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B A Afzelius

Publications and source records attributed to B A Afzelius.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Spermiogenesis and testicular spermatozoa of the olive baboon (Papio anubis).

The ultrastructure of spermiogenesis and of testicular spermatozoa of the olive baboon (Papio anubis) has been studied. The four main (Golgi, cap, acrosome and maturation) phases of spermiogenesis are described, and these phases have been further subdivided into a total of ten phases. Spermiogenesis was found to be basically similar to that of other mammalian species, in particular to that of man. A lower number of morphologically deviating cells was found in the baboon, but in other respects most differences between human and baboon spermiogenesis and spermatozoa refer to dimensions. Aspects of the morphogenesis of certain structures of the tail are discussed in more detail.

Acrosome↗
PubMed1982

Mucociliary clearance in patients with immunoglobulin deficiency.

Tracheobronchial mucociliary clearance was studied in six patients with immunoglobulin deficiency. They inhaled a test aerosol of 6 microns teflon particles tagged with 99mTc, after which external measurements of the retention of test particles in the lungs were made during 2 h. Four younger patients with common variable immunodeficiency and severe symptoms of airway infections all had a markedly slow clearance. In one of these cases clearance was measured again after 6 months of adequate medical treatment and was found much improved. Two older patients with less severe immunoglobulin deficiency (one with selective IgA deficiency and one with transient hypogammaglobulinemia), and with a history of less severe airway infections, had normal clearance. The results indicate that chronic infection of the airways, if severe enough, will damage the mucociliary transport system, but that this damage is not necessarily irreversible. Ciliary ultrastructure was investigated by electron microscopy in two of the younger patients with slow clearance, and was found to be normal.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Genetical and ultrastructural aspects of the immotile-cilia syndrome.

The immotile-cilia syndrome is a congenital disorder characterized by all cilia in the body being either immotile or showing an ineffective beating pattern. Most symptoms, not unexpectedly, come from the ciliated epithelia, but two further symptoms are: (1) male sterility caused by the spermatozoa being unable to swim progressively (the sperm tail has the same structure as a cilium), and (2) situs inversus in 50% of the cases possible caused by an inability of embryonic cilia to shift the heart to the left side. By electron microscopy, one can see directly which of the many ciliary components is the missing one. The molecular basis of this congenital defect can then be detected, and it has been found to be a heterogeneous disease. There are many genes that, when mutated, will cause the cilia to be dysfunctional or totally immotile. The fact that many genes may be responsible for the syndrome will also explain why it has a relatively high prevalence and why previous investigators have been unable to locate the (assumed single) gene by linkage analysis. The trait, situs inversus, is of particular interest as it occurs in only 50% of the assumed homozygotes. I conclude that the wild-type genes code for a control of the proper body asymmetry and the mutated ones for a lack of control, and, hence, to a random situs determination.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

The immotile-cilia syndrome in a newborn infant.

A newborn infant was suspected to have the immotile-cilia syndrome. He had situs inversus, atelectasis and other pulmonary changes. A biopsy from the nasal mucosa at the age of 21 months confirmed the diagnosis and showed a lack of ciliary orientation and absent dynein arms. Chymotrypsin values, sweat test and most immunoglobulins were normal. The boy is now three years old. So far he has had rather mild respiratory symptoms. The importance of early diagnosis for management and prognosis is stressed.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1980

Structure and function of neutrophil leukocytes from patients with the immotile-cilia syndrome.

The various clinical manifestations of the recently characterized immotile-cilia syndrome can be traced to one cause--a structural defect of the cilia, making them immotile. It was regarded of interest to examine whether other aspects of cell motility may also be involved. For this reason the functions and structure of the neutrophil leukocytes were examined. Cells from eight patients with the immotile-cilia syndrome and healthy controls were investigated with regard to random and stimulated locomotion under agarose, orientation during migration, adherence, bactericidal capacity, and chemoluminescence. Four patients showed abnormally short migration distances of the leading front neutrophils after stimulation with serum and/or an E. coli bacterial factor (BF). Ascorbic acid did not restore the defective migration. Migrating neutrophils were significantly less oriented towards the serum-containing agarose well compared with the controls (p < 0.01). Adherence, bactericidal capacity for Staphylococcus aureus, chemoluminescence, random migration, and orientation during BF-induced migration were all normal. The number of microtubules in the pericentriolar region of the neutrophil granulocytes was unusually low in four of the eight patients. We conclude that the increased frequency of respiratory tract infections in patients with this syndrome is possibly due to defects in the granulocyte locomotory system, as well as to the defective mucociliary clearance of the airways.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Immotile cilia.

