• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.251-259
• /
• 2008

The plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate(DEHP) is one of the most well known endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) because of its strong anti-androgenic effects on the reproductive and developmental process in male rodents and human. The present study was performed to examine whether prepubertal exposure to DEHP can make any alteration during the maturation of accessory sex organs in male rats. As a result, there was no significant change in body weights, serum T levels and tissue weights except of seminal vesicle and ventral prostate in DEHP-treated animals compared to vehicle-treated ones. The seminal vesicle weights in high-dose group (200 mg/kg) were significantly lower than those from the control group (p<0.05), and ventral prostate weights were significantly lower than those from the control group (p<0.05) in both low-dose (20 mg/kg) and high-dose group. Histological studies revealed that the seminal vesicles from DEHP-treated groups showed reduced areas of mucosal folds. Pseudostratified columnar epithelia were observed in the ventral prostates of DEHP-treated samples while cuboidal epithelia were found in the control group. The transcriptional activities of ER-$\alpha$ in seminal vesicle from high-dose group (p<0.05) were significantly higher than those from the control group, and ER-$\beta$ expression was significantly decreased in low-dose group (p<0.05) compared to the control. In ventral prostate, ER-$\beta$ mRNA levels from low-dose group (p<0.05) were significantly lower than those from the control group, and significantly increased in high-dose group (p<0.01). AR expressions, however, were not significantly different in all experimental groups of both seminal vesicle and ventral prostate. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that (i) adverse effect (s) of DEHP on sexual maturation during prepubertal period could be limited, (ii) seminal vesicle and prostate gland were sensitive targets to DEHP in prepubertal rats and (iii) the deleterious effects of DEHP might be mediated through ER-associated mechanism.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.371-375
• /
• 2013

An 11 year-old intact female Yorkshire Terrier weighing 3.5 kg was presented with the complain of having a perineal mass, fecal incontinence and tenesmus. Physical examination revealed reducible bilateral ventral perineal mass, enlarged mammary gland and vaginal discharge. Bilateral ventral perineal hernia (BVPH) and pyometra were diagnosed based on the clinical and radiographic findings. Ovariohysterectomy was performed after general anaesthesia to treat pyometra. The BVPH was repaired by herniorrhaphy with semitendinosus muscle transposition along with colopexy and cystopexy. The postoperative radiographs and CT revealed a good correction of the BVPH. The patient showed good activity after 10 days and no complications were observed during a one year follow up period. BVPH can be successfully surgically managed by herniorrhaphy with semitendinosus muscle transposition along with cystopexy and colopexy in the dog.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.104-112
• /
• 2023

The change in the position of the abdominal organs due to movement by respiration is one of the reasons behind inaccurate irradiation of organs during radiotherapy (RT). Although studies in human medicine have revealed on the respiratory movements of abdominal organs, there is little information and no reference data for dogs. The purpose of this study was to establish the reference values of abdominal organs movement in various postures using computed tomography (CT), and to compare the movements of organs between dorsal recumbency and ventral, right and left lateral recumbency during respiration. CT images for kidney, adrenal gland, medial iliac lymph node, urinary bladder, gallbladder, liver, stomach, and thoracic and lumbar vertebral body of five beagle dogs were acquired. The movements of organs were evaluated by comparing the end-expiratory and end-inspiratory images. Movements of the organs were evaluated by dividing it into right-to-left, dorsal-to-ventral, and cranial-to-caudal directions. The movements of abdominal organs according to the change in postures and respiration were establish. The movement of the bilateral organs was the least when the organs were in the downward position (p < 0.017). The movement of cranial-to-caudal direction was greater than the movement of the other directions in most of the organs. Data obtained in this study may be useful in selecting the appropriate posture that can reduce the movements of organs to be treated with RT, and the data could be useful for setting the planning target volume to consider the movements of the abdominal organs by respiration.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.47-52
• /
• 2003

