The equine Paneth cell response to a shift in the microbial balance of the intestinal tract was studied by inducing an acute episode of alimentary laminitis in 6 mature ponies. The normal bacterial population of the gut was modified by administration of a carbohydrate-rich ration. During acute laminitis a dramatic degranulation of the Paneth cells occurred in the intestinal glands throughout the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. Bacteriocidal lysozyme, which was immunohistochemically identified as a component of the Paneth cell secretory granule, was evident in the glandular lumina and in degranulated Paneth cells. These results indicate that lysozyme is secreted by the equine Paneth cell in an apparent attempt to regulate the changing microbial population induced by carbohydrate overload of the gut. From these observations, it is suggested that the Paneth cell plays a role in the mucosal defense system of the equine intestinal tract.

Ultrastructure, lysozyme and glycoconjugate activity in duodenal Paneth cells were observed concurrently in the horse. Paneth cells were seen to uniformly line the base of the equine intestinal glands. The round secretory granules have centrally located electron densities with peripherally located electron lucent halos. Histochemically, the peripheral halo layer was positively stained for carbohydrates by the periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazide-silver protein-physical development (PA-TCH-SP-PD) method and the entire granules reacted positively to the WGA. The central core area reacted with anti-lysozyme. We identified a young (Type I) and an old (Type II) cell population in the same crypt, but we suggest that the observed populations are variations of the same cell type with the varied appearance due to aging of the secretory granules.

The ultrastructure of the dog myocardial bridges (MB), named here the proximal paraconal interventricular-myocardial bridge (PPI-MB), was examined to determine if its structure is identical to that of ordinary cardiac muscle. This study is preparatory to the establishment of PPI-MB as a physical and physiological model system to examine the influence of MB on coronary flow in cardiac function. Five of 46 dog hearts examined possessed PPI-MB, the occurrence of which was independent of sex, age and breed. The dog PPI-MB was localized in a limited area in the proximal third of the paraconal interventricular groove. PPI-MB myocytes and myofibrils were arranged quite straight and smooth, with minimum branching. PPI-MB myocytes formed side-by-side cell junctions through the mediation of mitochondria. Connective tissue elements were involved in terminal cell adhesion to form the myomyous junction beside the intercalated disc. The excitation conductive system of sarcoplasmic reticulum-T tubule often showed a triad. Numerous nerve axons or nerve ending-like structures appeared. Many structural views deviated somewhat from common cardiac muscle structure. This paper represents the first detailed description of PPI-MB muscle.

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