Ultrastructural observations in mouse lungs after short term inhalation of cadmium compounds

Chronic environmental or workplace inhalation exposure to Cadmiun (Cd) compounds causes lung cancer, but the effects of acute Cd inhalation are not known. In this study, the acute morphological changes due to short term Cd exposure in lung were investigated by light and transmission electron microscopy. Acute Cd inhalation causes severe lung damage in mice which partly persists after a clean air recovery period. Different Cd compounds evoke different types of morphological changes, Cd oxide causing the earliest and most severe tissue damage

Quantification of proliferation lesions in hamster lungs after chronic exposure to cadmium aerosols

The development of proliferative areas in the lungs of Syrian golden hamsters was studied after chronic inhalation of cadmium oxide, cadmium sulfide, cadmium chloride or cadmium sulfate. Lung tissue from randomly selected animals in each group was evaluated by morphometric histopathologic techniques. Estimation of the volumetric ratio of proliferative areas within the lungs of exposed animals showed significantly different extents of these lesions in dependence on the espective cadmium compound administered. The most severe changes were observed after inhalation of cadmium oxide and cadmium sulfide. Lesions were mainly found in the peribronchial region of the lung. Electron microscopic analysis of these proliferative areas revealed that they were composed of ciliated and Clara cells. From its histophatologic appearance this type of lesion was qualitatively comparable in all hamsters which had been treated with the different cadmium compounds

Characterization of separated gastric mucosal cells

The gastric mucosa is composed of highly differentiated cells, specialized to produce acid, pepsinogen, mucous, and hormones. More knowledge about the biochemistry of each cell type is required for a better understanding of gastric function, restitution, and regeneration. Gastric mucosa cells were isolated from male guinea pigs by treatment of mucosal scrapings with collagenase/pyronase. Cells were seperated by zonal elutriation into 4 different fractions. In conclusion, the good viability of these cells and their ability to grow in culture makes them suitable for future studies on cell adherence, migration and proliferation