Form alin-fixed and paraffin-em bedded tissue specim ens o f norm al and dysplastic cervical epithelia (five C IN 1, seven C IN 2, five C IN 3, and five norm al) were assessed by an im m unoperoxidase technique, using the m onoclonal antibody M IB 1 , regonizing a fo rm alin-tix atio n-resistan t epitope on th e cell p ro liferatio n-asso ciated K i-67 an tig en. An im ag e analysis system w as u sed to m easure four p aram eters associated with p ro liferative activity: the K i-67 labelling index (L I), th e num ber of K i-67-positive nuclei per unit length of basem ent m em brane, an d the m axim um value an d 90th percentile o f the relativ e distances of K i-67-positive nuclei from the basem ent m em brane. A ll these four p ro liferatio n-related p aram eters were highly c o rre la te d w ith the grade o f dy splastic change in the epithelium (0*90<0*0001). T he best correlation was found for the 90th p ercen tile of the relative d istan ce and with this p a ra m e te r all C IN lesions could be co rrectly classified. T he m eans an d s ta n d a rd deviations o f the Ki-67 L is in normal epithelium , C IN 1, C1N 2, and C IN 3 lesions w ere 0*07 ± 0*03, 0*16 ± 0-03, 0*25 ± 0*06, an d 0-39 ± 0*06, respectively. T hese findings su p p o rt the theory th a t C IN involves a progressive dysfunction o f the proliferative activ ity o f cervical epithelial cells. Im ag e analysis o f M IB 1 is a prom ising altern ativ e m ethod for th e objective, reproducible, and reliab le classification o f dysplastic changes in cervical epithelium. joey w o r d s-C IN ; p ro liferatio n ; K i-67; M IB 1 ; m onoclonal antibody; im m unohistochem istry; q u an titativ e analysis

The combined application of DNA cytometric and interphase cytogenetic analyses was used to find objective criteria for the differential diagnosis of complete hydatidiform mole, partial hydatidiform mole and hydropic abortion. DNA ploidy and G0/G1 exceeding rates were determined using image and flow cytometric analyses on paraffin-embedded tissues of 166 cases: 71 cases of complete mole, 20 cases of partial mole, and 75 cases of abortions. To determine the existence and histological distribution of cell subpopulations with numerical chromosome aberrations, interphase cytogenetic analysis using probes specific for chromosomes 1, X, and Y was applied to paraffin tissue sections of 23 cases: 12 cases of complete mole, 3 cases of partial mole, and 8 cases of abortions. In contrast to previously reported findings that complete moles are diploid, the results of this study showed that complete moles are DNA-polyploid (96 per cent), with high G0/G1 exceeding rates and a high frequency of numerical chromosomal aberrations in the trophoblast hyperplasia. The majority of the partial moles were DNA-triploid (55 per cent). This study, however, also showed the presence of DNA-polyploid partial moles (30 per cent). Abortions were DNA-diploid (60 per cent) or DNA-triploid (39 per cent). DNA cytometric analysis, especially image DNA cytometric analysis with determination of the G0/G1 exceeding rate, and interphase cytogenetic analysis provide objective measurements which are contributory in the differential diagnosis between complete mole, partial mole, and hydropic abortion.

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Cytophotometric analysis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade I11 (CIN 111) was performed in 22 cytological smears (CS) and in 22 corresponding cytospin specimens retrieved from selected areas of paraffin-embedded tissues (PEC). The average time interval between cytological and histological diagnosis was 6 weeks. CIN I11 nuclei in CS and PEC specimen were Thionin-Feulgen stained and digitized. Beside the visual classification of DNA ploidy patterns, the 2 . 5~ and 5c exceeding rates and the specimen mean and standard deviation values of 21 photometric features were also analyzed. It was shown that, although there was a significant correlation between DNA ploidy patterns in corresponding PEC and CS specimen, the DNA patterns were dissimilar in eight of 22 cases. The DNA index, as represented by 2 . 5~ and 5c exceeding rates, was significantly higher in the CS specimen. High-resolution cytophotometric analysis of cell nuclei in CS and PEC specimens showed significant differences for a large number of nuclear photometric features. These findings can possibly be explained by differences in selection of CIN I11 cells from CS and PEC specimens and by differences between fixation procedures as used for the two techniques. It was concluded that cytophotometric data of CS and PEC specimens representing CIN I11 lesions should not be regarded as interchangeable.

Global glomerulosclerosis can be divided in the vascular (obsolescent) type and the glomerulopathic (solidified) type. In biopsies from children with recurrent nephrotic syndrome owing to minimal change nephropathy (MCN), we noticed small, globally sclerosed glomeruli that appeared to be distinct from global glomerulosclerosis. These small sclerosed glomeruli are best described as involuted glomeruli. We have characterized these involuted glomeruli in detail. We studied biopsies of 18 children (11 male, 7 female) with frequently relapsing MCN and evaluated possible explanatory variables. The involuted glomeruli can be differentiated from the other types of global glomerulosclerosis. Most notable is the presence of vital podocytes and parietal epithelial cells, which have retained their staining characteristics, in between the matrix, and the absence of periglomerular and tubulo-interstitial fibrosis. We observed involuted glomeruli in 12 out of 18 biopsies; the median percentage of involuted glomeruli was 6% (range 0-33%). The percentage of involuted glomeruli correlated with age at renal biopsy and the interval between onset of disease and time of renal biopsy, but not with gender, age at onset of disease, or prednisone dose. Multivariate analysis revealed that the interval between onset of disease and time of renal biopsy was the only independent predictor. In conclusion, glomerular involution is a special form of global glomerulosclerosis. The absence of periglomerular and tubulo-interstitial fibrosis suggests a different pathogenesis. Glomerular involution is a slow process. The clinical data suggest that involution is related to the duration of the disease process.