An ultrastructural study was carried out on the muscular coat of human intestine. Special muscle layer(SML), which consisted of 1-6 rows of special muscle cells with the characteristics of smaller volume and more electron density than those of (.he muscle cells of the main component of the circular muscle layer (MCM), was found at the innermost (the mucosal side) of MCM. A space was usually found between the SML and MCM. Numerous nerve fibers were distributed within the connective tissue of the space. The density of nerve distribution and the frequency of varicosities in SML were the highest in the muscular coat of the intestine. A close contact between the axons and the muscle cells was usually found. The density of nerve distribution in MCM was the second and the longitudinal muscle (LM) was poorly innervated. Most commonly the axon was separated from the muscle by a gap over 100 nm in width in MCM and LM. Intermediate junction was present in SML, MCM, and LM, while gap junction could only be observed in MCM, Interstitial cells were seen in the connective tissue septa, and their processes were often in close contact with the muscle cells and axons. In the cytoplasm of the interstitial cells of SML, myofilament-like structure was sometimes found.The ultrastructural features of the muscular coat of human intestine were compared with those found in laboratory animals and the physiological significance of these features was discussed.

The changes of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunoreactive (IR) nerves in the tongue of the control and the irradiated rats were studied by using the methods of immunocytochemistry and microspectrophotometer (SPM) measuring techniques. The results show that CGRP-IR nerves were found in all tissues of the tongue. When acute intestinal radiation sickness (AIRS), the changes of CGRPIR nerves appeared obviously and might be divided into two phases: the stimulating phase was the first 24 hours after irradiation. CGRP-IR nerves of the tongue have obviously swollen, become thickness, the enlargement of the varicosities and an increase of accumulative material in the nerve fiber terminals. The destructive phase was from 24 to 72 hrs after irradiation. The characteristics of the lesion appeared in 48 hrs after irradiation. CGRP-IR nerves of the tongue body have reduced, part of CGRP-IR nervous bundles broken. The pathological changes were particularly evident in 72 hrs after irradiation. CGRP-IR nerves of the tongue body have marked reduced, even disappeared. All of CGRP-IR nerves of the root of the tongue almost broken completly with the exception of the structure like the motor end plates of the striated muscles and the CGRP-IR nerves in taste glands. By using SPM measuring, there was significant reduction in 48 hrs or 72 hrs after irradiation compared with the control group (P

By using histochemical and immunocytochemical techiques, the distribu- tion, origin, and properties of ACh, NE, CGRP, and NPY in tongue of rats were studied. The results revealed that the cholinergic (ACh) nerves, VIP and NPY im- munoreactive (IR) positive neurons mainly located in the subepithelial layer of the mucosa and the muscle layer. The nerves formed perivascular plexus of the blood vessels, surrounding the glands, and distributed in the muscle layer. The adrenergic nerves surrounded the blood vessels and gaglion cells forming a basket-like structure. CGRP-IR nerves were observed in all layers of tongue. The circumvallate and fungiform papillaes were densely innervated by the CGRP-IR nerves, whereas the filiform papillaes contained only a few nerves. Abundant CGRP-IR nerves surrounded the glands, the blood vessels, and formed motor end plate structure at the region of contacting the striated muscle of to- ngue. After treatment with capsaicin, a marked reduction in the CGRP-IR ner- ves were found in the mucosa of the tip and body of the tongue, but no ob- vious changes were seen in the other parts of the CGRP-IR nerves as well as the other type of the nerves. No NE and CGRP-IR neurons were observed. The characteristics of distribution suggested that the ACh,VIP and NPY nerves might be related to the regulation of regional blood flow and the secretion of the glands while the CGRP-IR nerves, besides the above effects, might be related to the regulation of motion and sensation.

