Immunolocalization of steroidogenic enzymes in the vaginal mucous of Galea spixii during the estrous cycle.

BackgroundThe synthesis of sex steroids is controlled by several enzymes such as17α-hydroxylase cytochrome P450 (P450c17) catalyzing androgen synthesis and aromatase cytochrome P450 (P450arom) catalyzing estrogen synthesis, both of which must complex with the redox partner NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CPR) for activity. Previous studies have identified expression of steroidogenic enzymes in vaginal tissue, suggesting local sex steroid synthesis. The current studies investigate P450c17, P450aromatase and CPR expression in vaginal mucosa of Galea spixii (Spix cavy) by immuno-histochemical and western immunoblot analyses.MethodsStages of estrous cyclicity were monitored by vaginal exfoliative cytology. After euthanasia, vaginal tissues were retrieved, fixed and frozen at diestrus, proestrus, estrus and metestrus. The ovaries and testis were used as positive control tissues for immunohistochemistry.ResultsData from cytological study allowed identification of different estrous cycle phases. Immunohistochemical analysis showed different sites of expression of steroidogenic enzymes along with tissue response throughout different phases of the estrous cycle. However, further studies are needed to characterize the derived hormones synthesized by, and the enzymes activities associated with, vaginal tissues.ConclusionCurrent results not only support the expression of enzymes involved in sex steroid synthesis in the wall of the vagina, they also indicate that expression changes with the stage of the cycle, both the levels and types of cells exhibiting expression. Thus, changes in proliferation of vaginal epithelial cells and the differentiation of the mucosa may be influenced by local steroid synthesis as well as circulating androgens and estrogens

Origin and distribuition of sciatic nerves of the Galea

O preá do semiárido nordestino (Galea spixii Wagler, 1831) é um roedor pertencente à família Caviidae. Pouca literatura é encontrada sobre essa espécie em relação a sua morfologia e seu comportamento ambiental e reprodutivo. Com o objetivo de entender a morfologia geral, em foco, na inervação do membro pélvico dessa espécie, neste trabalho, foi explorado o nervo isquiático, o qual é o maior de todos os nervos do organismo. Foram utilizados 10 preás (cinco machos e cinco fêmeas) que vieram a óbito por causas naturais, oriundos do Centro de Multiplicação de Animais Silvestres da Universidade Federal Rural do Semiárido (CEMAS/UFERSA). Os animais foram fixados após o óbito em solução aquosa de formaldeído 10% e, após 48 horas de imersão nessa solução, foram dissecados para exposição do nervo isquiático. Dessa forma, os dados obtidos foram compilados em tabelas e expressos em desenhos esquemáticos e fotografias. Os pares de nervos isquiáticos originaram-se de raízes ventrais de L6L7S1 (70%) e de L7S1S2 (30%) e distribuíram-se pelos músculos glúteo profundo, bíceps femural, semitendinoso e semimembranoso.The Galea of the semi-arid northeast (Galea spixii Wagler, 1831) is a rodent belonging to the family Caviidae. Little literature is found on this species in relation to morphology, environmental and reproductive behavior. With a view to understanding the general morphology, particularly, in the innervation of the pelvic limb of this species, ponder the sciatic nerve, which is the largest of all the nerves of the body. 10 cavies were used (five males, five females) that they had died of natural causes, originating from breeders scientific, legally licensed by IBAMA, the UFRSA, Mossoró, RN. The animals were fixed after the death in an aqueous solution of formaldehyde 10% and after 48 hours of immersion in it, were dissected to expose the sciatic nerve. Thus, the data were compiled in tables and expressed in drawings and photographs. The pairs of sciatic nerves were derived from ventral roots L6L7S1 (70%) and L7S1S2 (30%) and were distributed by the deep gluteal muscles, biceps femural, semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles

Embryonic and Fetal Development in - Pigmy Rice Rat - Oligoryzomys sp (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae) and its Significance for Being a new Experimental Model

