Aging is mostly characterized by a progressive decline of neuronal function that involves both the central and the peripheral nervous system. The aging process is accompanied by changes in either the number or the size of neurons. However, these data are controversial and not very well known in the sympathetic ganglia of large mammals. Hence, the present investigation aimed to study the dog's caudal mesenteric ganglion (CMG) in three different periods of postnatal development, searching for qualitative and quantitative alterations. The CMG is responsible for the large intestine, internal anal sphincter, and partially the urogenital system innervations. Nine dead male dogs from the Veterinary Hospital of the College of Veterinary Medicine at University of São Paulo were divided into three well-defined age groups (1-2 months old, 1-2 years old, and 5-10 years old). The stereological study was pursued using the physical disector method combined to the Cavalieri principle. The postnatal development was accompanied by an increase in the nonneuronal tissue amount and in ganglion volume. Additionally, the total number of neurons also increased during aging (from 70,140 to 1,204,516), although the neuronal density showed an opposite trend (from 29,911 to 11,500 mm Ϫ3 ). Due to the interrelation between either body weight or ganglion volume and aging in the dogs investigated in this study, it was possible to predict the total number of neurons in CMG using both body weight and ganglion volume in an attempt to verify whether or not size and total number of neurons are both allometrically and aging ruled, i.e., if either the animal's body weight and ganglion volume or aging influence these parameters. The prediction of the total number of neurons was very close to the initially estimated values.

Little is known about cerebral vasculature of capybara, which seems may serve as a natural model of studying changes in cerebral circulation due to internal carotid artery atrophy at animal sexual maturation. This is the first study of the light- and electron-immunocytochemical localisation of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and ETA and ETB endothelin receptors in the basilar artery of capybaras (6 to 12-month-old females and males) using an ExtrAvidin detection method. All animals examined showed similar patterns of immunoreactivity. Immunoreactivity for ET-1 was detected in the endothelium and adventitial fibroblasts, whilst immunoreactivity for ETA and ETB receptors was present in the endothelium, vascular smooth muscle, perivascular nerves and fibroblasts. In endothelial cells immunoreactivity to ET-1 was pronounced in the cytoplasm or on the granular endoplasmic reticulum. Similar patterns of immunolabelling were observed for ETA and ETB receptors, though cytoplasmic location of clusters of immunoprecipitate seems dominant. These results suggest that the endothelin system is present throughout the wall of the basilar artery of capybara.

Gonçalez ("Patog") pela amizade, apoio, companheirismo, confiança e afeto. Vocês foram essenciais para que eu conseguisse chegar aonde cheguei. Sem o apoio de vocês, seria muito difícil minha caminhada. Obrigada por me levantarem quando mais precisei. Acreditarem em mim incondicionalmente. Estarem ao meu lado independente de circunstâncias. Para sempre guardarei vocês comigo. Adoro vocês! Aos meus sinceros amigos Irena Fateeva, Maria da Glória dos Santos de Macedo, Danilo Busse Spironelli e Carlos Eduardo Bezerra de Moura agradeço todas as orações, a amizade e amor que dedicam a mim. Adoro vocês! Aos amigos Emerson Ticonna Fioretto e Ana Rita de Lima agradeço os conselhos, as palavras de apoio e a amizade. Mesmo hoje distantes, guardo na memória os nossos melhores momentos. Obrigada pelo tempo feliz que me proporcionaram. Ao meu irmão, Raphael Martinez Gagliardo, pelo constante apoio na elaboração desta tese. Sei que está distante, mas também sei que é passageiro. Amo você! Aos meus tios, Ruy Martinez Galarça e Rose Araújo, pelo carinho e afeto. A todos os pós-graduandos do curso de Anatomia dos Animais Domésticos e Silvestres pelo companheirismo. RESUMO GAGLIARDO, K. M. Efeitos do exercício físico no envelhecimento inicial do plexo mioentérico do colo de rato Wistar: estudo quantitativo, morfométrico e ultraestrutural. [Effects of physical activity in the inicial aging of the myenteric plexus of colon of Wistar rat: quantitative, morphometric and ultraestructural study] 2006. 123f. Tese (Doutorado em Ciências) -Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 2006. O conhecimento de todas as facetas que envolvem o processo de envelhecimento é uma necessidade atual, uma vez que a população idosa vem aumentando em todo mundo. O sistema digestório é um importante alvo das alterações do envelhecimento, sendo a constipação um freqüente distúrbio referido. Por esta razão, estudos sobre os neurônios do plexo mioentérico são necessários. Ainda, sabendo que a atividade física é uma terapêutica indicada para se evitar a constipação, este trabalho teve por objetivos estudar quantitativamente e qualitativamente os efeitos do envelhecimento nos neurônios NADH-e NADPH-diaforase reativos do plexo mioentérico do colo de ratos adultos (GRUPO A) e de meia-idade (GRUPO B), assim como o possível efeito da atividade física (corrida) sobre os neurônios dos animais de meia-idade (GRUPO C). Ainda, a presente pesquisa objetivou verificar as possíveis alterações da camada muscular (circular e longitudinal) do colo, assim como a ultra-estrutura neuronal nos diferentes grupos. Quanto à morfologia, nenhuma alteração neuronal ou no arranjo do plexo foi constatada. Entretanto, uma maior quantidade de colágeno ao redor do gânglio foi verificada nos animais do Grupo B. Alterações quantitativas foram encontradas tanto nos neurônios NADH-d reativos como nos NADPH-d reativos. Ambas populações neuronais tiveram a densidade diminuída com o envelhecimento, sendo significativa (P>0,05) apenas nos neurônios NADPH-d r...

