A Comparative Ultrastructural Study of Chondrosarcoma, Chordoid Sarcoma, and Chordoma

A morphologic and electron microscopic study was made of two chordoid sarcomas. These lesions were compared with two classical chondrosarcomas and two chordomas. These chondrosarcoma cells showed many features common to chondrocytes, such as abundant RER, well-developed Golgi complexes, and microvillous cytoplasmatic membranes. The chordoid sarcomas bore a close morphologic resemblance to the chordomas but the ultrastructural features revealed a close relationship to the chondrosarcomas. The chordoid sarcoma and chondrosarcoma cells had scalloped cytoplasmatic membranes, variable amounts of glycogen, round or oval nuclei and microfibrils, collagen, and electron-dense granules in the ground substance. The chordoma was characterized by the presence of stellate and physalipherous cells, as well as many transitional cells, with varying nuclear morphology; dilated and irregular RER in contact with mitochondria and morphologically varied vacuoles are the main features in the cytoplasm. This study suggests that chordoid sarcoma represents a variety of the chondrosarcoma rather than a form of chordoma. These findings also support the suggestion of Weiss that chordoid sarcoma is an extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcom

Sarcoma cordoide de fémur. Estudio a microscopio óptico y electrónico de un caso

Areas of chordoma and chondrosarcoma have been reported extensively in the same tumoral mass located in espheno-palatine region. The same association in long bones of the extremities have been reported recently, with the name of "chordoide sarcoma", "parachordoma" or "chondroid chordoma". We present a case of "chordoid sarcoma". The cells of this tumor have morphologic features of chordoma and chondrosarcoma in both the optical and ultrastructural study. However some morphological, radiological and clinical aspects, suggest that this tumor possesses characteristics that define it as a separate entity

Decreased anion exchanger 2 immunoreactivity in the liver of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis

Chloride-bicarbonate anion exchanger 2 (AE2) is expressed in a variety of tissues, including the liver and salivary glands, where it may participate in the generation of hydroionic fluxes into secretions. We have previously reported decreased hepatic levels of AE2 messenger RNA in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), a cholestatic condition frequently associated with pluriglandular exocrine failure. Here we investigated the expression of AE2 protein in the liver of PBC patients. Using a monoclonal antibody against an AE2 peptide, immunohistochemistry was performed on liver biopsy specimens from subjects with normal liver (n = 7), patients with PBC (n = 13), and patients with cirrhosis or cholestasis other than PBC (n = 17 and 11, respectively). Immunostaining was graded from 0 to 7, according to its intensity and distribution. AE2 immunoreactivity was observed in normal livers, as previously reported, and in many pathological liver biopsy specimens, being mainly restricted to canaliculi and the luminal membrane of terminal and interlobular bile ducts. Canalicular and ductular scores were significantly reduced in the PBC group compared with each control group (normal liver and cirrhosis or cholestasis other than PBC), whereas no differences in immunoreactivity scores were observed among control groups. When four patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) were analyzed, they also differed from those with PBC. These results suggest that PBC is characterized by diminished expression of AE2 in the liver. Reduced levels of this transporter protein might be involved in the pathogenesis of cholestasis in PBC

Sarcoma cordoide de fémur. Estudio a microscopio óptico y electrónico de un caso

Areas of chordoma and chondrosarcoma have been reported extensively in the same tumoral mass located in espheno-palatine region. The same association in long bones of the extremities have been reported recently, with the name of "chordoide sarcoma", "parachordoma" or "chondroid chordoma". We present a case of "chordoid sarcoma". The cells of this tumor have morphologic features of chordoma and chondrosarcoma in both the optical and ultrastructural study. However some morphological, radiological and clinical aspects, suggest that this tumor possesses characteristics that define it as a separate entity

Anion exchanger immunoreactivity in human salivary glands in health and Sjögren's syndrome

Salivary gland ducts play a relevant role in saliva secretion through transport processes. Na(+)-independent chloride-bicarbonate anion exchangers (AE) may be involved in these processes by generating ion fluxes into the salivary secretion. In Sjögren's syndrome, a disorder with gland dysfunction, there might be an impaired expression of AE proteins. Here we study AE immunoreactivities in human salivary glands, both in health and in Sjögren's syndrome. Immunohistochemistry was carried out on salivary glands from normal subjects and patients with Sjögren's syndrome, using two monoclonal antibodies against AE1 and AE2. Normal salivary glands showed AE2 immunoreactivity, which was restricted to the epithelium of the ducts, with no staining at the acini. A strong positivity was seen in the basolateral portion of the striated ducts, while interlobular duct cells showed a discrete positivity at their apical pole. In salivary glands from most of the patients with Sjögren's syndrome, AE2 immunoreactivity was absent in the ducts as well as in the acini. In both normal and diseased salivary glands, AE1 immunoreactivity was only located at the erythrocyte membrane. The recently reported AE0 was discarded because no AE0 message was found in salivary glands by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. In conclusion, AE2 immunoreactivity is observed in the ducts of normal salivary glands, particularly in the striated ducts. AE2 immunoreactivity is virtually absent in salivary glands from patients with Sjögren's syndrome, which may reflect either a loss of AE2 after inflammatory atrophy, or a primary defect occurring in the disease