Oligoryzomys (Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae) is a common rodent genus from South America that includes a couple of very similar species. Related species have been used as experimental model for understanding several diseases for which these species are reservoirs. In order to provide a better understanding of the embryological aspects of this group, herein we showed data on the embryonic and fetal development in Oligoryzomys sp. Eight specimens of different stages of gestation were obtained from the Collection of the Zoology Museum of University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Gestational ages were estimated by crown-rump-length according to Evans and Sack (1973). To address our analysis after examining the gross morphology, tissues from several organs were processed for light and scanning electron microscopy. Morphological data on the systems (nervous system, cardiorespiratory system, intestinal tract and urogenital system) were described in detail. Finally, the findings were compared with what is known about embryological aspects in other rodent species in order to establish similarities and differences during the organogenesis in different species.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP

ORIGEM E DISTRIBUIÇÃO DA ARTÉRIA CELÍACA EM PREÁS (Galea spixii Wagler, 1831)

Para o estudo foram utilizados 20 animais, que estavam em freezer no Centro de Multiplicação de Animais Silvestres (CEMAS/UFERSA). Os animais foram descongelados, a cavidade abdominal aberta e a aorta torácica canulada no sentido caudal para injeção de solução de látex Neoprene 650 corado de vermelho e, em seguida, fixados em solução de formaldeído a 10%, por um período mínimo de 48 horas, para que pudessem ser dissecados, fotografados e os resultados analisados. A artéria celíaca originou-se da aorta abdominal e emitiu as artérias gástrica esquerda, lienal e esplênica. A artéria gástrica esquerda emitiu de dois a três ramos à região da curvatura menor do estômago. A artéria lienal emitiu quatro ramos ao parênquima do baço, de seis a doze ramos pancreáticos e a artéria gastroepiplóica esquerda. A artéria hepática emitiu de um a dois ramos pancreáticos e bifurcou-se em um curto tronco formado pelas artérias gástrica direita e hepática própria e ainda na artéria gastroduodenal, que originava a pancreaticoduodenal cranial e gastroepiplóica direita. O comportamento de trifurcação da artéria celíaca do preá assemelha-se ao encontrado em roedores, como o nutria, a cutia, o hamster e os ratos, o que sugere que este seja o padrão para a ordem. Palavras-chave: aorta abdominal; aparelho digestório; Galea spixii; roedor; vascularização

Origin of lumbar sacral plexus of rock cavy (Kerondo rupestris)

