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慢性肝炎の原因は,ウイルス,自己免疫,薬物,アルコール,代謝異常など様々であるが,わが国ではウイスル肝炎が主体をなし, C型肝炎ウイルスに起因するものが約60%を占める.近年,遺伝子工学的手法の導入により,慢性肝炎の病因・病態の解明は日進月歩の勢いで進んでいる.しかし,一般的なウイルスマーカーが陰性の症例については初心にかえって緻密な鑑別を行い,原因究明に努めることが肝要である.

The platypus kidney shows morphological similarities to those of other mammals. Macroscopically, the cortex is easily distinguishable from the fairly wide medulla. Within the medulla, no clear border is observed between the inner and outer zones. Light and transmission electron microscopically, the glomeruli show quite similar architecture to those of other mammals; however, the glomerular lobulation is very clear. The glomerular tufts are rather simple, but capillary lumen varies widely in size, which is one of the unique features of the platypus kidney. The urinary tubule is generally similar to that of human and other mammals in shape and segmentation; however, the staining specificities of histochemical reactions and the shape of epithelial cells of the Henle's loop differ from those of other mammals. The most conspicuous features are: 1) although no protein casts are found in the tubular lumina, epithelial cells of the proximal convoluted tubule (PCT) have numerous electron-dense vesicles as in human nephrotic kidneys; and 2) the platypus Henle's loop consists of the thick epithelial cells similar to the mammalian type nephron of birds. As compared to those of other mammals such as humans and rats, our observations suggest that the platypus kidney is less developed, in terms of evolution.

The morphological features of the intestinal mucosa and intra-abdominal lymphoid tissues of the platypus were examined. The mucosal surface of the intestine was characterized by the formation of large folds instead of the finger-like villi found in placental mammals. The lamina propria of the mucosal fold was well developed and contained numerous lymphocytes, expressing the lymphoid nature which is characteristic of the lamina propria of mammalian intestines. Although numerous well-developed Peyer's patches were observed in the ileum, solitary lymphoid nodules could not be found anywhere in the small intestine. Other intra-abdominal lymphoid tissues, particularly mesenteric lymphoid nodules, were well developed. However, each nodule represented a single follicle in contrast to the mammalian mesenteric lymph node which is composed of numerous follicles fused together. On the basis of the above findings, the tissues in question are considered to be at an evolutionary level preceding that of placental mammals.

In order to elucidate the process of the formation and possible function of the renal "melano-macrophage centers (MMC)" of fish, light and electron microscopic observations were carried out on the aglomerular kidney of the sea horse, Hippocampus kuda BLEEKER, injected with antigenic horse-spleen ferritin (AF) and nonantigenic carbon particles (CP). Kidneys of the sea horse have well-developed hemopoietic foci in the interstitial tissues surrounding the bundles of renal tubules. Each hemopoietic focus has a small artery in the central area and is framed with the densely arranged sinusoids lined with monolayered macrophages which have no melanin pigments. In the hemopoietic foci free macrophages (M phi) were hardly found, but large clusters of MMC filled with densely packed masses of cell debris with some melanin pigments were encountered. Some of them had degenerated M phi with fibrotic change surrounded by fibroblasts. AF and CP injected intraperitoneally entered quickly into blood vessels and were taken up actively by the sinusoidal M phi. The M phi full of AF or CP left the sinusoidal wall and moved gradually into hemopoietic foci to form the MMC or to fuse with the preexisting MMC. The melanophores in the interstitial connective tissue joined to form the MMC. No specific histologic change suggestive of immune response to the AF was present in and around the MMC. The results indicate that the MMC of fish should be only the aggregates of M phi to digest the ingested materials effectively. The process of formation of MMC and their possible function is discussed.

