Bullous pemphigoid blister fluid (BP-BF) was examined for its effects on the density, morphology, and biological properties of eosinophils. Normodense eosinophils (NEo) were prepared from guinea pig peritoneal exudates by Nycodenz density gradient centrifugation. After culturing with BP-BF, NEo were converted into hypodense eosinophils (HEo) in a time-dependent manner. HEo were morphologically different from NEo in that HEo had spheroidal granules each with a lytic crystalloid core and a significantly increased cell volume. These HEo showed an enhanced antibody- and/or complement-dependent helminthotoxic activity to Schistosoma mansoni larvae, amplified chemiluminescence response to opsonized zymosan, and augmented expression of both FcR+ and CR+. These results suggest that BP-BF contains an activity that may not only induce an eosinophil hypodensity as a consequence of increasing cell volume, but simultaneously enhance an eosinophil cytotoxic potential through augmenting cell-surface receptors and receptor-linked oxidative metabolism. In addition, observed tissue accumulation of this activity suggests that eosinophils may be regulated by their phenotypic change in the skin lesions of bullous pemphigoid and be involved in blister formation.

We present a case of junctional epidermolysis bullosa (EB) associated with urethral tract involvement. He was a 27-year-old man who had symblepharon of the right eye, hoarseness and urethral stricture in addition to generalized blister formation. Ultrastructural examination of a biopsy skin specimen demonstrated the characteristic morphology of junctional epidermolysis, a form of EB that has not been previously associated with urethral stricture.

The effect of ketotifen on density distribution of eosinophils in patients with atopic dermatitis Density analysis and ultrastructural observation were performed on eosinophils from patients with atopic dermatitis (AD).

The cytoplasmic sialomucin in Paget cells of extramammary Paget's disease was examined by means of a battery of histochemical techniques. The staining methods used involved an electrolyte--Alcian Blue (pH 5.8), periodic acid--Schiff and azure A at selected pH levels. Methylation, saponification, borohydride reduction, acid hydrolysis, and digestion with diastase, neuraminidase (Vibrio cholerae) or chondroitinase ABC, were also employed. The cytoplasmic mucin was found to exhibit positive reaction for the above staining which were variously altered by the chemical modification procedures and diminished in intensity or abolished by digestion with neuraminidase. These results suggest that the cytoplasmic mucin is sialomucin without side-chain substituent in extramammary Paget's disease located in axillary or genital area, and with a substituent at C7 in the disease located in perianal area.

A method is described for the isolation of highly purified peritoneal eosinophils from the polymyxin B-treated guinea pigs on density gradients of Nycodenz, a new non-iodinated gradient medium. After more than 8 weeks of polymyxin B injection into the peritoneal cavity, eosinophils comprized about 50% of the exudative cells (1 x 10" cells/animal). The rest of the collected cells were composed of mononuclear cells but no neutrophils were found. Four visible cell bands were fractionated by centrifugation through Nycodenz solutions. Eosinophils more than 98% pure were recovered at the density interface between 1.088 and 1.098 glml (band 4). The recovery rate was 45 to 80°/0. This separation technique did not affect the morphology, viability or metabolic capacities of the cells.