Rock cavy (Kerondon rupestris) is a rodent of the Brazilian wild fauna, belonging to the cavied family, and to the caviinae under family. In Brazil, this animal is already been raised in captivity with the aim of food supply, to preserve the species and to offer subsidy to the research development concerning to the deeper knowledge of these species. To know the origin and the nerves of the rock cavy (Keredon rupestris) lumbar sacral plexus, supplying indispensable subsidies for the study of the comparative anatomy, especially of the wild mammals, we intended to accomplish this research. Ten adult animals of different ages from the Wild Animals Multiplication Center (CEMAS) of the Superior School of Agriculture of Mossoró (ESAM) were used. The segments were fastened in 10% aqueous solution of formal for 48 hours, followed by dissection in order to expose the nerves by the retreat of the muscles, psoas major and psoas minor, and the results were registered by schematic drawings and photographed images. Differences were observed in the number of lumbar and sacral vertebrae of these animals. The lumbar sacral Plexus presented their ventral roots starting from the last three lumbar nerves and from the first three sacral nerves, corresponding to 80% of the studied animals. The type II (L5,L6,L7,S1, S2 e S3) was the most commonly found (50%) of the between samples. Considered nerves, originated in the plexus, were: femoral, obturatory, ischiatic, cranial gluteus, caudal gluteus and pudendus.O mocó (Keredon rupestris), é um roedor da fauna silvestre brasileira, pertencente à família dos cavídeos, e da subfamília caviinae. No Brasil, o mocó já vem sendo criado em cativeiro com o objetivo de fornecer alimento, manter a espécie e proporcionar o desenvolvimento de pesquisas voltadas ao conhecimento mais aprofundado desta espécie. Nossa pesquisa visa conhecer a origem e os nervos resultantes do plexo lombossacral deste animal, fornecendo subsídios indispensáveis para o estudo da anatomia comparativa, especialmente dos mamíferos Silvestres. Foram utilizados 10 animais adultos de diferentes idades provenientes do Centro de Multiplicação de Animais Silvestres da ESAM (CEMAS-ESAM). Foram fixados em solução aquosa de formal a 10% durante 48 horas, realizou-se dissecação de cada antímero a fim de expor os nervos através da retirada dos músculos psoas maior e psoas menor, cujos resultados foram registrados através de desenhos esquemáticos e imagens fotografadas. Observaram-se variações no número de vértebras lombares e sacrais destes animais, alterando a relação entre os nervos que dão origem ao plexo lombossacral que apresentou três tipos diferentes de constituição. As raízes ventrais originando-se a partir dos três últimos nervos lombares e dos três primeiros nervos sacrais correspondeu a 80% dos exemplares estudados, onde o tipo II (L5,L6L7,S1, S2 e S3). foi o mais comumente encontrado (50%) das amostras. Os nervos considerados originários do plexo foram o Femoral, obturatório, isquiático, glúteo cranial, glúteo caudal e pudendo

PIODERMITE PROFUNDA POR Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis EM CUTIA (Dasyprocta sp.)

As dermatopatias bacterianas representam uma proporção significativa das patologias dos roedores. Todavia, em cutia (Dasyprocta sp.), um roedor de porte médio com distribuição geográfica desde a América Central até a América do Sul, não se conhecem relatos de agentes bacterianos isolados de processos inflamatórios cutâneos. O presente trabalho objetivou a descrição de um caso de piodermite profunda por Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis em uma cutia (Dasyprocta sp.) com histórico de lesão cutânea. Após exame físico, prescreveram-se antibiótico e anti-inflamatório. O tratamento foi interrompido e o animal veio a óbito, sendo encaminhado para necropsia e obtendo-se amostras para cultura bacteriana e exame histopatológico. Os achados de necropsia revelaram alopecia, eritema, celulite, crostas e úlceras, na face ventral da cabeça. A superfície de corte do tegumento mostrou secreção purulenta e caseosa, sendo que a cultura bacteriana isolou o C. pseudotuberculosis. A histopatologia cutânea diagnosticou um quadro de piodermite profunda. Em virtude do reduzido conhecimento das piodermites em cutias (Dasyprocta sp.), tornam-se necessárias maiores investigações sobre a etiopatogenia da doença. PALAVRAS-CHAVES: Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, doença dos roedores, pioderma

Morphological aspects of yolk sac from rodents of hystricomorpha subordem: paca (Agouti paca) and agouti (Dasyprocta aguti)

