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The consecutive semithin — thin section method was employed to identify pancreatic-polypeptide-containing cells in the human pancreas. The immunocytochemical staining of semithin sections with the peroxidase-antiperoxidase complex allowed a precise ultrastructural description of the immunoreactive cells on the adjacent thin section. Two populations of small granulated cells could be distinguished with this technique: one group is formed by cells whose secretory granules with a mean diameter of 141 nm show specific immunoperoxidase staining with anti-PP serum, while the other group consists of cells whose secretory granules measuring 118 nm in diameter show no immunoreactivity to anti-PP serum. The former cells which will be designated as PP-cells, are not identical with the D1-cells of the revised Wiesbaden classification of endocrine cells.

In fifty cases of proven asthenospermia semen samples were examined for ultrastructural abnormalities. In 32 of the cases the sperm cells appeared either completely normal, or presented only minor abnormalities. In 15 cases severe teratospermia was observed. In the 3 remaining cases, specific and hitherto undescribed tail abnormalities were detected.

Single pancreatic B cells are purified by autofluorescence-activated cell sorting, and their secretory activity is measured after overnight culture. Compared to intact islets, the isolated cells release 2-fold more insulin under basal conditions and 5-fold less during nutrient stimulation. Their secretory activity can be induced by glucose, leucine, or arginine, but only 0.3-1.7% of their hormone content is liberated at 20 mM nutrient concentrations. This poor nutrient-induced insulin release from purified B cells is attributed to their low cAMP levels and is markedly increased after addition of (Bu)2cAMP, of glucagon, or of pancreatic A cells. These results strongly support the concept that the potent in vivo insulin-releasing action of glucose and leucine is not only dependent on their fuel capacity in pancreatic B cells but also on the concurrent cAMP levels in these cells. In isolated islets, endogenously released glucagon apparently determines the cAMP production in B cells and thus participates in the nutrient-induced secretory process. Somatostatin and epinephrine were shown to exert their suppressive effects via the glucagon-dependent messenger system. It is concluded that nutrients and hormones interact with two different messenger systems which amplify each others' stimulatory effect upon insulin release. cAMP might represent the hormone-induced messenger which sets the B cell's sensitivity and secretory capacity for nutrient stimuli such as glucose. The higher insulin secretory response observed after reaggregation of single B cells could not be attributed to an altered activity in the nutrient or hormonal regulatory units, raising the possibility that the aggregated state of the cells is rather responsible for a better organization or cooperation of the secretory effector unit.

The distribution of different celltypes (A, B, D and PP cells) of the endocrine pancreas was studied in both the normal and in the experimental diabetic non-pregnant and pregnant rat. In the normal rat the head (juxta duodenal part) of the pancreas contained more PP cells than the tail (12.5 +/- 1.1 versus 5.2 +/- 2.2) but fewer glucagon cells (19.0 +/- 3.5 versus 14.3 +/- 3.6). This difference disappeared during pregnancy, when the total B cell mass increased (2.05 versus 0.82). In the diabetic rat no difference was found in the number of endocrine cells between the tail and the juxta duodenal part of the pancreas. Unlike the non-diabetic rat, the number of B cells did not increase in the pancreas of the pregnant diabetic rat. An absolute increase in the number of glucagon (A) cells was demonstrated in the islets of the pregnant diabetic rat as compared to the non-diabetic rat (35 versus 21.2).

This present study has demonstrated that during normal pregnancy in the rat the number of β-cells is increased (hyperplasia) and the volume of the individual β-cells is increased (hypertrophy). During experimental diabetes, however, the endocrine pancreas has an impaired capacity to compensate during pregnancy. In the experimental diabetic pregnant rat the β-cells cannot replicate due to the unfavourable metabolic environment. This could reflect the complications caused by diabetes during human pregnancy.

SummaryA case of congenital hepatic fibrosis is described. The literature is reviewed and the various aspects of the disease, in particular the microscopic diagnosis, discussed. The aetiology of the disease remains unclear; the main lesions are found in the liver but arc invariably accompanied by similar lesions in the kidneys and to a lesser extent in the pancreas. Moreover, the nephrons show cystic dysplastic changes similar to those leading to biliary angiomatosis. The disease leaves the parenchyma functionally intact, but ultimately leads to portal hypertension, which should be surgically treated before the formation and rupture of oesophageal varices.

SummaryA case of mitral stenosis is described in a woman fifty years of age, with chronic auricular fibrillation and cardiac failure. An extensive parietal calcification of the left auricle was diagnosed in vivo seven years before death. The autopsy showed that the calcium deposits were situated in thrombotic masses beneath the endocardium, which was sclerosed and increased in thickness but was not infiltrated with calcium

SummaryIn a patient with clinical picture of acute leukemia, postmortem examination has shown necrotic areas in liver, spleen, lymph nodes and bone marrow. Microscopically no signs of tuberculosis were observed, neither giani cells, nor epithelioid cells were found. However tubercule bacilli were coloured by Ziehl’s fuchsia. Hematological changes were in this case linked to a tuberculous septicemia (Landouzy’s typhobacillosis).

SummaryMinutes of a clinico-pathological meeting regarding the case of a 60 years old man, having presented during the last 3 years of his life periods of pyrexia of obscure origin. The laboratory examinations only gave limited information. The sedimentation rate was low, leucocytosis was normal but with a relative monocytosis. During the 2 months preceding death, the general condition rapidly deteriorated and an irreductible collapsus appeared. The anatomical-pathological examination revealed the existence of chronic generalized tuberculous adenitis, and lesions of recent tuberculous hematogenous dissemination with among other things a peculiar embolic tuberculous glomerulo-nephritis. The origin of the tuberculous dissemination was an endo-aortic polyp containing very numerous tuberculous bacilli. During the discussion the following points were brought up : the significance of the low sedimentation rate and of the blood formula during the course of the tuberculosis, the explanation of the irreversible co...

