The scanning ultrastructural examination of a series of 31 hydatidiform mole and 12 healthy placental specimens of similar gestational age has revealed a variety of surface architectures more common in molar tissue. Characteristic paddle-shaped sprouts, ridging of the syncytial maternal oriented surface and microgibbosities are described. These structures are explicable in terms of organellar hyperplasia of cortical cytoskeletal elements found in healthy tissue. Specific morphological evidence of involvement of these elements in a condition where aberrant growth control leads to the characteristic trophoblastic hyperplasia is a further indication that cytoskeletal elements may mediate transformation. An increase in resolution obtained over previous scanning electron microscope studies has allowed the description of detailed features such as 'caveolar collars' on the maternal oriented healthy and molar trophoblast surfaces. These observations are of relevance to understanding the mechanisms of several cell physiological processes, including transepithelial transport. New observations of a reticular organization in the surface layer of molar trophoblast indicate that a syncytioskeletal layer, with organization resembling that previously described in healthy chorionic villi, is also present in molar villi.

Chorionic Villi↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Circulating lymphocyte subsets in obsessive compulsive disorder, major depression and normal controls.

BACKGROUND: Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) shares several features with depressive illness (e.g., comorbidity, early escape from dexamethasone suppression, effectiveness of serotonergic pharmacotherapy). It was of interest to establish whether OCD, like major depression, was also associated with immune alterations, notably elevations of circulating natural killer (NK) cells. METHOD: Circulating lymphocytes were determined from morning blood samples taken from OCD and major depressive patients, as well as from age- and sex-matched controls. Stress perception and coping styles were evaluated in order to assess whether such variables accompanied the NK alterations. Finally, in a subset of patients, symptoms of the illness, stress/coping, and circulating lymphocytes, were also evaluated following 12 weeks of antidepressant medication (serotonergic reuptake inhibitor). RESULTS: The major depressive and OCD patients reported increased perception of day-to-day stresses, coupled with reliance on emotion focused coping styles. Moreover, circulating NK cells were elevated among male OCD and major depressive patients, whereas only a modest increase of NK cells was seen in female major depressives. Twelve weeks of medication alleviated depressive and OCD symptoms, and resulted in normalization of NK cells in the major depressives. However, in OCD patients the reduction of symptoms was not accompanied by significant variations of circulating NK cells. CONCLUSIONS: Although major depression and OCD are both accompanied by elevated circulating NK cells, at least in males, normalization of NK cells following treatment was only evident in depression. The persistent elevations of NK cells among male OCD patients may reflect either a trait characteristic of the illness, or symptom reduction and not true remission. LIMITATIONS: Although elevations of lymphocyte subsets in major depressive and OCD patients were observed, conclusions concerning immune status in OCD ought to be held in abeyance pending assessment of other indices of immune and cytokine functioning.

Adaptation, Psychological↗