18 eyes (Group I), while PMMA IOL was implanted into another 18 eyes (Group II). Corneal thickness and endothelial cell density were measured for 3 months. Postoperatively, the eyes were enucleated, and a cytopathologic examination of the cells on the surface of the IOL and their ultrastructural changes were observed with light and scanning microscope at various points of time. The findings of this present study suggested that heparin surface modified PMMA IOL reduced the degree of endothelial cell damage, postoperative tissue reaction, and pigment deposits on the surface of the IOL. These were statistically significant. The most important cell was considered to be the macrophage for the adaptation of IOL in the eye which gradually changedinto a fibroblast-like cell, giant cell and finally disappeared after forming an acellular membrane on the IOL.
Animals ; Cataract Extraction ; Cell Count ; Cornea/pathology ; Endothelium, Corneal/*pathology/ultrastructure ; *Heparin ; *Lenses, Intraocular ; Macrophages/pathology ; Materials Testing ; *Methylmethacrylates ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Rabbits ; Uvea/pathology/ultrastructure

Light microscopy and electron microscopic examination were carried out on the corneal buttons of two patients who required penetrating keratoplasty for treatment of corneal complication following the intraocular injection of silicone oil to repair recurrent retinal detachments in aphakic eyes. Light microscopic examination demonstrated increased cellularity and irregularity of collagen fibers of stromal layer, defect of endothelial cell layer and endothelial degeneration. Electron microscopy examination demonstrated marked decrease in endothelial cell population density, accompanied by flattening and thinning of the remaining cells and attenuation of cell borders. There were silicone droplets in the endothelial cell layer and collagenous layer posterior to endothelial layer. These findings are well correlated to clinical manifestation and are thought to be rather due to barrier effect of silicone oil than direct toxicity.
Adult ; Corneal Diseases/*chemically induced/pathology/surgery ; Descemet Membrane/ultrastructure ; Endothelium, Corneal/drug effects/surgery/ultrastructure ; Humans ; Keratoplasty, Penetrating ; Male ; Recurrence ; Retinal Detachment/surgery ; Silicone Oils/*adverse effects

AIMTo investigate the alleviating effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on lung injury induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and its mechanism.

METHODSThe effects of NAC on changes of the pulmonary arterial reactivity and the ultrastructure of pulmonary arterial endothelium induced by LPS were observed with the isolated artery ring technique and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) contents and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of pulmonary artery tissues were detected.

RESULTSThe exposure of pulmonary artery to LPS (4 microg/ml, 7 h) led to reduction of endothelium-dependent relaxation response to acetylcholine (ACh), which was reversed by the concomitant exposure to NAC (0.5 mmol/L, 7 h), whereas NAC itself had no effect on the response. Significant structural injury were observed under SEM in LPS group and alleviated the changes in LPS + NAC group. The MDA, NO contents increased but SOD activity decreased in LPS group, which were reversed by the concomitant exposure to NAC.

CONCLUSIONNAC protects pulmonary artery endothelium and enhances endothelium-dependent relaxation response of pulmonary artery by antioxidation effect, which may be one of the mechanisms of its reversing pulmonary artery hypertension and following lung injury induced by LPS.

Acetylcysteine ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Endothelium ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Lipopolysaccharides ; adverse effects ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Pulmonary Artery ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Rabbits ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

AIMTo investigate the relationship between low androgen level and ultrastructure of vascular endothelium.

METHODSForty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: group A, normal rats with sham castration; group B, castrated rats; group C, castrated rats given testosterone (T) undecanoate; and group D, intact rats treated with 5alpha-reductase inhibitor. After 10 weeks of treatment or castration, rats in different groups were killed and serum T, free T (FT) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were measured. The aortic endothelia were scanned under electron microcopy and the Vascular Endothelium Structure Score (VESS) was computed.

RESULTSSerum T and FT concentrations of rats in group B were significantly lower than those of the other three groups (P < 0.01); DHT concentrations of group D rats were significantly decreased (P < 0.01) when compared with those of groups A and C. Rats in groups B and D rats (with low androgen levels) had obvious damage to their endothelial surfaces, which appeared crimpled, rough, adhesive and ruptured, and had high destruction of VESS.

CONCLUSIONThese results suggest that low concentrations of T and DHT are associated with ultrastructural damage of the aortic endothelia in male rats.

5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors ; Animals ; Aorta ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Dihydrotestosterone ; blood ; Endothelium, Vascular ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Male ; Orchiectomy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Testosterone ; blood ; pharmacology

Animals ; Endothelium, Vascular ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Environmental Exposure ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sound ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDTrabecular meshwork (TM) cell volume may be an important determinant of aqueous humor outflow in the eye. This study aimed to evaluate the role of HepII domain peptides V on corneal permeability, corneal endothelial cells, intraocular pressure (IOP) and morphology of trabecular meshwork in rats.

METHODSThe IOP of rat eyes was measured before and 3, 5, 7 and 8 hours after topical delivery of HepII domain peptides V through intracameral injections. The peptide's concentration in aqueous humor was assessed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The shape and density of endothelial cells were observed by laser confocal microscopy 8 hours, 3 and 14 days after intracameral injections of HepII domain peptides V. The morphological changes in TM of rat eyes were assessed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

RESULTSIntracameral injection of HepII domain peptides V significantly (P < 0.001) decreased IOP by (5.71 ± 2.10) mmHg in rats at 5 hours after injection. There were no obvious changes of the shape and the density of corneal endothelial cells. In addition, morphological changes in the TM of rats were observed including the expansion of intercellular spaces in the juxtacanalicular meshwork, removal of extracellular material, cellular relaxation, and cytoskeleton reorganization.

CONCLUSIONSHepII domain peptides V could not penetrate cornea and was safe to corneal endothelial cells. HepII domain peptides V could significantly decrease IOP in rat probably by disorganizing actin cytoskeleton and cell-junction in the TM.

Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Cornea ; cytology ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Endothelium, Corneal ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Female ; Fibronectins ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Intraocular Pressure ; drug effects ; Male ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Trabecular Meshwork ; drug effects ; ultrastructure