The Golgi complex is the central organelle of the secretory pathway and has many complicate functions. The endeavours to isolate and purify the Golgi apparatus from cultured cells will benefit further investigation of Golgi. A large number of gastric cancer cells SGC7901 were cultivated in vitro, then Golgi apparatus were isolated from the cells by differential centrifugation combined with sucrose density gradient ultra-centrifugation. Its purity was characterized biochemically by enzymatic assays, morphologically by electron microscopy (EM) and neutral red supravital staining. Finally the Golgi complex was successfully fractionated from gastric cancer cells SGC7901. The first successful isolation of Golgi apparatus from gastric cancer cells SGC7901 by using ultra-centrifugation will lead to research into the function of Golgi apparatus.
Cell Line, Tumor ; Golgi Apparatus ; ultrastructure ; Histological Techniques ; Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology ; ultrastructure

The effects of morphine HCI on the rat mesenteric mast cells were studied with the electron microscopy. The materials were prepared for electron microscopy by osmium tetroxide fixation and embedding in Epon. The rat mesenteric mast cells showed no distinct morphological changes due to morphine HCl, but the mast cell granlues were changed in various ways. For instance, they formed dusters, showed granular lysis, and an appearance of electron transparency. Frequently, some granules appeared in the extracellular space and the boundary of the granules was not evident. From the results mentioned above, it was suggested that rat mesenteric mast cell granules were affected by morphine HCl in the shape, the granular matrix, and the granular boundaries.
Animal ; Cell Nucleus/ultrastructure ; Cytoplasm/ultrastructure ; Cytoplasmic Granules/drug effects ; Cytoplasmic Granules/ultrastructure ; Golgi Apparatus/ultrastructure ; Male ; Mast Cells/drug effects ; Mast Cells/ultrastructure* ; Mesentery/drug effects ; Mesentery/ultrastructure* ; Microscopy, Electron ; Mitochondria, Muscle/ultrastructure ; Morphine/pharmacology* ; Rats

INTRODUCTIONAn investigation was carried out to determine the morphological characteristics of fibroblasts in two portions of the vocal fold (VF) mucosa, the macula flava (MF) and Reinke's space (RS), of three different age groups: newborns, adults and geriatrics.

METHODSNormal human VF obtained from autopsy cases were included in this study: four from mature newborns; four from middle-aged adults; and four from geriatric cases. Fibroblasts in RS and MF were investigated by transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTSThe fibroblasts of the MF in both adults and newborns tended to be stellate in shape, with a small nucleus/cytoplasm (N/C) ratio and a well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) and Golgi apparatus (GA). Most of the fibroblasts present in RS were oval in newborns and spindle-shaped in adults, with a large N/C ratio and less developed rER and GA. The majority of fibroblasts of the geriatric MF were stellate in shape; while in geriatric RS, the majority of fibroblasts were spindle-shaped with an N/C ratio of 0.5 to 2.0 as in the case of adults. However, the development of rER and GA was less marked in geriatrics than in adults.

CONCLUSIONHistological changes of fibroblasts in the VF mucosa are one of the important causes of the change in voice quality with ageing. Furthermore, geriatric changes in the vocal ligament can be attributed to the activities and the presence of ageing processes in fibroblasts of geriatric VF mucosa.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Cell Nucleus ; ultrastructure ; Cytoplasm ; ultrastructure ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; ultrastructure ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; ultrastructure ; Golgi Apparatus ; ultrastructure ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Laryngeal Mucosa ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; methods ; Vocal Cords ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVETo explore the origin and differentiation of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).

METHODSImmunohistochemistry staining and electron microscopy were adopted.

RESULTSIn 212 cases of primary GISTs, the positive rates of CD117, CD34, alpha-SMA, MSA, desmin, S-100, PGP9.5 were 96.7%, 77.3%, 19.3%, 15.6%, 1.9%, 16.3%, and 12.3% respectively. Among them, GISTs showed a diffuse and strong positivity for CD117. Electron microscopy of tumor cells demonstrated numerous mitochondria, prominent perinuclear Golgi complex, smooth and rough endoplasmical reticulum and intermediate filaments. Irregular caveolae, dense plaque, incontinuous basal lamina were observed occasionally. Cytoplasmic processes were often observed accompanying with local adhesion present between the processes or between the processes and the cell membrane.

CONCLUSIONSData from both immunophenotype and electron microscopy suggest that GIST might originate from the mesenchymal cells, differentiating to be ICC afterwards, and possessing myoid characteristics in various extent.

Cell Differentiation ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; chemistry ; ultrastructure ; Golgi Apparatus ; ultrastructure ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Microscopy, Electron ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; analysis ; S100 Proteins ; analysis ; Stromal Cells ; chemistry ; ultrastructure ; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase ; analysis