Distribution of peptidyl-glycine alpha-amidating mono-oxygenase (PAM) enzymes in normal human lung and in lung epithelial tumors

C-terminal alpha-amidation is a post-translational modification necessary for the biological activity of many regulatory peptides produced in the respiratory tract. This modification is a two-step process catalyzed by two separate enzyme activities, both derived from the peptidyl-glycine alpha-amidating mono-oxygenase (PAM) precursor. The distribution of these two enzymes, peptidyl-glycine alpha-hydroxylating monoxygenase (PHM) and peptidyl-alpha-hydroxyglycine a amidating lyase (PAL), was studied in the normal lung and in lung tumors using immunocytochemical methods and in situ hybridization. In normal lung the enzymes were located in some cells of the airway epithelium and glands, the endothelium of blood vessels, some chondrocytes of the bronchial cartilage, the alveolar macrophages, smooth muscle cells, neurons of the intrinsic ganglia, and in myelinated nerves. A total of 24 lung tumors of seven different histological types were studied. All cases contained PAM-immunoreactive cells with various patterns of distribution. All immunoreactive cells were positive for the PHM antiserum but only some of them for the PAL antiserum. The distribution of PAM co-localizes with some other previously described amidated peptides, suggesting that amidation is an important physiological process taking place in the normal and malignant human lung tissue

Osmoregulatory-like mitochondria-rich cells in the developing pancreatic ducts of young anuran tadpoles

Pancreatic ducts of young posthatching Rana temporaria tadpoles are the main component of the developing pancreas. At this stage (free-swimming tadpoles with internal gills), duct cells display a high degree of development of basal and lateral outfoldings of the cell membrane with extensive interdigitation, and numerous mitochondria are present throughout the cytoplasm. Wide intercellular spaces also exist, sometimes forming canaliculi-like structures. Since these traits are characteristic of cells engaged in osmotic regulation, we suggest the possibility that this temporary duct system participates in such control. Duct cells in tadpoles with well-developed hindlegs have diminished interdigitation, and mitochondria are localized apically

Development of the endocrine pancreas during larval phases of Rana temporaria. An immunocytochemical and ultrastructural study

The pancreatic endocrine component was studied at different stages of development in the tadpoles of Rana temporaria. The material was embedded in Epon, and serial semithin and thin sections were made in order to correlate ultrastructural features and tinctorial traits of the endocrine cells. Serial semithin sections were also stained with the peroxidase-antiperoxidase immunocytochemical method and with silver impregnations for argyrophilia and argentaffinity. In early larvae (legless tadpoles). A and B cells are present. Both can be found within ducts and exocrine tissue or, more frequently, in cellular clusters among the ducts and acini. These primitive islets are solid structures, surrounded but not penetrated by capillaries. Mitoses were observed in A and B cells. In the following phase (tadpoles with hindlegs), D and pancreatic polypeptide-immunoreactive cells are also present, as well as numerous endocrine cells scattered among exocrine tissue. There is also a change in the vascular-insular pattern: capillaries not only surround but also penetrate the endocrine group. The structure of the endocrine pancreas in older tadpoles is similar. Tinctorial traits and ultrastructural features of endocrine cells are described, and the origin of primitive islets is discussed

DUNE Offline Computing Conceptual Design Report

This document describes Offline Software and Computing for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) experiment, in particular, the conceptual design of the offline computing needed to accomplish its physics goals. Our emphasis in this document is the development of the computing infrastructure needed to acquire, catalog, reconstruct, simulate and analyze the data from the DUNE experiment and its prototypes. In this effort, we concentrate on developing the tools and systems thatfacilitate the development and deployment of advanced algorithms. Rather than prescribing particular algorithms, our goal is to provide resources that are flexible and accessible enough to support creative software solutions as HEP computing evolves and to provide computing that achieves the physics goals of the DUNE experiment

DUNE Offline Computing Conceptual Design Report

International audienceThis document describes Offline Software and Computing for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) experiment, in particular, the conceptual design of the offline computing needed to accomplish its physics goals. Our emphasis in this document is the development of the computing infrastructure needed to acquire, catalog, reconstruct, simulate and analyze the data from the DUNE experiment and its prototypes. In this effort, we concentrate on developing the tools and systems thatfacilitate the development and deployment of advanced algorithms. Rather than prescribing particular algorithms, our goal is to provide resources that are flexible and accessible enough to support creative software solutions as HEP computing evolves and to provide computing that achieves the physics goals of the DUNE experiment