The prostate gland contains numerous neuroendocrine cells that are believed to influence the function of the prostate gland. Our recent study demonstrated the expression of both ${\alpha}1$- and ${\alpha}2$-ARs, signaling the release of stored $Ca^{2+}$ and the inhibition of N-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels, respectively, in rat prostate neuroendocrine cells (RPNECs). In this study, the effects of NA on the resting membrane potential (RMP) of RPNECs were investigated using a whole-cell patch clamp method. Fresh RPNECs were dissociated from the ventral lobe of rat prostate and identified from its characteristic shape; round or oval shape with dark cytoplasm. Under zero-current clamp conditions with KCl pipette solution, the resting membrane potential (RMP) of RPNECs was between -35 mV and -85 mV. In those RPNECs with relatively hyperpolarized RMP (＜-60 mV), the application of noradrenaline (NA, $1{\mu}M$) depolarized the membrane to around -40 mV. In contrast, the RPNECs with relatively depolarized RMP (＞-45 mV) showed a transient hyperpolarization and subsequent fluctuation at around -40 mV on application of NA. Under voltage clamp conditions (holding voltage, -40 mV) with CsCl pipette solution, NA evoked a slight inward current (＜-20 pA). NA induced a sharp increase of cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_c$), measured by the fura-2 fluorescence, and the voltage clamp study showed the presence of charybdotoxin-sensitive $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ currents. In summary, adrenergic stimulation induced either depolarization or hyperpolarization of RPNECs, depending on the initial level of RMP. The inward current evoked by NA and the $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ current might partly explain the depolarization and hyperpolarization, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.147-159
• /
• 1998

A survey of the internal parasites in 115 fishes of Ophicephalus argus was carried out in Kyungpook province during the period from January 1995 to November 1997. A species of trematode from the stomach and a species of nematode from the caeca of the fishes was discovered respectively. The trematode was identified as Azygia hwangtsinyi (Tsin, 1993) and the nematode as Pingus sinensis ($Hs\ddot{u}$, 1993). The fluke was pressed at thick of 0.1mm~0.2mm between slide glasses and fixed in 70% ethyl alcohol solution. The fluke was washed with tap water after fixation and stained with hematoxylin-carmin and mounted in balsam through routine methods. The nematode was fixed in 5% formalin solution and mounted with lactophnol or glycerine jelly. Morphology : Arygia hwantsinyi ; The fluke is elongate body with approximately parallel margins and rounded extremities in pressed preparations(Fig 1). The cuticle is unarmed. The oral sucker is ventro-subterminal in position. The ventral sucker is slightly smaller than oral sucker and positioned at 14.2% of body length from the oral sucker. The cirrus sac and genital pore is in mid-ventral line, slightly anterior to the ventral sucker. The oral sucker is succeeded by a well developed muscular pharynx. It is succeeded by a short inverted Y-shaped oesophagus. The inner wall of oesophagus is consisted of many fine folded membrane. The fine tubes of esophagus pass into the intestinal heads which are distended and presented a marked borderline between the fine tube and intestinal heads. The Intestinal heads start at level of pharynx and pass caudad in a zigzag course to end quite near caudal margin. The uterine coils occupy the intercecal area between the level of the cephalic margin of the ovary and about the level of the ventral sucker. The uterus is filled with many eggs. The testes are round or oval and placed one behind the other generally a little diagonally. The posterior testis is placed at level of 75.1% of body length. The ovary is oval, placed ahead the anterior testis. The shell gland not discernible outline is contacted with ovary ahead it. The vitelline glands are consisted of small oval vesicles. The vesicles occupy extracecal regions and between a little posterior of the ventral sucker and near caudal margin. Pingus sinensis : Female ; The cuticle is smooth and the cervical alae are well developed. The mouth opening is small, triangular, and without lips. The anterior end bears four sub-medial papillae. The oesophagus is divided into a muscular and glandular portion. The nerve ring is situated just at the junction of the muscular and glandular portions of the oesophagus. The vulva which has a prominent flap, is placed behind the middle of the body about one-third of the length of the worm from the posterior extremity. The vagina is strongly muscularised and after running anteriorly about $68{\mu}$, divides itself into two broad uterine tubes with an anterior and a posterior one. There are a few eggs in the uterine tubes. The tail is slender, straight and pointed. The ovary extends almost to the posterior extremity. Male : Male is smaller than female. The tail is pointed, curved and carrying well-developed caudal alae. A prominent muscular precloacal sucker is characteristic. The spicules are equal and short. There are four pairs of pedunculated pre-anal papillae, of which the most anterior pair are situated just at the level anterior to the muscular sucker. Two pairs of pedunculated papillae are present before the anus. There are five pairs of post-anal papillae of which the most anterior pair and the second counted from the posterior end are ventral and more marked than the ones which are situated laterally.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.663-666
• /
• 2007