The characteristics of distribution, origin and properties of galanin (GAL) were investigated, by using immunocytochemistry (the whole mount stretched pr- eparations and cryostat sections), immunoelectronmicroscopy and microspectroph- ometer measuring techniques. The results showed that (1) All layers of small intestine were rich in GAL- immunoreactive(GAL-I) nerves with a high density in myenteric and submucosal plexuses. (2) A rather high density around the small blood vessels of the small intestine and intestinal crypts were observed. Some GAL-I neurons were seen in the myenteric and submucosal plexuses. Enteric GAL-I nerve fibers seemed to be endogenic and probably related to the regulation of motor function in the gastro- intestinal tract, since there was no obvious reducation of nerve fibers after sec- tion of mesenterium or injection of capsaicin. (3) The distribution and charac- teristics of GAL-I nerve fibers in small intestine indicated that the GAL-I ne- rves might be playing a regulational role in the motion, absorption, secretion and regional blood flow of the gastrointestinal tract.

The morphologc observation of immunoreactive structures and the quantitative analysis of VIP, SP, L-ENK and SOM in the small intestine of the control and the irradiated rats were studied by using the methods of immunocytochemistry (ICC) and radioimmunoassay (RIA). Meanwhile, histopathologic study was carried out by light and electron microscope (LM, EM). The results and findings are as follows.. (1) Viewed on LM, no obvious change of the enteric ganglia was found in the small intestine of the irradiated rats; while under EM, the axons and synaptic vesicles showing swelling and vacuolar degeneration was observed. These stuctures have close relation to the transport and release of the neurotransmitter. (2) The normal morphology and the distribution of the immunoreactive nerves and endocrine cells of VIP, SP, L-ENK and SOM were revealed in the intestine of rats by ICC method. Four kinds of immunoreactive peptidergic nerves were confirmed as an important part of the enteric nervous system. No obvious change was found on the structure of the peptidergrc nerves after 2000 rad r-irradiation. The radiosensitivity of the peptide-containing endocrine cells was similar to that of the intestinal epithelium. (3) We first confirmed with RIA that the level of the 4 regulatory peptides remarkably changed in the small intestine of the irradiated rats. Combining the physiologic founctions and the trends of the 4 regulatory peptides, as well as the pathologic characteristics and process after r-irradiation, it is proposed that the 4 kinds of peptide may be involved in the pathologic process of the mucosa damage and the disturbance of intestinal motility etc. in the intestinal radiation sickness of rats.

By using immunocytochemistry (the whole mount stretch preparations and cryostat sections) and radioimmunoassay, the characteristics of distribution, origins and properties of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were studied. The results show that all layers of small intestine were rich in CGRP-immu-noreactive(CGRP-I)nerves with a high density in myenteric, submucosal and mucosal plexuses. Also it had a rather high density around the small blood vessels of the small intestine and intestinal crypts. Some CGRP-I neurons were seen in the myenteric and submucosal plexuses which were the intrinsic origin of CGRP-I nerves of small intestine. And the denervation and injection of capsaicin demonstrated that the extrinsic CGRP-I nerves of small intestine with mainly sensory origin also existed. The characteristics of distribution of CGRP-I nerves in small intestine indicated that the CGRP-I nerves might be related with the regulation of motion, secretion, absorption, sensation and regional blood flow of the gastrointestinal tract.

Objective\ To exam the expression and the distribution of the aromatase mRNA in the brain of the mouse. Methods\ RNA dot\|blotting as well as in situ hybridization technique were used. Results\ (1)There were aromatase specific mRNA expression in the brain tissue during the period from E16 to P300,the highest levels of mRNA were detected at postnatal 6 days,and the lowest levels were found at adulthood.(2)The location of the aromatase mRNA was confined to neuronal(but not glial)cell bodies and their processes.(3)The mainly distribution of aromatase mRNA was detected in the regions of the cerebral cortex,thalamus,hypothalamus and limbic system.Many heavily labeled cells were found in the layer of pyramidal cells of cerebral cortex,medial preoptic area.medial septal nucleus,pyramidal layer of hippocampus,amygdaloid nuclei.cingulate cortex,piriform cortex and periamygdaloid cortex.The moderately dense signal was present in several thalamic and hypothalamic nuclei such as ventromedial nucleus,ventrolateral nucleus,laterodorsal thalamic nucleus,paraventricular nucleus,etc. Conclusion\ There was relationship between the gene expression of aromatase with the development of brain,there was good agreement between the distribution of aromatase mRNA and aromatase activity as previously reported.The high levels of aromatase mRNA in the region of hippocampus and cerebral cortex suggested that aromatase may implicate for sex dimorphism in cognition as well as learning and memory.\;

