Anatomical Sciences Journal
Year:2004 | Volume:2 | Issue:3|Papers Count:10

Purpose: The limited availability of donor sites for nerve grafts continues to stimulate research toward finding suitable alternatives.Material and Methods: In the following study, the effects of direct administration of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), Insulin - Like Growth Factor - I (IGF-I) , or / and collagen gel into Polyvinylidene Fluride (PVDF) gap was tested in a rat sciatic nerve model. A 1-cm segment of the left, sciatic nerve in Sprague-Dawely rats was resected, and the gap was then bridged using the following methods: Group I (NGF+ IGF-I, n=12): a PVDF tube filled with NGF (100ng) and IGF-I (100ng) in 0.3ml phosphate buffered saline or PBS; Group II (collagen gel, n=12): a PVDF tube filled with collagen gel (diluted at 1.28 mg/ml in PBS); Group III (NGF+ IGF-I +Collagen gel, n=12): a PVDF filled with NGF (100ng), IGF-I (100ng) and Collagen gel (1.28 mg/ml) in PBS; Group IV (Autograft ,n=12); and Group V (sham operation, n-12). All the animals were evaluated at 7, 21, 35, 49, 60 and 90 days after operation by sensory testing and Sciatic Functional Index (SFI) and at 90 days by electrophysiological testing.Results: At 35 days, sensory testing showed that latency to a noxious stimulus in Group III (5.86±2.1, sec) was significantly lower than that in Group I (9.24±2.7, sec) and Group 11(1l.98±3.11, sec) , which indicated that sensory recovery was superior in the rats receiving NGF, IGF-I and collagen gel (P<0.005). The mean latency of rats in Group IV was 7.47±2.21 sec, but the difference between the latencies of Groups III and IV did not reach statistical significance. At 90days, there was no difference in sensory testing between the groups. SFI in groups III (-66±5.6) and IV (-68.1±6.1) was superior to that in Groups I (-73.1±8.9) and II (74.8±7.11) at 60 days after operation (P<0.001). Mean Motor Nerve Conduction Velocities (MNCV) were 24±1.63m/sec, 19.7±4.3m/sec, 32±4.47 m/sec and 29.6±5.07m/sec in groups I, II, III, and IV, respectively. The difference between groups I, III and IV was not statistically significant, but the MNCV of group 11was significantly lower than that of group III and IV (P<0.002).Conclusion: The positive effects of NGF, IGF-I and collagen gel on the regeneration of nerve through a PVDF channel seen in this study suggest that it may be useful for the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries.

Purpose: Skin is continuously exposed to many hazardous environmental factors such as ultraviolet radiation (UV). Many investigations have been shown to cause skin damages. The aim of present research was to study the effect of a single time of UVB radiation on the expression pattern of keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) gene in mice.Materials and Methods: UVB (30 mJ/cm2 and 50 mJ/cm2) were radiated to the dorsum skin of two experimental groups of 30 Balb/C mice one time respectively. Skin samples were extracted from the mice three steps immediately after UVB exposure, two hours afte UBV exposure, and six hours UVB exposur. There were not any differences between experimental and control (n:15) groups in expection of UVB radiation, RNA of the skin samples were extracted and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested PCR successively were used to amplify the KGF gene. Gene expression was revealed using agarose gel electerophorsis of products and were observed by a UV transilluminator instrument. Data were analysed with Fisher exact test method.Results: The specific amplified DNA band of KGF gene were observed in all samples of conrol group, but there were not the band in any samples of experimental groups.Conclusion: It seems that one time UVB radiation with 30 mJ/cm2 and 50 mJ/cm2 doses could abolish KGF gene expression in mice.

Purpose: Embryonic stem (ES) cells are derived from the inner cell mass of blastocysts with self-renewal and pluripotency characteristics. These cells have potential for studies of in vitro differentiation, gene function, etc. This study was, therefore, initiated to establish new ES lines and evaluate the effects of strain on ES cell production.Materials and Methods: 3-5 day blastocysts were recovered from BALB/C, C57BL/6, NMRI and/or hybrid of NMRI (male) and BALB/C (female). The inner cell masses were cultured in embryonic stem cell medium, supplemented with 5000iu/m1 leukemia inhibitor factor (UF).The established lines were evaluated by morphology, passaging, freezing and thawing, alkaline phosphatase, Oct-4 expression, karyotype and spontaneous differentiation.Results: One and two ES cell lines were derived from 260 blastocysts of BALB/C and 70 blastocysts of hybrid of NMRI/BALB/C, respectively. The lines remained undifferentiated in morphology during continuous passaging, maintained a normal XY karyotype and expressed alkaline phosphatase and Oct-4.These cells differentiated in vitro in the absence of a feeder layer and UF, and they produced embryoid bodies that could further differentiate into beating cardiomyocytes as well as neurons.Conclusion: These data, in addition to showing the establishment of 3 new ES cell lines, demonstrated that the efficiency of the ES establishment was more in the hybrids (NRMI, BALB/C) than the inbred (BALB/C) strains.