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Adult↗
PubMed1978

The spermatozoon of Oikopleura dioica Fol (Larvacea, Tunicata).

The spermatozoon of Oikopleura dioica is about 30 micron long, with a spherical head, about 1 micron wide, a 3 micron long and 1 micron wide midpiece, and a 25 micron long tail with a tapered end piece. The head contains a nucleus with the chromatin volume limited to about 0.1 micron3. A small acrosome is found in an anterior inpocketing, and a flagellar basal body in a posterior inpocketing of the nucleus. The midpiece contains a single mitochondrion with the flagellar axoneme embedded in a grove along its medial surface. The flagellar axoneme has the typical 9 + 2 substructure, and the basal body the typical 9 + 0 substructure. A second centriole and special anchoring fibres are absent.

Acrosome↗
PubMed1978

On the function of cilia in the female reproductive tract.

A recently discovered syndrome is characterized by congenital immotility of the cilia. It consists of chronic infections in the respiratory system, male infertility, and, in about one-half of the cases, situs inversus. The syndrome thus includes Kartagener's syndrome. The syndrome provides a unique opportunity to gain insight into the role of the cilia in the human body. Five women evidently suffering from this syndrome were examined. They had no gynecologic disorders. Three of the five women had tried to become pregnant and two have suceeded. A review of the literature indicates that men with Kartagener's syndrome are usually infertile, whereas the women are not. This fact and the data presented herein constitute strong evidence that ciliary motility is not essential for female fertility. More conclusive proof could be obtained if any of the affected women would consent to ultrastructural investigation of the oviductal cilia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Electrolytes in nails analysed by X-ray microanalysis in electron microscopy. Considerations on a new method for the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis.

Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) have an increased concentration of sodium in their nails. Hitherto, only neutron activation analysis has been considered for the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis by analysis of electrolytes in nails. It has been thoroughly tested methodologically and clinically. However, the intrinsic advantages of X-ray microanalysis and the results obtained in this study suggest that this method, after further testing, may be a useful diagnostic acid for cystic fibrosis. In comparison with neutron activation analysis, X-ray microanalysis has the advantage of simultaneously giving the concentrations of several elements and may be accessible at any hospital with an electron microscope fitted with the necessary equipment. Nails of CF-patients are here shown to have increased concentrations of Na, K and Cl, which will make the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis more reliable. The possibility of using sulphur as a reference element may eliminate the weighing procedure necessary in neutron activation analysis.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1978

Cystic fibrosis compared with the immotile-cilia syndrome. A study of mucociliary clearance, ciliary ultrastructure, clinical picture and ventilatory function.

Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) were investigated for mucociliary clearance (with and without stimulation by terbutaline), clinical picture, ventilatory function and ultrastructure of cilia. The results were compared with those of patients with congenitally immotile cilia (immotile-cilia syndrome). Mucociliary clearance could be demonstrated in all the seven CF patients who succeeded in inhaling the test aerosol. Ciliary ultrastructure from a deceased CF patient was normal. Patients with the immotile cilia syndrome had no substantial clearance and defective cilia. The CF patients coughed more during the clearance measurements than any other group studied earlier, and their coughing was effective. One patient succeeded in avoiding coughing in both measurements and had faster clearance when he got terbutaline than when he got the vehicle. Although younger, the CF patients tended to be more obstructed in their lungs and more handicapped than the patients suffering from the immotile-cilia syndrome. The latter patients had more discomfort from rhinitis, sinusitis and otitis than had the CF patients. An impairment of the mucociliary transport rate is hence unlikely to be a primary pathogenic factor for the respiratory tract disease in CF patients.

Adult↗