The caudal mesenteric ganglion (CMG) is located ventral to the abdominal aorta involving the initial portion of the caudal mesenteric artery. Its macro and microstructural organization was studied in 40 domestic dogs. From the CMG, there were three nerves: the main hypogastric, the left hypogastric and the right hypogastric. The main hypogastric nerve emits two branches: the left colonic nerve and the cranial rectal nerve. Afterwards they give rise to branches to the descending colon (colonic nerves) and rectum (rectal nerves). The cranial rectal nerve, and left and right hypogastric nerves were directed to the pelvic ganglia. The microscopic study permitted the observation of the histological organization of the CMG, which is a ganglionic complex composed of an agglomeration of ganglionic units. Each ganglionic unit is composed of three major cell types: principal ganglion neurones (PGNs), glial cells and small intensely fluorescent (SIF) cells, and they were separated by nerve fibres, septa of connective tissue (types 1 and 3 collagen fibres), fibroblasts and intraganglionic capillaries. Hence, the ganglionic unit is the morphological support for the microstructural organization of the CMG complex. Further, each ganglionic unit is constituted by a cellular triad (SIF cells, PGN and glial cells), which is the cytological basis for each ganglionic unit.

Certificamos que o Projeto intitulado "Estimativa do número de neurônios ganglionares principais do complexo ganglionar mesentérico caudal em cães domésticos nas liferentes"fasesdodesenvolvimento. QualopapeI daidadeI\QnÚIDero (])eitar-me faz em verdes pastos, guia-me mansamente a águas tranqüifas. 1?ffriBera a minlia afma; ouia-me pefas veredas áa justiça por amor de seu nome.)lindá que eu andasse pelo vafe áa s0m6ra áa morte, não temeria mal afgum, porque tu estás comigo; a tua vara e o teu cajado me consofam. (preparas uma mesa pera1rte mim na presença dos meus ittimigos, u1l{Jesa minlia , ca6eça com ófeo, o meu cálice trans6oráa. Certamente que a 60rufade e a misericórdia me seguirão todos os âuzs de minlia viáa; e 1ia6itarei na casa do Senlior por foneos âuzs.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of regular physical activity on the morphology of the myenteric plexus of the duodenum in rats during the ageing process. To this end, 45 Wistar rats were divided into three groups: C (sedentary - 6 months old), S (sedentary - 12 months old) and T (trained - 12 months old). The animals of group S were given with a physical activity programme consisting of a 10-min-treadmill workout once a week. The animals of group T were submitted to the physical activity programme five times a week. Their duodenums were collected and submitted to the techniques of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)-diaphorase enzyme histochemistry for whole-mount preparations and transmission electron microscopy. No differences in the constitution of the myenteric plexuses were found when the sedentary and trained groups were compared with the control group. The ultrastructural features were similar for the three groups. However, it was verified that the physical activity of the trained animals resulted in a similar myenteric neuron morphology to that of the adult animals (6 months old), thereby confirming its beneficial effect, as the sedentary animals had larger alterations in the collagen fibrils and the basal membrane that occur through ageing. The quantitative analysis showed that the NADH-diaphorase positive neurons decreased with ageing and increased with physical activity (P > 0.05). No significant alteration (P > 0.05) in the neuronal profile area of the NADH-diaphorase positive neurons has been observed with ageing.

ResumoO objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a inervação do músculo diafragma em gatos, proveniente dos nervos intercostais, contradizendo diversos autores que afirmam ser este músculo inervado apenas pelos ramos dos nervos frênicos direito e esquerdo. Foi observado que existe a frequência de nervos dispostos entre o 8º e o 11º espaços intercostais.Palavras-chave: Gato. Diafragma. Nervos intercostais. AbstractThe knowledge of organism's anatomy is essential to conduct any experiment or study with itself. Based on that, we decided to analyze and study in details the innervation of the diaphragm muscle from intercostal nerves in cats. It goes beyond other authors' analysis that describes only the innervation from phrenic nerves. Despite we have got a range of results, we observed a major frequency of eighth to tenth intercostal nerves going to diaphragm muscle.

No abstract