• Applied Microscopy
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.11-23
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• 1999

Ultrastructure of the ependymal cells of X-irradiated rats on their head were studied. Rats weighing $200\sim250gm$ were X-irradiated on their head and neck areas. Total exposures were 3,000 rads or 6,000 rads depending on experimental groups. And irradiated rats were sacrificed on 6 hours, 2 days and 6 days following the radiation exposures. Animals were perfused through the heart with 1% glutaraldehyde-1% paraformaldehyde solution, under ether-anesthesia. The tissues from the wall of lateral ventricles were fixed in the 2% osmium tetroxide solution. The results observed with electron microscope were as follow: 1. In 6 hours group, many ependymal cells were swelled, luminal portions of cytoplasms of some cells protruded into the ventricular lumen, and many cilia were lost or irregularly altered. 2. In 2 days group, ependymal cells were swelled more severely and subependymal edema were pronounced. 3. Protruded cytoplasm contained usually basal bodies of cilia, groups of mitochondria, endoplasmic reticula , etc. 4. Following X-irradiations, some protruded masses contained neural elements including the axon terminals with dense core vesicles. Axons and axon terminals were also found in the enlarged intercellular spaces among ependymal cells. From the above results, the heavy irradiation on the head area of the rat induced alteration of the ependymal cells lining the lateral ventricle. Hence the ependymal functions of selective barrier, protective barrier, and metabolic barrier could be altered following X-irradiation on the head.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1627-1633
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• 2007

c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-interacting protein 1 (JIP1), also known as Islet-brain 1 (IB1), is a scaffold protein that is highly expressed in neurons and pancreatic ${\beta}-cells$. In this study subcellular localization of JIP was investigated in cultured rat hippocampal neurons using an antibody that recognize all variants of JIP1, JIP-2 and JIP-3. The overall expression profile of JIP is punctate throughout soma and dendrites. Statistic analysis showed that $54.8{\pm}4.0%\;and\;94.1{\pm}4.5%$ of total JIP immunopuncta overlapped with those of excitatory postsynaptic markers SD-95 and ${\alpha}Camik$, respectively. In contrast, only $8.6{\pm}0.5%\;and\;7.3{\pm}0.5%$ of JIP clusters overlapped with those of inhibitory postsynaptic markers glycine receptor (GlyR) and gephyrin, respectively. JIP clusters overlapped or juxtaposed with SV2 but not GAD, markers for general and inhibitory nerve terminals, respectively. A substantial fraction $(29.3{\pm}1.0%)$ of flotillin immunopuncta, a marker for lipid rafts, clusters overlapped with those of JIP. In addition, JIP was highly expressed in some select ends of dendrites but minimal in axons. These data suggest important roles of JIP in excitatory postsynaptic sites, lipid rafts and dendritic ends.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.302-310
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• 2023

Background: The most common type of dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD), is marked by the formation of extracellular amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques. The impairments of axons and synapses appear in the process of Aβ plaques formation, and this damage could cause neurodegeneration. We previously reported that non-saponin fraction with rich polysaccharide (NFP) from Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) showed neuroprotective effects in AD. However, precise molecular mechanism of the therapeutic effects of NFP from KRG in AD still remains elusive. Methods: To investigate the therapeutic mechanisms of NFP from KRG on AD, we conducted proteomic analysis for frontal cortex from vehicle-treated wild-type, vehicle-treated 5XFAD mice, and NFP-treated 5XFAD mice by using nano-LC-ESI-MS/MS. Metabolic network analysis was additionally performed as the effects of NFP appeared to be associated with metabolism according to the proteome analysis. Results: Starting from 5,470 proteins, 2,636 proteins were selected for hierarchical clustering analysis, and finally 111 proteins were further selected for protein-protein interaction network analysis. A series of these analyses revealed that proteins associated with synapse and mitochondria might be linked to the therapeutic mechanism of NFP. Subsequent metabolic network analysis via genome-scale metabolic models that represent the three mouse groups showed that there were significant changes in metabolic fluxes of mitochondrial carnitine shuttle pathway and mitochondrial beta-oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Conclusion: Our results suggested that the therapeutic effects of NFP on AD were associated with synaptic- and mitochondrial-related pathways, and they provided targets for further rigorous studies on precise understanding of the molecular mechanism of NFP.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.44-59
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• 1985

