Three-dimensional craniomaxillary characteristics of the mouse with spontaneous malocclusion using micro-computed tomography

The aim of this study was to clarify the morphological characteristics of cranio-maxillary deviations in BALB/c-bm/bm mice with a spontaneous malocclusion (incisal transverse crossbite) using three-dimensional (3D) morphological measurements. Sixty female mice aged 13 and 25 weeks were divided into the following groups: control (BALB/c-+/+ mice, n = 20), Norm (BALB/c-bm/bm mice with a normal occlusion, n = 20), and Mal (BALB/c-bm/bm mice with a malocclusion, n = 20). Various points in the skull were selected and the distances between two points were measured using images of 3D micro-computed tomography (CT). At both ages, the lengths of almost all measurements in the Norm and Mal groups were significantly shorter than those in the control group. Comparison between the shifted and non-shifted sides in the Mal group showed that significant lateral deviation at the maxilla and nasal bone had occurred. Statistically significant differences in measurement values among the three groups were evaluated by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a probability level of P <0.05 considered statistically significant. Using 3D micro-CT images, the results of this study quantitatively showed that the cranio-maxillary complex of BALB/c-bm/bm mice is significantly smaller than that of BALB/c-+/+ mice and that BALB/c-bm/bm mice have a spontaneous transverse crossbite due to lateral deviation of the maxilla and nasal bone

Localization of thrombomodulin in the anterior segment of the human eye. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci.

PURPOSE. To localize thrombomodulin (TM) in the anterior segment of the human eye. TM is a vascular endothelial cell surface glycoprotein that acts as a cofactor for the thrombin-catalyzed activation of the anticoagulant protease zymogen, protein C. METHODS. Immunohistochemical methods were used to detect TM expression in corneal epithelial cells, the lens epithelial cells, and other cells in the anterior segment of the eye. The expression of TM was also examined in cultured human corneal epithelial cells. RESULTS. TM was expressed in corneal epithelial cells, corneal endothelial cells, and nonpigmented ciliary epithelial cells, which are in direct contact with the aqueous humor. TM was also expressed in cultured corneal epithelial cells and showed cofactor activity. The amount of the antigen in the cultured corneal cells was approximately one tenth of that in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, but its specific cofactor activity (75%) was comparable to that of TM in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The trabecular meshwork and endothelial cells lining Schlemm&apos;s canal also showed positive staining for TM. CONCLUSIONS. The TM in the cells that are in contact with the aqueous humor appears to be involved in maintaining the fluidity of the aqueous humor. In contrast, TM in cells that are not in contact with the aqueous humor may function in regulating cell proliferation and/or differentiation. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2000;41:3383-3390) T hrombomodulin (TM) acts as a cofactor for the thrombin-catalyzed activation of protein C and is present on the surface of vascular endothelial cells. 1,2 Activated protein C functions as an anticoagulant and operates by inactivating factors Va and VIIIa that are indispensable for the coagulation system. In addition, the binding of TM to thrombin inhibits fibrinogen clotting