Light microscopical and ultrastructural characterization of goat preantral follicles AbstractGoat ovarian preantral follicles were morphologically and ultrastructurally described in this work. Primordial follicles are oocytes surrounded by one layer of squamous or squamouscuboidal granulosa cells; primary follicles have a single layer of cuboidal granulosa cells, and secondary follicles are oocytes surrounded by two or more layers of cuboidal granulosa cells. At all developmental stages a thick layer of glycoproteins, the basement membrane, surrounded the preantral follicles. The quiescent oocyte is spherical or oval and it has a large eccentrically located nucleus with a conspicuous nucleolus. The organelles were uniformly distributed in the cytoplasm. A large number of vesicles were spread throughout the cytoplasm in all the oocytes. The cytoplasm of oocytes also contains numerous rounded mitochondria besides the usual organelles. As the follicle develops, the mitochondria become elongated. The communication between the oocyte and the granulosa cells is apparently mediated through endocytosis as indicated by the abundant coated pits and vesicles noted in the cortical cytoplasm of the oocyte. The oocyte plasma membrane presented projections that penetrated between adjacent granulosa cells and a few short microvilli lying parallel to the oocyte surface. In secondary follicles, patches of zona pellucida material were observed. Overall, the results indicate that the morphological and ultrastructural organization of caprine preantral follicles resembles that of other mammals. However, some particularities were observed, and that may indicate species specific differences.

Diabetes mellitus can lead to reproductive disorders that in turn result in weakened fertility brought about by morphofunctional changes in the testes and accessory sex glands. However, doubts persist concerning the basic biology of the secretory epithelial cells and the stroma of the coagulating gland of diabetic mice. Thus, the objective of the present study was to analyze the histological and ultrastructural changes associated with stereology of the coagulating gland of mice with alloxan-induced diabetes, and of spontaneously diabetic mice. Sixteen mice of the C57BL/6J strain, and eight non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice were used. The animals were divided into three groups: 1) control (C), 2) alloxan diabetic (AD), and 3) NOD. Thirty days after the detection of diabetic status in group 2, all of the animals were killed and then perfused with Karnovsky's solution through the left cardiac ventricle. The coagulating gland was then removed and processed for morphometric study by light microscopy and electron microscopy. The results showed thickening of the stroma, atrophy of secretory epithelial cells, and disorganization of the organelles involved in the secretory process in both NOD and alloxan-induced mice. Thus, it may be concluded that the coagulating gland suffered drastic morphological changes, and consequently impaired glandular function, in the presence of diabetes mellitus type I in both NOD and AD mice. Anat Rec Part A 270A: 129 -136, 2003.

Passive smoking led to substantial structural changes in the salivary glands which could significantly affect function.

Previous studies have shown that long-term alcohol treatment has negative effects on prostatic stromal-epithelial interaction. Thus, the aim of the present study was to analyze the histochemical, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural alterations that occur in the prostatic stroma and epithelium of rats submitted to chronic alcohol ingestion and alcohol abstinence, as well as to establish the relationship between these changes and prostatic diseases. Thirty male rats (10 Wistar and 20 UChB rats) were divided into three experimental groups: the control group received tap water, the alcoholic group received ethanol diluted to 10 degrees G.L. for 150 days, and the abstinent group received the same liquid diet as the alcoholic group up to 120 days of treatment and only tap water for 30 days thereafter. At the end of treatment, all animals were sacrificed and the ventral lobe of the prostate was removed and processed for histochemical, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural analyses. In addition, plasma testosterone levels were measured. The results showed prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, infolding of the epithelium towards the stroma, stromal hypertrophy and the presence of inflammatory cells in alcoholic animals. In the abstinent group, alterations were noted mainly in the stromal area. In conclusion, ethanol triggers alterations in prostatic epithelial and stromal compartments, affecting the stromal microenvironment and predisposing the organ to pathological processes.

No abstract