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Section Histology (section + histology)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	100%

Selected Abstracts

Intra-abdominal sequestration of the lung and elevated serum levels of CA 19-9: a diagnostic pitfall

HPB, Issue 1 2004
C Armbruster
Background Extralobar pulmonary sequestration is an uncommon congenital abnormality that is rarely diagnosed after the age of 40 years. We describe a 64-year-old woman with an intra-abdominal sequestration of the lung and elevated carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 serum levels. Case outline On abdominal ultrasound a semi-solid cystic tumour was demonstrated that showed tight connection to the tail of the pancreas according to computed tomography. Cytological examination of the percutaneous biopsy did not lead to a definitive diagnosis. CA 19-9 serum levels were repeatedly elevated >250 IU/ml. With a tentative diagnosis of a tumour of the tail of pancreas the semi-solid cystic mass was resected. Frozen section histology suggested the diagnosis of pulmonary sequestration, which was confirmed by definitive histological examination. Immunohistochemical staining of the specimen with a specific monoclonal antibody against CA 19-9 showed strong immunoreactivity. Three months later the elevated CA 19-9 serum levels returned to normal. Discussion Elevated CA 19-9 serum levels have been described in benign pulmonary and mediastinal cystic lesions and in one case of extralobar intrathoracic lung sequestration. Although there is evidence that malignancies may arise in congenital lung cysts, CA 19-9 serum levels have not been investigated in such cases. Based on our results elevated serum values of CA 19-9 in combination with a cystic semi-solid mass in the left subphrenic space should include the differential diagnosis of extralobar pulmonary sequestration. [source]

The absence of apoeccrine glands in the human axilla has disease pathogenetic implications, including axillary hyperhidrosis

BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2007
D.L. Bovell
Summary Background, The existence of a third type of sweat gland in human axillary skin, the apoeccrine gland, with a capacity to produce much higher sweat output than the eccrine gland, was proposed from examination of microdissected glands. However, previous studies of axillary skin glands did not examine the entire individual glandular structure via serial sections and the markers used to identify the different glands gave conflicting results and, hence, the existence of the apoeccrine gland remains controversial. Objectives, To investigate human axillary sweat glands by serial section histology and immunofluorescence. Methods, Human axillary sweat glands were investigated by serial sectioning of paraffin wax-embedded skin samples taken by biopsy from four male and six female volunteers (age range 20,35 years). Sections were examined by light microscopy and immunofluorescence, using antibodies to antigens reported to be markers for discriminating between eccrine and apocrine gland cells: CD15, CD44, S100 and human milk fat globulin. Results, Light microscopy demonstrated that there were hair follicles and a mean ± SD of 76 ± 14 sweat glands cm,2. Eccrine and apocrine glands were found to be present; however, no glands resembling the apoeccrine glands were detected. Both types of sweat gland exhibited signs of being active, with segments of the secretory coils displaying flattened cells and dilated glandular lumina; however, this dilation did not extend to obvious changes in the width of the gland. None of the eccrine glands exhibited evidence of the presence of apocrine cells or vice versa. Immunofluorescence markers were found not to be specific and did not discriminate between the different types of glands or demonstrate the presence of apoeccrine glands. Conclusions, This is the first time that serial sections of axillary skin have been examined by histology and immunofluorescence. The markers reported to discriminate between apocrine and eccrine glands were found to be nonspecific. No evidence of apoeccrine glands was found either by histology or by immunofluorescence. [source]

Zonal differentiation of the epithelium including the lid wiper at the human lid margin

ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2008
E KNOP
Purpose The lid margin represent the "other end" of the tear film and appear critically important for ocular surface integrity, in addition to the glandular structures that produce the tears. It guarantees the thin expansion of the tear film with every blink and prevents the leakage of tears over the lid border. However, the differentiation of the lid margin zones is insufficiently known as yet. Methods The upper and lower lid margin in human whole-mount specimens from ten body donors was investigated in serial section histology and compared to the image by in-vivo confocal microscopy in four eyes with a Heidelberg retina tomograph and Rostock cornea module (RLSM). Results At the inner lid border, following the keratinised epidermis of the free lid margin, a narrow zone (100-150µm) of para-keratinised squamous epithelium represented the muco-cutaneous junction (MCJ) corresponding to the line of Marx. This was followed by a much broader zone of epithelial thickening (50-100µm) that formed a kind of cushion, reclined sharply at the inner lid border and represented the so called lid wiper which extended for about 1mm and finally transformed into the epithelium of the sub-tarsal fold. MCJ and lid wiper extended all along the lid margin from nasal to temporal in upper and lower lid. Details of the epithelial structure as well as the underlying dermal papillae in these zones were also detectable by RLSM. Conclusion Due to its location and structure, the lid wiper appears as the structure that actually spreads the tear film and is distinct from the MCJ/line of Marx. Better knowledge of the lid margin structure and its different zones appears important for the understanding of ocular surface disease, in particular the dry eye disease. [source]

Structure of the lid margin in laboratory animals

ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2008
N KNOP
Purpose The eye lid margin is of great importance for the spreading and the limitation of the tears. The so called lid wiper which is a specialized zone at the inner lid border directly apposed to the corneal surface for spreading the preocular tear film has, at present, only been described for the human conjunctiva. We have investigated common laboratory animals (rat and rabbit) for the presence of such a zone. Methods Conjunctival whole-mount specimens and total bulbi were investigated by serial section histology in ten rats (DA and Lewis) and in ten rabbits (NZW and Chinchilla). Results The stratified squamous keratinised epidermis of the free lid margin showed a sharp transition with loss of the keratin layer at the level of the meibomian glands. Close to the inner lid border it was replaced by a small zone of an optically denser epithelium covered by para-keratinised cells. This area represented the mucocutaneous junction (MCJ) equivalent to the line of Marx in the human. The MCJ rapidly transformed into a thickened 8-12 cell layered stratified epithelium of that formed a cushion-like epithelial elevation, reclined sharply towards the inner lid border and hence formed a typically relatively sharp lip-like edge. The lid-wiper epithelium showed species-specific differences in morphology (cuboidal with goblet cells in the rabbit versus squamous without goblet cells in the rat) but it extended all along the lid margin in both species. Conclusion At the inner border of the upper and lower lid of rat and rabbit, several zones of different morphology occur similar to the human including a lid-wiper structure. Since lid wiper epitheliopathy was shown as a sensitive early indicator for human dry eye syndrome its investigation may be useful for future research in dry eye models of laboratory animals. [source]