A ferric hydroxide-polyvinyl sulfate colloidal solution (Fe-PVS), prepared by mixing potassium polyvinyl sulfate (PVSK) and ferric hydroxide colloidal solution was used to study ferritin synthesis in rat peritoneal macrophages. The colloidal particles had spherical electron opaque ferric hydroxide cores with diameters of about 250 nm surrounded by radially arranged fibrous PVS molecules. They also had strong negative electric charges. Fe-PVS particles injected into the peritoneal cavity were taken up by the macrophages then disintegrated rapidly. In the phagolysosomes the electron opaque ferric hydroxide cores of Fe-PVS were denuded of their PVS frames then decomposed into small 5-6 nm granules 24 to 48 h after injection. These small granules were released from the lysosomes into the hyaloplasm and the myelin figures were found in the lysosomal vacuoles. No reaccumulation of granules in lysosomes was found even 3 months later. The intracellular distribution of ferritin in macrophages demonstrated by the immunocytochemical method showed a pattern similar to that of the small granules formed by the disintegration of Fe-PVS. This means that in rat peritoneal macrophages that contain ingested Fe-PVS particles ferritin first is synthesized in phagolysosomes by the ferric hydroxide cores that conjugate with apoferritin or protein subunits then they are dispersed into the cytoplasm. Two possible pathways for the biosynthesis of ferritin are discussed.

Absolute ethanolを用いて経皮経肝食道静脈瘤塞栓術(以下PTOと略す)を施行した29例を対象にして,absolute ethanolの至適注入量を検討し,続いてこれらとglucoseを基礎物質としたPTO施行24例の予後と累積再吐血率について対比検討した.Absolute ethanolの至適注入量は塞栓静脈径が3mm以上では,coil併用下に静脈径と比例相関し,3mm以下では単独使用で3ml以下であった.Ethanol使用群の再吐血率は13.8%,吐血死率は6.9%であったのに対し,glucose使用群はそれぞれ36.8%, 15.8%であり,緊急例についてもethanol使用群の方が低率であった.PTO単独療法例の2年累積再吐血率は,ethanol使用群が20.8%, glucose使用群が49.5%で,手術や内視鏡的硬化療法併用例との間にも差異はなかった.Absolute ethanolは安全で,塞栓効果に優れており,緊急例に対しても十分使用できると考えられた.

Observations were made on rat peritoneal macrophages exposed to cationic ferric hydroxide colloid (ferric hydroxide-cacodylate complex, Fe-Cac) in vitro in order to study the process of endocytosis of the cationic particles and their fate after ingestion. Fe-Cac particles given to macrophages were adhered to the cell surface and taken up through endocytosis. The ingested particles were first found in the cytoplasmic tiny vesicles and canals adhering to their inner surfaces. These tiny vesicles seldom fused each other or with lysosomes at the early stage of incubation. By further incubation in the iron-free medium, however, macrophages developed the acid phosphatase positive large vacuoles containing a quantity of iron particles, showing the fusion of some Fe-Cac containing endocytic vacuoles with lysosomes. After 15hr of chase in iron-free medium ferritin molecules in paracrystalline arrangements appeared in a few siderosomes and also diffusely scattered ones in cytoplasmic matrix. Immunocytochemical observations of ferritin with antirat ferritin antibody and FITC conjugated rabbit IgG showed diffuse staining of cytoplasm after 10 to 15hr of chase in iron-free medium.

A case of pancreatic carcinoma in a 14-year-old Japanese boy is reported. He complained of general fatigue, anorexia, abdominal distension, and abdominal mass. At autopsy, a whitish tumor was found from the head to the body of the pancreas. Metastasis was found in the liver, lungs, gall bladder, and various lymph nodes such as stomach, hilus, and periaorta. The tumor was histologically determined to be moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma (cribriform type) of duct cell origin. However, the tumors showed PAS-positive diastase-resistant mucus in the cytoplasm. Histocytology showed the positivity for alpha 1-antitrypsin, secretory component (sc), and CEA, but no S-amylase was detected in the cytoplasm. Electron microscopy revealed zymogen-like granules in the cytoplasm suggesting acinar differentiation.

1. To confirm the universally of the assumption that the coloration of pearls by irradiation with radioactive-rays is due to the coloration of manganese contained in them, the shells of 9 species of fresh-water shellfishes with various contents of manganese were irradiated with γ-rays. The relationship among the manganese contents, amounts of released iodine, and coloration in their shells was discussed.2. Coloration of the shells of fresh-water and marine shellfishes by irradiation with γ-rays, as shown in Fig. 1 (A-I) and Table 1, is proportional to their manganese contents and to amounts of released iodine in a reasonable accuracy. A few shells give conflicting results.3. The shell of “ Setashijimi ”, Corbicula sandai REINHARDT, was the only one having a samll amount of manganese and hardly colored by the γ-ray irradiation among the shells of 9 species of fresh-water shellfishes.4. The colored material which was produced in the shell irradiated with γ-rays was stable for 16 months or more at room temperature, but it is comparatively unstable and discolorable in high temperature over 50°C.