Este trabalho visou caracterizar macro e microscopicamente o saco vitelino em pacas (Agouti paca) e cutias (Dasyprocta aguti) no início de gestação. Três embriões/fetos de pacas e três de cutias foram utilizados para a análise do saco vitelino, durante as fases iniciais de gestação. Fragmentos do saco vitelino foram removidos do embrião/feto e rotineiramente processados para inclusão em parafina (técnica histológica rotineira) e em resina Spurr (análise ultra-estrutural). Macroscopicamente, a placenta vitelínica em ambas as espécies inseria-se na superfície da placenta principal, com suas margens projetando-se completamente sobre o embrião/fetos. Na microscopia de luz, a placenta vitelínica apresentava-se constituída pelo epitélio endodérmico e um mesenquima com inúmeros vasos vitelínicos. Ultraestruturalmente, a placenta vitelínica visceral da paca era formada por células endodérmicas com núcleos na região mediana e da cutia por núcleos dispostos apicalmente; outra característica foi o grande número de mitocôndrias, vesículas de conteúdo eletrodenso e com microvilosidades. Com base nos resultados concluímos, que (1) a placenta vitelínica das duas espécies apresenta inserção na superfície da placenta principal; (2) a placenta vitelínica de paca se apóia na membrana de Reichert, diferentemente da cutia, que não possui tal membrana; (3) o cório e alantóide apresentam-se fusionados, formando a placenta corioalantoídea; e (4) o saco vitelino em ambas as espécies é invertido e vascularizadoThe study aimed to characterize gross and microscopic features of the yolk sac in paca (Agouti paca) and agouti (Dasyprocta aguti) in early gestation. Fragments of the yolk sac of 3 paca and 3 agouti fetuses at early gestation were taken and processed for histological and ultrastructural analyses. Gross features of the vitelline placenta in both species showed its insertion over the main placenta surface and projections to the embryos/fetuses. Microscopically, the vitelline placenta was constituted by endoderm epithelium and mesenchyme, in which vitelline vessels are abundant. The ultrastructure of the samples showed that the visceral yolk sac of the paca was formed by endodermic cells with nuclei in the median region, and that the visceral yolk sac of the agouti was formed by nuclei arranged apically; other characteristic was the large number of mitochondrias, eletrodense vesicles with microvilosities We conclude that (1) the vitelline placenta of the two species presents insertion in the surface of the main placenta; (2) the vitelline placenta of paca rests on the Reichert's membrane, whereas the agouti vitelline placenta does not have this membrane; (3) the chorion and allantoic are fusioned; and (4) the chorioallantoic placenta and the yolk sac in both species are reversed and vascularize

Morphometric Alteration of Intestinal Epithelium of Rats (Rattus norvegicus) Submitted to the Technique of Enteropexy

Background: Due to the numerous complications that enteropexy may cause in domestic animals and humans, this study aimed at investigating the microscopic level, the damage generated by this technique in mice, in order to investigate the morphometric changes caused by enteropexy technique in rats.Materials, Methods & Results: Eighteen Wistar rats were submitted to surgical technique of enteropexy. To evaluate intestinal disorders they were euthanized at 30 (Group I), 60 (group II) and 90 (group III) days after the procedure. The animals were perfused with 2.5% glutaraldehyde and 4% paraformaldehyde for the removal of intestinal fragments for analysis in conventional microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. In classical histopathology, group I presented mild lesions with necrosis of the epithelium and infiltration of mononuclear cells. After 60 days, extensive ischemic necrosis area was observed, characterized by the denudation of epithelium cells and cellular debris in the lumen surface and loss of intestinal crypts. After 90 days (group III) lesions were evident and were characterized by strong coagulative necrosis of epithelial cells and intestinal crypts. Under electron microscopy, group I showed early fusion of the adjacent intestinal walls. After 60 days there was adherence of luminal stenosis and intestinal walls. In group III loss of epithelium and substitution of necrotic tissue were identified.Discussion: In the current study it was noticed microscopically that the groups had inflammatory reactions to foreign bodies. It is known that the sutures, independent of manufacture, behave as foreign bodies that induce tissue inflammation of the recipient organism and could harm the scar repair. Among the surgical threads, the nylon type (which was chosen for the current experiment) is indicated in the approach tissues in general and bandages, including cardiovascular, ophthalmic and neurological procedures. This category wire induces minimal inflammation of the receptor tissue. In studies of the histopathological analysis of the tissue reactions produced by the wire implant or nylon thread clamp in rats, it was observed that when the local action of two implants were compared, inflammation showed qualitatively similar responses, although they had different characteristics regarding their course. Inflammation is proportional to the proliferation of fibroblasts and the presence of fibrous tissue around the suture. This quote confirms the analyzed samples, in which, in all postoperative times showed inflammatory process, although at different magnitudes. Surgical research in laboratory animals has expanded in recent decades, mainly due to better anesthetic support, the sophistication of infrastructure, material for perioperative continuous monitoring and an incessant search for species that reproduce human morbid conditions. The main focus of these studies have been improving the knowledge about the pathophysiological mechanisms of disease, undertake therapeutic trials with new drugs, studying biomarkers and evaluate new techniques to be applied prospects in man. The most common sites of occurrence of intestinal are ileocolic intussusception junction and jejunojejunal segment. The enteroplication has been used to reduce the occurrence of intussusception, promoting the adhesion of the adjacent serosa layers of intestinal segments and thereby decreasing intestinal motility, their applicability is reported in humans, dogs and cats. The enteropexy technique causes morphological changes in intestinal epithelium of rats, evidenced in conventional and electron microscopy, progress with the passing of time the procedure

