Topographical variations of the incisive canal and nasopalatine duct in human fetuses

Ji Hyun Kim,Shunichi Shibata,Hiroshi Abe,Gen Murakami,José Francisco Rodríguez-Vázquez 대한해부학회 2019 Anatomy & Cell Biology Vol.52 No.4

The incisive canal for nerves and vessels is generally thought to run along a suture between the incisive bone (IN) and maxilla. In contrast, there was a report saying the canal passes through the IN or primary palate in human fetuses. Examination of sagittal and frontal sections from 69 fetuses (31 of gestational age [GA] 9–15 weeks and 38 of GA 26–34 weeks) showed that the canal often penetrated the IN at the nasal half of its course and that, in other fetuses, the canal penetrated the IN along its entire course, irrespective of involvement of the nasopalatine duct. Canals developing in and corresponding to parts of the suture resulted in partial enlargement of the thin and tight sutures, which contained loose tissue, vessels, nerves and even a duct. Small processes of the IN were identified as upper irregular parts continuous with inferior main masses of bone in frontal sections but as bone fragments in sagittal sections. In some sections, a thin layer of the maxilla along the canal covered the medial or inferior aspect of the IN. Therefore, the incisive canal with or without duct exhibited a spectrum of variations in topographical relation to the IN-maxillary border. Because the primitive oronasal communication passes through the suture, the nasopalatine duct may have originated from the secondary developed elongation of the nasal epithelium at midterm. A large incisive fossa along the midline on the oral surface of the palate might make a macroscopic finding of variants difficult even in adults.

Nervus terminalis and nerves to the vomeronasal organ: a study using human fetal specimens

Zhe Wu Jin,조광호,Shunichi Shibata,Masahito Yamamoto,Gen Murakami,Jose Francisco Rodríguez-Vázquez 대한해부학회 2019 Anatomy & Cell Biology Vol.52 No.3

The human nervus terminalis (terminal nerve) and the nerves to the vomeronasal organ (VNON) are both associated with the olfactory nerves and are of major interest to embryologists. However, there is still limited knowledge on their topographical anatomy in the nasal septum and on the number and distribution of ganglion cells along and near the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone. We observed serial or semiserial sections of 30 fetuses at 7–18 weeks (crown rump length [CRL], 25–160 mm). Calretinin and S100 protein staining demonstrated not only the terminal nerve along the anterior edge of the perpendicular lamina of the ethmoid, but also the VNON along the posterior edge of the lamina. The terminal nerve was composed of 1–2 nerve bundles that passed through the anterior end of the cribriform plate, whereas the VNON consisted of 2–3 bundles behind the olfactory nerves. The terminal nerve ran along and crossed the posterior side of the nasal branch of the anterior ethmoidal nerve. Multiple clusters of small ganglion cells were found on the lateral surfaces of the ethmoid’s crista galli, which are likely the origin of both the terminal nerve and VNON. The ganglions along the crista galli were ball-like and 15–20 µm in diameter and, ranged from 40-153 in unilateral number according to our counting at 21-μm-interval except for one specimen (480 neurons; CRL, 137 mm). An effect of nerve degeneration with increasing age seemed to be masked by a remarkable individual difference.

Dense distribution of macrophages in flexor aspects of the hand and foot of mid-term human fetuses

김지현,Shin-ichi Abe,Shunichi Shibata,Sachiko Asakawa,Hirotoshi Maki,Gen Murakami,Baik Hwan Cho 대한해부학회 2013 Anatomy & Cell Biology Vol.45 No.4

In the developing human musculoskeletal system, cell death with macrophage accumulation occurs in the thigh muscle and interdigital area. To comprehensively clarify the distribution of macrophages, we immunohistochemically examined 16 pairs of upper and lower extremities without the hip joint (left and right sides) obtained from 8 human fetuses at approximately 10-15 weeks of gestation. Rather than in muscles, CD68-positive macrophages were densely distributed in loose connective tissues of the flexor aspects of the extremities, especially in the wrist, hand and foot. In contrast, no or fewer macrophages were evident in the shoulder and the extensor aspects of the extremities. The macrophages were not concentrated at the enthesis of the tendon and ligament, but tended to be arranged along other connective tissue fibers. Deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end-labeling revealed apoptosis in the hand lumbricalis muscles, but not in the area of macrophage accumulation. Likewise, podoplanin-positive lymphatic vessels were not localized to areas of macrophage accumulation. Re-organization of the connective tissue along and around the flexor tendons of the hand and foot, such as development of the bursa or tendon sheath at 10-15 weeks, might require the phagocytotic function of macrophages, although details of the mechanism remain unknown.

