M Castagna — Page 8 | PubMed Health

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[Concentration of C cells in the thyroid of rats treated with mercaptoimidazole or levo-thyroxine].

Concentration of C cells in the thyroid of rats treated with Mercaptoimidazole or Levo-thyroxine. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the possible functional relationship between follicular and parafollicular cells of the thyroid gland; therefore we have investigated the behaviour of calcitonin producing cells and serum calcitonin concentration in rats both in resting and hyperstimulation conditions of follicular cells. Our results showed that with regard to follicular mass the concentration of the C cells was reduced in the two groups of rats treated compared to control rats. C cell concentration decrease was associated with reduced serum calcitonin concentration. In conclusion C cell activity is independent of TSH and thyroid hormones circulating levels.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Immunohistochemical study of the enteric glia in chronic intestinal inflammatory disease].

Enteric glial cells, strictly associated with enteric neurons to build up enteric ganglia, belong to the enteric nervous system (ENS), which coordinates many bowel functions. The ENS is spread throughout the gut in myenteric and submucosal plexuses. In our research work, we studied immunohistochemically the ENS in two typical chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), by using specific antibodies against gliocyte (S-100) and neuronal (neurofilaments, NF) markers. We found high S-100 immunoreactivity within the submucosal and muscular layers in samples from CD patients, but not as such in those from UC patients; similar results were also achieved using anti-NF antibodies. Moreover, immunohistochemistry has pointed out that alterations of the ENS are associated, in CD more than in UC, with the expression of major histocompatibility complex class II antigens on components of the ENS, especially on enteroglial cells. These data suggest that histopathological differences exist between CD and UC also within the ENS, especially as far as the glial cells are concerned. Such ENS changes might significantly contribute to the immunopathogenesis and immunopathophysiology of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases.

Colitis, Ulcerative↗