A 16-year-old female Poodle with multiple mammary masses was referred to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital of Seoul National University. Radiographic finding indicated a round mass of soft tissue density at the ventral portion of the 4th-7th sternum, which was 7 cm in diameter and presented multiple mineralization within the mass. Cytologically, aspirate of the mammary mass was moderately cellular and revealed well-differentiated osteoblasts with moderately basophilic cytoplasm, various sized and eccentrically placed nuclei and distinct nucleoli. Osteoblasts interspersed with osteoid-suspected pink-staining intercellular matrix. Some cells displayed malignant features such as macronuclei, macronucleoli, binucleation, abnormal mitotic figures, anisocytosis and anisokaryosis. On which the mass was diagnosed as osteosarcoma. Histopathologic examinations of the mass were compatible with a diagnosis of osteosarcoma. The patient was treated with surgery alone. The patient died 45 days later from surgery.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.231-237
• /
• 1989

Morphological features of the vomeronasal organ of both Korean native cattle and Korean native goat were studied by gross, microscopic and histochemical examinations. Anatomical characteristics of the vomeronasl organ were similar in both Korean native cattle and Korean native goats. The vomeronasal organ is a tubular structure situated bilaterally at the base of the nasal septum, and enclosed by hyaline cartilage. Its lumen is semilunar to crescent in transverse sections. It join with the incisive duct through narrow duct. The lumen of the vomeronasal organ is lined with sensory and respiratory epithelia. The distribution pattern of vomeronasal mucosal epithelia varied by the position. In the anterior portion joining with nasal cavity, the lumen is lined with only respiratory epitheliu. In the middle portion, sensory epithelium appeared on the medial side, and respiratory epithelium on the lateral side. In the posterior, it is lined with sensory epithelium on the ventral side and lined with respiratory epithelium on the dorsal side. The vomeronasal gland composed of mucous and serous acini are distributed in the lamina propria under the respiratory epithelium, where venous sinuses are also well developed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.2187-2191
• /
• 2015

Background: Protrusive structures formed by migrating and invading cells are termed lamellipodia, filopodia, invadopodia and podosomes. Lamellipodia and filopodia appear on the leading edges of migrating cells and function to command the direction of the migrating cells. Invadopodia and podosomes are special F-actin-rich matrix-degrading structures that arise on the ventral surface of the cell membrane. Invadopodia are found in a variety of carcinomatous cells including squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck region whereas podosomes are found in normal highly motile cells of mesenchymal and myelomonocytic lineage. Invadopodia-associated protein markers consisted of 129 proteins belonging to different functional classes including WASP, NWASP, cortactin, Src kinase, Arp 2/3 complex, MT1-MMP and F-actin. To date, our current understanding on the role(s) of these regulators of actin dynamics in tumors of the orofacial region indicates that upregulation of these proteins promotes invasion and metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma, is associated with poor/worst prognostic outcome in laryngeal cancers, contributes to the persistent growth and metastasis characteristics of salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma, is a significant predictor of increased cancer risk in oral mucosal premalignant lesions and enhances local invasiveness in jawbone ameloblastomas.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.39-45
• /
• 2001