Pearls produced either in pearl oyster or in fresh-water mussel change their colors into black by the irradiation with either γ-ray or neutron rays. In this coloration, blackish pigment are found chiefly in the inserted nuclei of the pearls produced in fresh-water and of marine mollusks and also in the pearl layer of pearls produced in fresh-water mussel, but scarcely be found in those of the pearl layer of the pearls produced in Japanese pearl oyster. The insertion nucleus is made of pearl layer in shell of fresh-water clam. Both the pearl layer in shell or in pearl of fresh-water clam easily change its color from original to black by the irradiation. In order to clarify the mechanism of the coloration, the colored pearls were observed using the chemical and physical methods. In physical observation, in the colored pearls examined submicroscopically using electron microscope and x-ray diffractometer and heateffects, no physical differences can be found before and after the irradiation (Figure 1, 2, and Table II). In chemical observation, the shell of fresh-water clams contain comparatively larger amounts of Mn than those of marine ones (Table III). Those results shown in Table III suggest that the greater part of Mn in the shell of fresh-water clam really exists and its oxides caused by the irradiation are possibly due to the blackish color.

It is well known that lamellibranchs are very sensitive to disturbance and changes in the environmental condition and that they react by sl owing down or even stopping the water transport. In most investigations into lamellibranchs, filtering rates measured under laboratorical conditions tend, therefore, to be lower than under natural conditions. Thus, the purpose of the present investigation is to determine the filtering rate of the pearl oyster, Pteria (Pinctada) martensii DUNKER, under normal environment, namely, in the sea. The authors have employed the crude silicate as an indicator since it is much contained in suspending materials and in faeces. Moreover, the silicate is relatively stable in the process of the digestion (Table 2). Filtering and feeding-rate were calculated formula (1) and (2). Filtering rate (liter)=Amount of insoluble crude silicate in faeces of peral oyster/Amount of insoluble crude silicate in one liter sea water (1) Feeding rate of pearl oyster=Filtering rate×Amount of suspending matter in one liter of sea water (2) Approximate estimation of filtering rate from crude silicate method was 24-352l/one pearl oyster/one day (average, 167l in Matoya Bay). These values are two times higher than the results of generally used methods (Table 4). In this experiment, the feeding rate (as dry matter) ranges from 63-774mg/one pearl oyster/one day (average, 380mg in Matoya Bay) (Table 3).

In order to understand the mechanism of the shell-and pearl formation, the distribution of P32 and Ca45 was observed in the mantle of the pearl oyster, Pteria (Pinctada) martensii (DUNKER), through radioautography. For the study of localization of P32 and Ca45, each 20 specimens were placed in aquarium to which P32 or Ca45 were added. After specimens were breeded in P32 or Ca45 added sea water for periods ranging from two to ten hours, they were placed in the sea water which isotope was not added and then they were washed. The localization of P32 in the mantle is illustrated in Fig. 1A, 2 and 3. Fig. 1A shows that P32 is distributed in the periphery of the mantle. Examination of Fig. 2 and 3 which is a photograph of the periphery of the mantle taken at higher magnification, shows that P32 is localized basophilic gland in the mantle. Table 1. shows the distribution of P32 in each position of the mantle. Fig. 4A shows the localization of Ca45 in the periphery of the mantle, radioautograph of the tissue section of the mantle will be published in near future.

To get reliable information about the role of charged groups of tissue components on the integrity of blood circulation, the staining and perfusion experiments of rat organs with cationic (cacodylate iron colloid) and anionic iron colloid (chondroitin iron colloid) particles were carried out. These cationic and anionic iron colloid particles are stable in a wide range of pH's. Dissociation curves of several tissue components at varied pH levels were observed for the analysis of the results obtained by histochemical observations and perfusion experiments. The results indicated that all the intra- and extracellular spaces of living tissues are surrounded by the ionized anionic groups. No ionized cationic groups were found except on the macrophage surface. The cationic iron colloid particles perfused into organs through vessels adhered to the endothelial cell surface inducing the swelling of the cells. The cationic particles invaded into surrounding tissues passing through the damaged endothelial layer, but plasma protein leakage did not occur being prevented by the newly formed fibrin-fibrinogen lining. The anionic iron colloid particles introduced into vessels did not adhere to blood vessel walls but were taken by reticuloendothelial cells or macrophages. The importance of the ionized anionic groups of proteins on the endothelial cell surface and surrounding tissues for the integrity of blood vessel function was stressed.