changes of galanin in the small intestines of the rats which were inflicted with acute intestinal radiation sickness (AIRS) by exposing to 20 Gy gamma rays were studied with immunocytochemistry (ICC) , HE staining of tissue sections, and microspectrophotometer. It was found that the damage of intestinal mucosa was being intensified as AIRS progressed; there no marked change of GAL-LI neurons but the arrangement of GAL-LI fibers was disordered in the irradiated rats as compared with those of the control; the galanin content of the small intestines was significantly tower in the irradiated rats than in the control especially in the 48th and 72nd hour after irradiation (P

This paper is to report the autonomic innervation of the gall bladder and extrahepatic bile ducts studied on whole mount stretch preparations and cryostat sections with acetylcholinesterase staining, glyoxylic acid induced fluorescence histochemical method, and PAP immunohistochemical method.The autonomic nerves of the gall bladder and extrahepatic bile dudts in cats consist of two plexuses, composed of cholinergic, adrenergic and peptidergic nerves, and situated in the subserosa and submucosa respectively. They are known as subserosal and submucosal ganglionated plexuses. They distribute in the region from the fundus of the bladder, to the neck and the cystic duct, through the common bile duct downward, finally to the duodenal papilla.The adrenergic nerves mainly run along the, blood vessels, distributing in the serosa and lamina propria of the mucosa of the bladder, and participating in the formation of the subepithelial and perivasctilar plexuses. The adrenergic nerves are most densely distributed in the cystic duct and mosl sparsely in the fundus. This finding is in good agreement with the tissue concentration of noradrenaline(NA) determined with biochemical asssay, which is also the highest in the tissue of the cystic duct. The difference of NA concentration between the cystic duct tissue and other biliary tissues was statistically Gignificant(P0.05).Immunohistochemical study revealed that there are 4 kinds of immunoactivc peptidergic nerves, i. e. nerves with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), substance P(SP), L-enkephalin (L-ENK), and somatostatin (SOM) respectively. The 4 kinds of nerves distribute extensively in all the tissue layers of the ex-trahepatic biliary tract and participate in the formation of all the nerve plexuses. Among them, VIP nerves are the richest, then the SP and L-ENK nerves, and the SOM nerves the sparsest. In general, peptidergic nerves are densely distributed in the sphincter of Oddi.Finally the physiological significance of the peptidergic nerves was discussed.

The rats were exposed to 20Gy of X-ray one time systemically to imitate the model of AIRS. By using immunocytochemistry, immunoelectromicroscopy and microspectrophotometry (MSP) technique , the changes of rat thyroid gland C cells in AIRS were investigated. The results show that, the changes of C cells could be divided into two phases. In the first phase (the first 24 h after irradiation) , no obvious morphological change could be observed, whereas the concentration of serum calcium (CSC) dropped remarkably. It seems that the synthesis and secretion of calcilonin (CT) within C cells might increase during this period. The second phase is from 24th h to 72th h after irradiation, the TA (total absorbance) measured by MSP reduced. and the ultrastructural pictures showed progressive destructive changes. All these findings suggest that: The C cells of rat thyroid gland, as a kind of APUD system cell, is no doubt involved in the AIRS pathological changes. The possible pathogenic mechanism was briefly discussed.