The epithelium of the hindgut in the german cockroach, Blattella germanica Linne, was observed with electron microscope. The epithelium of the ileum, which is located at the anterior hindgut, is composed of a single layer of squamous and cuboidal cells. The liminal surface of the epithelium is lined with the cuticular intima. The epithelial cells contain cell organelles expected to be found in absorptive cells, and some epithelial cells have numerous lamelated crystals, the "spherites". The rectal epithelium of posterior hindgut is composed of rectal pads which are covered with cuticular intima on the luminal side. The rectal pads are composed of columnar absorptive cells and basal cells. The apical plasma membrane of columnar cell is made of microvilli, where mitochondria associated with some of the microvilli. The lateral plasma membrane is highly infolded and space is an uniform width of approximately 200$\\AA$. Well developed mitochondria are found closely associated with the infoldings and this is referred to as the "mitochondrial-scalariform complex". A septate junction is found near the apical zone between the columnar absorptive cells, whereas many desmosomes and intercellular spaces are formed between the columnar cells. Basal cells are bowl-shaped where the convex surface is inlaid into the basal surface of the columnar cells while the concave surface faces the basal lamina. The cytoplasm of the basal cell is electron dense and contains well developed cell organelles. The basal sheath is located between the basal membrane and basal lamina, providing barrier between the epithelium and the hemolymph. The epithelium is surrounded by the subepithelial space and muscles. The subepithelial space, which is composed of fibrous connective tissue, is innervated by many tracheoles and axons.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate the distribution and fluorescence intensity of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide immunoreactive (VIP-IR) cells in rat trigeminal ganglion following pulp extirpation of rat mandibular molar. The animals were divided into control group(n=6) and experimental group(n=6). The experimental animals were sacrificed at 14 days after pulp extirpation. The trigeminal ganglion was removed and immersed in the 4% paraformaldehyde in 0.1M phosphate buffer. Serial frozen sections about $20{\mu}m$ in thickness were cut with a cryostat. The immunofluorescence staining was performed. The rabbit anti-VIP(1 : 8,000) was used as primary antibody and fluorescene isothiocynate(FITC) conjugated anti-rabbit IgG(1 : 80) as secondary antibody. The slides were observed under confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Unprocessed optical sections were obtained and stored on a optical disk. Color pictures were printed by a video copy processor. The results were as follows; 1. The positive ratio of VIP-IR cells in mandibular part of trigeminal ganglion were 7.40% in control group and 28.42% in experimental group(14 days after pulp extirpation). 2. The relative fluorescence intensity of VIP-IR cells in mandibular part of trigeminal ganglion were 87.78 in control group and 138.65 in experimental group. The relative fluorescence intensity of experimental group was 58% higher than that of control group. 3. In optical serial section analysis of VIP-IR cells of experimental group, most of the 9 sections showed high fluorescence intensity. At high magnification, axons of the experimental group displayed greater VIP-IR than in the control group, and the positive cells were mainly of medium size. The result indicate that number and fluorescence intensity of VIP-IR cells were increased in the mandibular part of trigeminal ganglion following pulp extirpation of mandibular molar, and it suggests that VIP could play a role in processing of nociception.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.151-157
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• 2008

Trigeminal primary afferents expressing $P2X_3$ or transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) are involved in the transmission of nociceptive information. In order to characterize $P2X_3$- and TRPV1-immunopositive neurons in the trigeminal ganglion (TG) and trigeminal caudal nucleus (Vc), we performed immunofluorescence experiments using anti-$P2X_3$ and anti-TRPV1 antisera and a morphometric analysis. 77.4% (1,401/1.801) of all the $P2X_3$-postive neurons coexpressed TRPV1 and 51.9% (1,401/2,698) of all the THFV1-immunopositive neurons also costained for $P2X_3$ in the TG. Immunoreactivity for both $P2X_3$ and TRPV1 were present in medium-sized neurons but not in small- and large-sized neurons. $P2X_3$ and/or TRPV1-immunopositive fibers were observed in the primary afferents and their associated axons in the Vc. These fibers and terminals were distributed in the superficial lamina of Vc: $P2X_3$-immunopositive fibers and terminals were distributed in the lamina I and II, expecially in the inner part of lamina II (lamina IIi), whereas TRPV1-immunopositive ones were densely detected in the lamina I and outer part of lamina II (lamina IIo). Immunopositive fibers and terminals for both $P2X_3$ and TRPV1 were observed on the border between lamina IIi and IIo. These results suggest that terminals coexpressing $P2X_3$ and TRPV1 are involved in specific roles in the transmission and processing of orofacial nociceptive information.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.145-154
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• 2003

The present study was designed to demonstrate ionic zinc in the rat nasal mucosa by means of zinc selenium autometallography ($ZnSe^{AMG}$). Rats were given sodium selenide either intraperitoneally (i.p) or intranasally (i.n). Prior to the i.n. administration the rats were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium (30 mg/kg, i.p.). A thin plastic tube coupled to a Hamilton syringe was then inserted into the right nostril and $10{\mu}l$ of the solution was instilled. For the i.p. administration non-anesthetized rats were given $100{\mu}l$ of the sodium selenide solution (10 mg/kg). Control rats were instilled with saline. After 2 hrs survival, the rats were anaesthetized and transcardially perfused with 3% glutaraldehyde. The olfactory area was removed and put into same fixative. The nose was then sectioned ($30{\mu}m$) horizontally, autometallography (AMG) was performed according to Danscher et al. (1997). After silver enhancement, fine AMG grains were scattered in the whole length of the olfactory epithelium containing olfactory receptor neurons, sustentacular and basal cells. However, much higher concentration of the AMG grains occupied near the surface and in the basal region of the olfactory epithelium. Both groups of i.p. and i.n. administration showed almost same level in the concentration of the AMG grains. In i.n. group, few AMG grains were also found in olfactory nerves of the lamina propria, suggesting zinc transport into the olfactory bulb via olfactory axons. At the electron microscopic level, the AMG grains were most entirely found in the supporting cells of the olfactory epithelium, and they were mostly localized in lysosome-like organelles. The i.n. group showed various signs of tissue damage of the olfactory mucosa, where dense concentration of AMG grains were localized at crystalloid structures. The present study demonstrated dense population of ionic zinc in the rat olfactory epithelium. zinc may play a role in the olfactory functioin and in the pathogenesis of the neurodegerative disorders affecting nose.