Mechanisms involved in the removal of exogenous macromolecules from circulating blood were investigated in the aglomerular nephrons of the kidney of the sea-horse, Hippocumpus kuda Bleeker, using either native anionic or cationized probes. After intraperitoneal injection of native anionic horse-spleen ferritin (HS-AF) or cationized one (HS-CF) into the sea-horse, kidneys and gills were examined morphologically at intervals of 1 h to 14 days. Histochemical and immunohistochemical studies and transmission electron microscopy of the kidneys revealed that most of the injected HS-AF or HS-CF were taken up by macrophages in the sinusoids of hemopoietic tissue through pinocytosis, being gradually accumulated into their phagolysosomes. By the 14th day, the injected ferritin particles were degraded and the ferric agglomerates were concentrated within the phagolysosomes. Then the macrophages heavily laden with densely packed ferric catabolites migrated into the hemopoietic area forming macrophage agglomerates or macrophage centers. Some HS-AF and HS-CF particles infiltrated into the tubular basement membrane, where they were taken up by the tubular epithelial cells through pinocytosis, translocated into the phagolysosomes, fragmented into small ferric catabolites and then excreted into the urinary space. In contrast, examination of the gills revealed neither HS-AF, HS-CF particles nor their histochemically detectable ferric catabolites in either the interstitial space including basal lamina or the alveolar epithelia. It seems that no appreciable egress of exogenous substances occurs from the gill into the environmental water.

In order to reveal the pathway of iron release from macrophages, a 59Fe-labelled ferric hydroxide-potassium polyvinyl sulfate complex (Fe-PVS) was injected intravenously into anemic rats and the level of radioactivity in the liver, spleen, bone marrow, blood plasma and red blood cells (RBC) was estimated at various time intervals after the injection. Histochemical observation of ferric iron and ferritin in the liver was also made on anemic rats treated using unlabelled Fe-PVS. Fe-PVS injection promoted the recovery of anemia causing a rapid increase in the RBC number, with activated erythropoiesis occurring in the spleen and bone marrow. Soon after the injection, most of the radio iron was found in the liver with a small amount in the circulating erythrocytes, bone marrow and spleen. The iron level in the liver decreased gradually with a rapid increase in the iron level of the erythrocytes which reached a very high level 6 days after the 59Fe-PVS injection. Histochemical observations showed a heavy deposition of ferritin in the Kupffer cells 3 days after Fe-PVS injection. This deposition was minimized after 6 days with an increase in the level of ferritin in the parenchymal cells in the central area of acini. The level of radioferritin estimated biochemically in the nonparenchymal cell fractions of the liver revealed that the level dropped by about one third approximately 3.5 days after the Fe-PVS injection, showing the stimulated ferritin release at this stage. Results indicate that Kupffer cells in the liver play an important role in ferritin synthesis from the phagocytized iron compounds and that the iron is supplied for erythroid cell proliferation.

The distribution of anionic groups of acid mucopolysaccharides on the surface of glomerular constituents of a brown hagfish, Paramyxine atami Dean, has been studied morphologically. The ionized anionic groups of acid mucopolysaccharides were labeled on fixed tissues by staining with cationic cacodylate iron colloid (Fe-Cac) at pH 4.0. The glomerular permeability to cationic and anionic macromolecules was observed morphologically in the kidney of the animal injected with native anionic ferritin (NF) or cationized ferritin (CF) into the dorsal aorta. Histochemical staining of tissues with Fe-Cac (pH 4.0) revealed the ionized anionic groups of acid mucopolysaccharides on both luminal and abluminal surfaces of endothelial cells, within the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), and on the visceral epithelial cell surface facing the urinary space. The CF molecules introduced into the dorsal aorta easily passed through the fenestrae of the capillary endothelial cell layer and the thick fibrillar GBM, reaching the urinary space to be adsorbed to the visceral epithelial cell surface or taken up by these visceral epithelial cells. On the other hand, NF hardly passed through the capillary wall. These results show that the nonosmoregulating mesonephric glomerulus of the brown hagfish has a working anionic barrier system. The function of its glomerulus is compared to that of the mammalian metanephric glomerulus.