Black rockfish Sebastes schlegeli is one of scopaenid fish giving birth to yolk-sac larvae and distributed around the coast of Korea and Japan, and is one of main species which is cultured in Korea. The difffrentiation of thyroid gland and the changes of thyroid hormones (THs) concentrations in the whole body during early development of this species were examined and the relationship between thyroid gland and their growth will be presented. Total length (TL) and body weight (BW) of the larva at the parturition were 6.3${\pm}$0.1 mm and 3.6${\pm}$0.1 mg, respectively. The larvae transformed to juvenile after 30th day after parturition. According to Hoshiai(1977), they had gown into stage Fl (TL 13.2${\pm}$0.9 mm, BW 46.5${\pm}$1.5 mg) at 50th day. The thyroid gland of black rockfish was first observed histologically in hatching larvae in mother fish. The larvae just after parturition have 1${\sim}$3 of the thyroid follicles diffrentiated between basibranchial bone and ventral aorta, at the base of the first gill arch. In this time, thyroid follic1e number (TFN),thyroid follicle diameter (TFD) and thyroid cell height (TCH) were 1.6${\pm}$0.8 pieces/inds., 18.1${\pm}$0.6 ${\mu}$m and 4.1${\pm}$0.2 ${\mu}$m, respectively. TFN and TFD at 50th day were increased to 32.5${\pm}$6.9 pieces/inds. and 41.5${\pm}$1.7 ${\mu}$m, respectively. These results indicate that they are related to the growth of black rockfish during early development. However, TCH indicates that the activity of thyroid gland appearedat special day, eg. 5, 20 and 50th day, suggesting that TCH may have some role in the physiological activity. L-thyroxine (T$_4$)concentration decreased sharply to 10 days after parturition, and at 25th day (metamorphosis stage) increased markedly to 3.44${\pm}$0.93ng/g fish. After this time, T$_4$ concentration decreased at 35th day, but then increasedagain to the highest concentration, 5.63${\pm}$0.70ng/g fish. 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine (T$_3$) concentration declined sharply from just after pafurition (4.96${\pm}$1.90 ng/g fish) to 5th day (0.30${\pm}$0.07 ng/g fish). However T$_3$ concentration increased markedly to 0.95${\pm}$0.11 ng/g fish at 30th day and then did not significantly change until 45th day, increased also sharply to 1.67${\pm}$0.23 ng/g fish at 50th day.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
• /
• 2003.06a
• /
• pp.54-54
• /
• 2003

Prostate gland contains neuroendocrine cells (PNECs) are playing important roles in physiological and pathophysiological processes of the prostate gland. Here, we investigated the role of purinoceptors in PNECs freshly isolated from rat ventral prostate (RPNECs) that show immunoreactivity to chromogranin A. Fura-2 ratiometry revealed that ATP evokes both fast Ca$\^$2+/ influx and store Ca$\^$2+/ release in RPNECs. A whole-cell patch clamp study demonstrated fast inactivating cationic current activated by ATP or by ${\alpha}$,${\beta}$-MeATP, which was blocked by ATP-TNP. The activation of P2X inward current was tightly associated with a sharp increase in [Ca$\^$2+/]$\sub$c/. The presence of P2X1/3 subtypes were proved by RT-PCR analysis. For the stored Ca$\^$2+/ release, ATP and UTP showed similar effects, suggesting the dominant role or P2Y2 subtypes, also confirmed by RT-PCR. Both P2X (${\alpha}$,${\beta}$-MeATP) and P2Y (UTP) stimulation induced changes in the cell morphology (initial shrinkage and blob formation on the surface) reversibly. Exocytotic membrane trafficking events were monitored with the membrane-bound fluorescent dye, FM1-43 using confocal microscopy. In spite of the similar Ca$\^$2+/ responses, UTP was far less effective in triggering exocytosis than ${\alpha}$,${\beta}$ -MeATP. Since serotonin is reportedly stored in the secretory granule of PNECs, we directly examined whether the aforementioned agonists elicit release of serotonin using carbon fiber electrode-amperometry. In accordance with the results of FM1 -43 experiments, ${\alpha}$,${\beta}$-MeATP efficiently evoke serotonin secretion while not with UTP. In summary, the P2X-mediated Ca$\^$2+/ influx plays crucial roles in the exocytosis of RPNECs. Although a global increase in [Ca$\^$2+]$\sub$c/ might be related with the morphological changes, a sharp rise of [Ca$\^$2+/]$\sub$c/ in the putative sub-plasmalemmal ‘microdomains’ might be a decisive factor for the exocytosis.