Browsing by Subject "Confocal microscope"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Altered Cx43 expression during myocardial adaptation to acute and chronic volume overloading
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 2003) Formigli, L.; Ibba-Manneschi, L.; Perna, A.M.; Pacini, A.; Polidori, L.; Nediani, C.; Modesti, P.A.; Nosi, Daniele; Tani, A.; Celli, A.; Neri-Serneri, G.G.; Quercioli, F.; Zecchi-Orlandini, S.
    Gap-junctions are specialized regions of intercellular contacts allowing electrical impulse propagation among adjacent cardiomyocytes. Connexin43 (Cx43) is the predominant gap-junction protein in the working ventricular myocardium and its reduced expression has been extensively implicated in the genesis of conduction abnormalities and re-entry arrhythmia of chronically hypertrophied hearts. In contrast, data on the role played by this protein during cardiac remodeling and early phases of developing hypertrophy are lacking. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated this issue using an experimental model of pig left ventricle (LV) volume overloading consisting in the creation of an aorto-cava fistula. At scheduled times (6, 24, 48, 96, 168 h, and 2, 3 months after surgery) echocardiographic and haemodynamic measurements were performed and myocardial biopsies were taken for the morphological and biochemical analyses. When faced with the increased load, pig myocardium underwent an initial period (from 6 up to 48 h) of remarkable tissue remodeling consisting in the occurrence of cardiomyocyte damage and apoptosis. After that time, the tissue developed a hypertrophic response that was associated with early dynamic changes (up-regulation) in Cx43 protein expression, as demonstrated by Western blot and confocal immunofluorescence analyses. However, an initial transient increase of this protein was also found after 6 h from surgery. With the progression of LV hypertrophy (from 168 hr up to 3 months), a reduction in the myocardial Cx43 expression was, instead, observed. The increased expression of Cx43 protein during acute hypertrophic response was associated with a corresponding increase in the levels of its specific mRNA, as detected by RT-PCR. We concluded that upregulation of Cx43 gap-junction protein could represent an immediate compensatory response to support the new working conditions in the early stages of ventricular overloading.
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    Do adhesion molecules importantly regulate leukocyte kinetics within intraacinar microvessels of the lung.
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 1998) Yamaguchi, K.; Nishio, K.; Aoki, T.; Suzuki, Y.; Sato, N.; Takeshita, K.; Kudo, H.
    Precise assessment of blood cell kinetics in the pulmonary microcirculation is extremely difficult because pulmonary microvascular architecture contains arterioles, venules and capillaries in an exceedingly intricate and densely convoluted fashion. Conventional epiluminescence microscopy may not be suitable for investigation of blood cell kinetics in the pulmonary microcirculation, in which arterioles, venules and capillary networks are not located in the same plane. To overcome these impediments, we recently developed a real-time confocal laser luminescence microscope with a high-speed analysis component having the capacity to yield confocal-images of rapidly moving cells at a rate of 1,000 frameslsec and at sufficiently high magnification. In the current review, we will first introduce the details of our newly developed observation system constructed with a view to estimation of blood cell dynamics in the intraacinar microcirculation of the lung. Applying this novel method to isolated perfused rat lungs, we will secondly address the issue of whether or not leukocyte-endothelium interactions in the pulmonary microcirculation qualitatively differ from those serving in the systemic microcirculation. We will particularly shed light on possible roles of endothelial ICAM-1, endothelial P-selectin and leukocyte L-selectin in distorting leukocyte kinetics in the intraacinar microvessels under a variety of diseased conditions, including prolonged exposure to a hyperoxic environment inducing a significant upregulation of ICAM-1 as well as P-selectin on the pulmonary microvascular endothelium, and stimulation of leukocytes by an IL-8 analog causing downregulation of leukocyte L-selectin but inverse upregulation of CD18-related integrins.
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    In situ visualization of o-phthalate esters in gastrointestinal tract of the frog Rana esculenta
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 2003) Menghi, Giovanna; Marchetti, L.; Sabbieti, M.G.; Menghi, M.; Materazzi, S.
    The regional distribution and relative occurrence of phthalates were studied immunohistochemically by confocal laser scanning microscopy in the alimentary tract of the green frog, Rana esculenta, using an antibody against o-phthalate esters. Many positive sites indicating the basal presence of phthalate esters were identified. The immunoreactive cells were located in the gastric glands of the stomach and in the intestinal epithelium regions with variable frequencies. The regional distribution of phathalate-accumulating cells resembled that of fish and demonstrated that these endocrine disruptors not only enter via the alimentary canal, but also bioaccumulate inside cells specialized in secretion as well as absorption functions.