There are significant morphologic changes in spinal autonomic nervous structures in scoliotic patients. These findings can help us in the search for the etiology of scoliosis.

None of these formulas causes a decrease in glomerular filtration in rats when animals are properly hydrated.

Lauschová I.: Influence of Estrogen and Progesterone on Ultrastructural Indices of Oviductal Epithelium in Sexually ImmatureMice. Acta Vet. Brno 1999, 68: 13-21.The influence of estrogen and progesterone on the oviductal epithelium of sexually immature mice aged 14, 21, and 28 days was studied using electron microscopy. These ages were used because the postnatal differentiation of the oviductal epithelium is completed in all substantial features. Each group was divided into three subgroups of 8-10 mice: controls, mice treated with estradiol, and mice treated with estradiol and progesterone.The administration of steroid ovarian hormones generally induced acceleration of the development of oviductal epithelial cells. The ultrastructure of these cells was similar to that of adult mice with normal estrous cycle. While estradiol influenced both ciliated and secretory cells and stimulated their proliferation and differentiation, the ultrastructural marks of increased secretory activity and degeneration of ciliated cells were observed after the progesterone administration. Ultrastructural changes of the oviductal epithelium exposed to exogenous estrogen and progesterone showed distinct regional differences.The height of the epithelium was evaluated as well. The measurement was made, both in controls and animals treated with hormones (mean values of differences of the epithelium height between estrogenized and progesteronized animals were 3.23 µm in the preampulla, 4.16 µm in the ampulla, and 2.02 µm in the isthmus), and also in the all segments of the oviduct: the epithelium is the lowest in the ampulla (14.25-18.34 µm), while, conspicuously, the higher epithelium lined the preampullary and isthmic segment (18.04-19.17 µm and 19.97-20.13 µm).The results of present study serve to verify the sensitivity of the tubal epithelium of sexually immature mice to exogenous steroid hormones of the ovary and to give preliminary morphological concept for immunohistochemical study of respective hormone receptors.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of heavy metals in the hepatocytes of the animals fed a cadmium-supplemented diet and also receiving zinc and/or selenium in the injection form. The experiment involved four groups of calves (6-8, both sexes) receiving the heavy metals in various combinations for 95 days. Electron micrographs of liver cells were prepared and statistically evaluated using Student's t-test. A modified morphometric apparatus was used for morphometric examination. Exogenous cadmium showed marked accumulation in the hepatocytes. If, however, the cadmium diet was combined with zinc or selenium administration the amount of the reduction product was much lower.

Amphotericin B deoxycholate (AmB) or Amphotericin B colloidal dispersion (ABCD) are used in clinics for the treatment of systemic fungal infections. The goal of our study was to compare the nephrotoxicity of these drugs in rat kidney. The effects of AmB and ABCD on the ultrastructure of the epithelium of renal tubules were studied and evaluated using morphometric and statistical methods. Two groups of 3 animals were established: group 1 was treated with AmB desoxycholate and group 2, to which ABCD was applied. AmB caused more than ABCD ultrastructural changes in the cytoplasm of the epithelial cells: damage to mitochondria, vacuolation of cytoplasm, and increased values of volume density of peroxisomes. However, we failed to observe significant differences in morphology and density of the other cell organelles. The proximal tubules seemed to be more sensitive to the nephrotoxic influence of both formulas than the distal tubules of rat kidney. Although, AmB causes more severe damage than ABCD, both drugs cause damage to renal tubuli.