Dense distribution of macrophages in flexor aspects of the hand and foot of mid-term human fetuses

Ji Hyun Kim,Shinichi Abe,Shunichi Shibata,Sachiko Asakawa,Hirotoshi Maki,Gen Murakami,Baik Hwan Cho 대한해부학회 2012 Anatomy & Cell Biology Vol.45 No.4

In the developing human musculoskeletal system, cell death with macrophage accumulation occurs in the thigh muscle and interdigital area. To comprehensively clarify the distribution of macrophages, we immunohistochemically examined 16 pairs of upper and lower extremities without the hip joint (left and right sides) obtained from 8 human fetuses at approximately 10-15 weeks of gestation. Rather than in muscles, CD68-positive macrophages were densely distributed in loose connective tissues of the flexor aspects of the extremities, especially in the wrist, hand and foot. In contrast, no or fewer macrophages were evident in the shoulder and the extensor aspects of the extremities. The macrophages were not concentrated at the enthesis of the tendon and ligament, but tended to be arranged along other connective tissue fibers. Deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end-labeling revealed apoptosis in the hand lumbricalis muscles, but not in the area of macrophage accumulation. Likewise, podoplanin-positive lymphatic vessels were not localized to areas of macrophage accumulation. Re-organization of the connective tissue along and around the flexor tendons of the hand and foot, such as development of the bursa or tendon sheath at 10-15 weeks, might require the phagocytotic function of macrophages, although details of the mechanism remain unknown.

Expression of carbonic anhydrase IX in human fetal joints, ligaments and tendons: a potential marker of mechanical stress in fetal development?

Ji Hyun Kim,Seppo Parkkila,Shunichi Shibata,Mineko Fujimiya,Gen Murakami,Baik Hwan Cho 대한해부학회 2013 Anatomy & Cell Biology Vol.46 No.4

Carbonic anhydrase type IX (CA9) is known to express in the fetal joint cartilage to maintain pH against hypoxia. Using paraffin-embedded histology of 10 human fetuses at 10-16 weeks of gestation with an aid of immunohistochemistry of the intermediate filaments, matrix components (collagen types I and II, aggrecan, versican, fibronectin, tenascin, and hyaluronan) and CA9, we observed all joints and most of the entheses in the body. At any stages examined, CA9-poisitive cells were seen in the intervertebral disk and all joint cartilages including those of the facet joint of the vertebral column, but the accumulation area was reduced in the larger specimens. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), one of the intermediate filaments, expressed in a part of the CA9-positive cartilages. Developing elastic cartilages were positive both of CA9 and GFAP. Notably, parts of the tendon or ligament facing to the joint, such as the joint surface of the annular ligament of the radius, were also positive for CA9. A distribution of each matrix components examined was not same as CA9. The bone-tendon and bone-ligament interface expressed CA9, but the duration at a site was limited to 3-4 weeks because the positive site was changed between stages. Thus, in the fetal entheses, CA9 expression displayed highly stage-dependent and site-dependent manners. CA9 in the fetal entheses seemed to play an additional role, but it was most likely to be useful as an excellent marker of mechanical stress at the start of enthesis development.