Purpose: This study was carried out to isolate mesenchymal stem cells from full-term cord blood and to differentiate these cells into osteoblastic cells.Materials and Methods: It this study, mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from cord blood and expanded by being cultured in the flask several times. First, the cord blood monoeuc1earcells were separated by ficoll - Hypac before they were cultured in culture media; the medium was exchanged every week Next, the adherent cells were collected and expanded. The cord- blood mesenchymal stem cells were differentiated into osteoblastic cells by dexamethasone, ascorbic acid and b-glycerol phosphate. Results: The expanded cells were similar to fibroblastic cells, and alkaline phosphates activity was low. These cells were differentiated after 12 days' induction and showed an enhanced activity in alkaline phosphates.Conclusion: The results showed that cord-blood mesenchymal stem cells could be a substitution source for bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells and that they could be used in researches and clinical studies.  

Purpose: In view of the fact that the reported prevalence of cavum septi pellucidi (CSP) in normal adult human brains varies enormously from 0.1% to 87.5% and that this prevalence has not been yet studied in Iran, this study was designed to determine the prevalence and length of CSP in normal adult human brains using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Materials and Methods: 29 healthy volunteers (21 males, 8 females) between the ages 17-65 (36.52æ 12.66) were included in this study after verification of their health through - general health questionnaires (GHQ-28). All the subjects underwent a 3-D brain MRI of full coronal series, 1.5 mm slices without interslice gaps. CSP was assessed by counting the number of slices containing CSP (n). The length of CSP was calculated by multiplying the number of slices containing CSP (n) by the thickness of slices (1.5 mm). The cavum septi pellucidi was categorized in two ways. In the first classification, CSP was considered as normal if n=1-3 and as abnormal if nA4 (the length of cavity A6 mm). In the second classification, CSP was categorized as small if n=1-2 and as large if nA4. Finally, the data were analyzed by Fisher's exact test and Spearman's Rho test.Results: This study showed that the CSP was present in 62.1% of normal adult human brains. In 72.2% of the normal adults who had CSP, the size of the cavity was normal and in the other 27.8%, the CSP was abnormal. If n=3 was omitted from the study, in 68.8% of the normal adults who had CSP, the size of the cavity was small and in the other 31.3%, the CSP was large. Although the normal females had a greater prevalence of CSP (75%) than the normal males (47.6%), the difference was not significant. The prevalence of abnormal and large CSP was similar between two sexes. There was no correlation between the age and prevalence of CSP or its size.Conclusion: The CSP is a congenital brain anomaly in more than half of the normal adult population. In most normal adult people, the length of the cavity is less than 6mmand limited to the anterior part (near the genu of corpus callosum).

Purpose: Sulfur mustard (SM), a highly toxic chemical warfare, primarily targets the skin, eye and respiratory tract. Respiratory tract lesions are the most disabling consequences. Mast cells, containing special granules that store histamine and heparin, release leukotrienes. It is known that the surface of mast cells contains specific receptors for 19B. Therefore, mast cells promote allergic reactions when exposed to such chemical compounds as SM. The aim of this study was to evaluate the number of mast cells in the lamina propria of the pleura's visceral layer in the rat lung. Material and Methods: In this study, 30 NMRI male rats weighting 200æ30 grams were randomly divided into 5groups. One group received PBS+DMSO as a solvent by intraperitoneal (IP) injection (sham group), while the other group, i.e., the control group, did not receive any injection. The other three experiment groups received different doses of sulfur mustard (2.5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) by IP injection. Forty-eight hours after injection, the animals were killed, and samples were taken from the lung tissue before being fixed in buffer formalin 10% for 24 hours.The samples were then dehydrated and embedded in paraffin. The paraffin blocks were serially sectioned at 5 micrometer thicknesses and were then stained by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) toluidine blue and vangison methods.Results: Histological examination and cell counting data revealed that there was insignificant difference in the number of mast cells between the sham and control groups. The results also showed the number of mast cells in the 2.5mg/kg SM group was significantly smaller in comparison with that in the sham and control groups (P<0.016).In addition, the number of mast cells in the 10 and 20 mg/kg SM groups was more significant when compared to that in the sham and control groups (P<0.01).Conclusion: Sulfur mustard seems to have toxic effects in promoting the aggregation of mast cells in the lung tissue.

Purpose: To determine the inhibitory effects of eugenol on cytotoxic activities of retinoic acid in the liver tissue of the NMRI mouse.Materials and Methods: In this study, pregnant mice were administered by a single oral dose of 100 mg/kg eugenol from 5th to 10th days of pregnancy and also a single oral dose of 60 mg/kg RA at the day 10 of gestation. Pregnant females were sacrificed at the day 18 of gestation; the liver of the all the animals were studied by morphometric methods and examined for histological studies (H&E).Results: The results showed that eugenol had caused adjustment of the cell perimeter, cell area and polyploidy nuclear area of the liver cells, as well as reduction of nuclear area and maximum sinusoid diameter toward normal.Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that simultaneous administration of eugenol in certain doses caused the inhibition of retinoic acid activities, thereby enabling liver cells to remain in normal conditions.

Latissimus Dorsi is a Hat and triangular muscle that covers the lumbar region and the inferior part of the thorax.The innervation of this muscle is from the thoracodorsal nerve (C6, C7, CS), a branch of posterior cord of the brachial plexus. This report deals with the dissection of the axillary region of a male cadaver. In this cadaver, we observed a muscular axillary arch which was innervated by a single nerve branch of the pectoral loop.