Análise histométrica do desenvolvimento testicular de cutias (Dasyprocta aguti) criadas em cativeiros

The testicular development in 31 Agoutis, of the Dasyprocta aguti species, from the birth up to 14 months of age was studied through the histometric analysis. Mid diameter and the mean area, in each testicle, were obtained through 30 crosscuts of the funiculus and/or the seminiferous tubule, by means of a computerized system for image analysis and a Zeiss CPL 10X ocular micrometric device, coupled to an objective lens of 40X. Testicles volume proportions were obtained through the stereometric method, according to Elias, Henning and Schwartz¹. Tubule medium diameter presented a slow growth from the birth to the eight months of age, for both used methodologies. When the ocular micrometric device was used it was observed that, beginning in the ninth month, the tubule diameter had an accelerated growth getting to duplicate its value if compared with the preceded age group. The volume proportion of the testicle cord and the seminiferous tubule grew gradually, reaching its maximum value (86,50%) on the ninth month. The Leydig cells presented a decreasing volume proportion, and their largest values were expressive from the birth up to four months of age (7,00 ± 1,77% to 9,55 ± 0,64%) and a minimum value, starting from nine months, still tending to stabilize. The stroma decreased with the development of age and fall abruptly when the puberty starts. It is concluded that the diameter of the testicles cords and seminiferous tubule presented a larger growth coinciding with the start of puberty and the volume proportion of the Leydig cells was lower in the same period.Foi estudado, por meio da histometria, o desenvolvimento testicular em 31 cutias da espécie Dasyprocta aguti desde o nascimento até 14 meses de idade. O diâmetro e a área, médios, foram obtidos a partir de 30 secções transversais de cordões e/ou túbulos seminíferos, em cada testículo, utilizando-se sistema de computadorizado de analises de imagem e uma ocular micrométrica Zeiss CPL 10X, acoplada a uma objetiva de 40X. As proporções volumétricas do testículo foram obtidas com o método estereométrico, segundo Elias, Henning e Schwartz¹. O diâmetro tubular médio apresentou crescimento lento desde o nascimento até os oito meses de idade, nas duas metodologias empregadas. Quando foi usada a ocular micrométrica observou-se que, a partir de nove meses, o diâmetro tubular teve um crescimento acelerado, chegando a duplicar o seu valor, se comparado com grupo etário que o antecedia. A proporção volumétrica dos cordões testiculares e túbulos seminíferos cresceu gradualmente, atingindo, aos nove meses, seu valor máximo (86,50%). As células de Leydig apresentaram proporção volumétrica decrescente, e seus maiores valores foram expressivos do nascimento até quatro meses de idade (7,00 ± 1,77% a 9,55 ± 0,64%) e mínimos a partir de nove meses, tendendo ainda a uma estabilização. O estroma diminuiu com a evolução da idade caindo bruscamente a partir da puberdade. Conclui-se que o diâmetro dos cordões testiculares e túbulos seminíferos apresentou maior crescimento, coincidindo com o início da puberdade e a proporção volumétrica das células de Leydig encontrou-se, respectivamente, mais alta e mais baixa no mesmo período