Topographical anatomy of the greater omentum and transverse mesocolon: a study using human fetuses

Daisuke Suzuki,Ji Hyun Kim,Shunichi Shibata,Gen Murakami,José Francisco Rodríguez-Vázquez 대한해부학회 2019 Anatomy & Cell Biology Vol.52 No.4

The greater omentum covers the transverse colon from the anterior side in adults, but people might believe the morphology stable once established during fetal life. Sections from 49 midterm and 17 late-stage human fetuses, of gestational ages (GA) 8–15 and 30–38 weeks, respectively, showed complete fusion between the greater omentum and transverse mesocolon after physiological herniation at GA 8–9 weeks; the transverse colon attaching to the anterior aspect of the gastric antrum and pylorus at GA 10–15 weeks; the colon pushing the pylorus or superior portion of the duodenum upward (at GA 10–15 weeks and 30–38 weeks); and the greater omentum without covering the greater portion of the jejunum and ileum but shifted leftward (at GA 30–38 weeks). These subsequent topographical variations of the transverse colon with the stomach and duodenum included the colon tightly fusing with the stomach by a fibrous tissue and; the greater omentum and/or the mesocolon wedged between the stomach and transverse colon. Therefore, in combination, the colon was partly separated from the greater omentum. Moreover, at GA 30–38 weeks, the duodenum consistently showed a horizontal loop in contrast to the usual C-loop in the frontal plane. Consequently, after a complete fusion occurred once between the greater omentum and transverse mesocolon, the topographical change of the upper abdominal viscera seemed to modify, change or even break the initial fusion of the peritoneum. A logical lamination of the peritoneum seemed not to simply connect with the surgical application.

Synthesis, Photophysical,Electrochemical, Tumor-Imaging,and Phototherapeutic Properties of Purpurinimide-<i>N</i>-substituted Cyanine Dyes Joined with Variable Lengths of Linkers

Williams, MichaelP. A.,Ethirajan, Manivannan,Ohkubo, Kei,Chen, Ping,Pera, Paula,Morgan, Janet,White, William H.,Shibata, Masayuki,Fukuzumi, Shunichi,Kadish, Karl M.,Pandey, Ravindra K. American ChemicalSociety 2011 Bioconjugate chemistry Vol.22 No.11

<P>Purpurinimide methyl esters, bearing variable lengthsof N-substitutions,were conjugated individually to a cyanine dye with a carboxylic acidfunctionality. The results obtained from <I>in vitro</I> and <I>in vivo</I> studies showed a significant impactof the linkers joining the phototherapeutic and fluorescence imagingmoieties. The photosensitizer–fluorophore conjugate with aPEG linker showed the highest uptake in the liver, whereas the conjugatelinked with two carbon units showed excellent tumor-imaging and PDTefficacy at 24 h postinjection. Whole body imaging and biodistributionstudies at variable time points portrayed enhanced fluorescent uptakeof the conjugates in the tumor compared to that in the skin. Interestingly,the conjugate with the shortest linker and the one joining with twocarbon units showed faster clearance from normal organs, e.g., theliver, kidney, spleen, and lung, compared to that in tumors. Bothimaging and PDT efficacy of the conjugates were performed in BALB/cmice bearing Colon26 tumors. Compared to the others, the short linkerconjugate showed poor tumor fluorescent properties and as a corollarydoes not exhibit the dual functionality of the photosensitizer–fluorophoreconjugate. For this reason, it was not evaluated for <I>in vivo</I> PDT efficacy. However, in Colon26 tumor cells (<I>in vitro</I>), the short linker was highly effective. Among the conjugates withvariable linkers, the rate of energy transfer from the purpurinimidemoiety to the cyanine moiety increased with deceasing linker length,as examined by femtosecond laser flash photolysis measurements. Noelectron transfer from the purpurinimide moiety to the singlet excitedstate of the cyanine moiety or from the singlet excited state of thecyanine moiety to the purpurinimide moiety occurred as indicated bya comparison of transient absorption spectra with spectra of the one-electronoxidized and one-electron reduced species of the conjugate obtainedby spectroelectrochemical measurements.</P><P><B>Graphic Abstract</B> <IMG SRC='http://pubs.acs.org/appl/literatum/publisher/achs/journals/content/bcches/2011/bcches.2011.22.issue-11/bc200345p/production/images/medium/bc-2011-00345p_0016.gif'></P><P><A href='http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/bc200345p'>ACS Electronic Supporting Info</A></P>