Journal of Cytology & Histology

Fish of the genus Nothobranchius have a naturally short lifespan in which they develop several neurological biomarkers of aging. This short lifespan (several months compared to several years in mice and zebrafish) make these fish a promising alternative in aging research. Resveratrol dosing retarded the development of the neurological biomarkers of aging identified in N. furzeri. Resveratrol's method of action was not determined due to the lack of celltype specific markers of degenerative processes. Further research of the Nothobranchius CNS and its degeneration is hampered by the lack of cell-type specific antibodies and other cellular markers of degenerative processes. In this article the authors present a molecular toolbox of five antibodies and a lectin which can be used to study the Nothobranchius central nervous system and its degeneration. These antibodies were tested against western blots of rat, zebrafish and Nothobranchius guentheri brain homogenates as well as frozen sections. Antibodies shown to reliably bind with N. guentheri proteins were: SMI31 which labeled axons and dendrites; mouse anti-human GFAP and rabbit anti-cow GFAP which labeled astroglia; mouse anti-rat tenascin-R which labeled oligodendrocytes; and E587 anti-goldfish L1 which labeled neuronal and astrocytic cell bodies and processes. The BS-I isolectin B4 labeled microglia in the optic nerve and retina. This toolbox will enable researchers to study the aging brain of Nothobranchius as well as its normal development at a cellular level.

Schwannomas, also called neurilemomas, are neurogenic tumors derived from Schwann cells of nerve sheath. They are relatively common in head, neck, extremities, retroperitoneum, posterior spinal roots and cerebellopontine angle, and are generally benign and slow-growing with rare recurrence or malignant transformation. However, they are rare in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and mostly located in the stomach. Gastric schwannomas represent about 2% of the gastric mesenchymal neoplasms, and are clinically and grossly nearly indistinguishable from gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). GISTs are the major primary mesenchymal tumors of the GI tract. They have a variable malignant potential and can be coexistent with renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). In contrast, gastric schwannomas are regarded as benign and no concurrent malignancies have been documented. Here, we report a 54-year-old woman having a right radical nephrectomy for a clear cell RCC, and then received a radical subtotal gastrectomy for a gastric tumor under the impression of GIST four months later. Histopathologically, the gastric tumor was a submucosal spindle cell neoplasm with a particular peripheral lymphoid cuff. The neoplastic cells were immunohistochemically positive for S-100 protein, but negative for CD117 (c-kit), CD34, smooth muscle actin, desmin and Dog1. Eventually, the gastric submucosal tumor was confirmed to be a rare benign gastric schwannoma, which was an unusual synchronous tumor with RCC.

Background: We compared the sensitivity of 2 diagnostic procedures—tissue biopsy and cytologic examination— for detecting endometrial carcinoma and hyperplasia in outpatients. The patients’ degree of acceptance of these methods was also evaluated.

Methods: The study included 124 women who had been diagnosed with carcinoma and hyperplasia by histological examination in private clinics or were suspected to have endometrial carcinoma and hyperplasia—for example, those presenting with uterine bleeding and/or abnormal endometrial morphology on cytologic examination—at Jikei University Hospital, University of Yamanashi Hospital and National Hospital Organization Kure Medical Center from January 28, 1999, to August 28, 2006. Both cytologic examination (using Endocyte ® ) and tissue biopsy (using Suresample ™ ) of the endometrium were performed before complete curettage and/or hysterectomy. The diagnosis made using these two outpatient procedures was compared to the final diagnosis made using curettage and/or hysterectomy. McNemar’s chi-square test was used to evaluate the statistical significance.

Results: The sensitivity of tissue biopsy for detecting endometrial carcinoma and hyperplasia was 84% and 91%, respectively, and that of cytologic examination was 78% and 55%, respectively. There was a significant difference in the sensitivity of the 2 methods for detecting hyperplasia (p =0.045). No patients complained of severe pain, and no other complication occurred during both methods. Both methods were well tolerated by the patients.

Conclusion: Our data indicate a certain diagnostic superiority of tissue biopsy over cytologic examination.

Background: Fibrous thickening of the flexor tendon synovium is a common finding during carpel tunnel decompression. This is generally accepted to indicate tenosynovistis. The aim of the study was to determine whether non-transparent, cloudy white thickening of the flexor tenosynovium corresponds to histological appearance of tenosynovitis. Method: We retrospectively identified 49 wrists in 47 patients who underwent flexor tenosynovectomy during treatment for carpel tunnel decompression. The indication for synovectomy was clinical abnormality of the tenosynovium intra-operatively. Histological reports were retrospectively reviewed. A post-operative functional outcome score was compared between patients who underwent decompression alone and those who underwent decompression and synovectomy. Complication rates between the two groups were compared. Results: Of the 49 slides analysed, inflammation was present in 10.1% 5 slides) only. Oedema was present in 51% 25 Slides). The mean functional outcome score for group 1 was 10 and 11.7 for group 2. This was statistically insignificant p 0.065). The complication rates between the two groups were equal. Conclusion: We conclude that clinical abnormality is a poor predictor of histological appearance of tenosynovitis.