Persistent estrus has been induced in rats by electrolytic lesions located in the anterior hypothalamus. After 1 month of continuous vaginal cornification the ovaries contained large and cystic follicles but no corpora lutea. The lesions have thus disturbed the mechanism of rhythmic LH release that causes ovulation. These animals were then ovariectomized, 1 ovary being transplanted into the spleen; 1 month later the grafts showed regularly an intense luteinization. The anterior lobe of the pituitary contained numerous castration cells. Thus, estrogen deprivation induces LH release in constant estrus resulting from hypothalamic lesions. It is suggested, in agreement with Barraclough and Gorski that 2 regions within the hypothalamus control the gonadotrophic activity of the hypophysis. One is responsible for the cyclic ovulating LH discharge. The other one, more posteriorly located releases LH continuously. Its activity is depressed by estrogen.

SummaryHereditary Fructose Intolerance in a 83 years old German female is reported. The anamnesis revealed vomitus and failure to thrive during the weaning period, relieved by the suppression of fruit and sugar. The elder brother of the patient snowed the same symptoms, which at that time, were interpreted and correctly treated as « Sugar Intolerance ». Mental and physical status was normal before a terminal period of arteriosclerosis, cardiac insufficiency and cachexia. The hepatic tissue aldolase determinations and the fructose tolerance test showed clinical and biological features in agreement with the diagnosis of Hereditary Fructose Intolerance.

SummaryNo specific symptomatology can be ascribed to the lymphadenopathic form of the acquired toxoplasmosis, which may run a subclinical course or evoke severe diseases, such as infectious mononucleosis or Hodgkin's disease.The physician and even the pathologist, when confronted with a case of adenopathies of obscure aetiology, may miss the true diagnosis if they do not look for a toxoplasmic infection. Pathological examination of lymph nodes is not always conclusive. Serologic tests and inoculation of lymph node material into mice afford a definitive diagnosis.The two clinical cases reported above suggest that toxoplasmosis should be more frequently thought of as a cause of adenopathy in the adult.

SummaryHypercalcemia with alkalosis may be encountered in other clinical conditions than milk-alkali syndrome.Three patients, one with parathyroid adenoma, the two others with metastatic malignancy, had very high blood level of calcium and alkalosis.In two cases, a previous treatment with sodium citrate or sodium bicarbonate may partly explain this shift in blood pH.Metabolic studies revealed the following facts:1)Renal function was seriously impaired in two patients, creatinine clearance technique disclosed slight reduction of the glomerular function in a third one.2)In two patients, urinary output of calcium was high.3)Hypokaliemia was observed twice, a normal potassium level in blood was demonstrated in the hypoparathyroid subject although a severe degree of uremia.4)Normal urinary potassium output was demonstrated in one of the hypokalicmic patient showing a disturbance in renal handling of potassium. This finding may be attributed to alkalosis or to hypercalcemia.5)Paradoxical aciduria was observed i...

SummaryA case of pulmonary aspergillosis is described. Clinical and pathological findings are reported. Besides the pulmonary lesions, endocarditis of the aortic valves had been diagnosed in this patient, a man 43 years old. Post mortem examination showed perforation of one of the aortic valves which was responsible of severe cardiac failure observed just, before death.The pulmonary disease looked as pseudo tuberculosis of the lungs.The authors discuss the primary origin of the pulmonary disease. Microscopic findings are described and illustrated abundantly.

SummaryA child, three months old, showing bones defects of the skull associated with cutaneous lesions of a papulous type is studied. A biopsy of the skull tumors showed an eosinophilic granuloma.Later on the clinical picture was that of Letterer-Siwe’s disease : fever with hepatic and splenic enlargement, severe hypochromic anemia and extensive infiltration of the lungs with dyspnoea and cyanosis. The child died three months after the first symptoms appeared. Pathological study showed a reticular proliferation in the nodes, thymus, lunga, liver, spleen, lymphoid nodes of the bowel and skin.In the lymph nodes the picture was somewhat comparable to that of Besnier-Boeck’s disease. In the thymus the cells were frequently filled with lipoids, partly birefringent.This cass brings some support to the view that eosinophilic granuloma of the bones, Schuller-Christian’s and Letterer-Siwe’s diseases have a common basis. All three are characterised by a reticular proliferation. It seems that Schuller-Christian’s di...

A two wavelength immunofluorescence system was used to demonstrate islet cell surface antibodies (ICSA) from juvenile diabetics and complement on the same viable rat islet cell. When incubated with rat islet cells at 4 C and at 37 C, ICSA specific for B-cells proved capable of binding complement. In contrast, ICSA specific for both B and non-B cells were able to fix complement on all cell types at 4 C but only on B-cells at 37 C. This study provides further evidence for the B-cell specific cytotoxic effect of ICSA in the presence of complement at physiological temperature. In addition, the ultrastructural events leading to B-cell destruction after ICSA and complement binding were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Localization and ultrastructural maturation of prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) cells were studied in pituitaries from neonatal, immature (4-6 weeks old), and adult rats (2-3 months old) by light and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry. The distribution pattern of these cells did not change with age. Both cell types were concentrated laterodorsally, with PRL cells adjacent to the intermediate lobe and GH cells nearer the center of the pars distalis. Labeling density of the immunogold reaction was highest for both hormones in immature rats. In neonatal and immature rats, one PRL cell type with granules 200 nm in diameter was present. In adult rats, two types of PRL cells were present: one containing polymorphous granules measuring about 500 nm (prevalent in female rats), the other with spherical granules about 200 nm (prevalent in male rats). No changes were detected in GH cells during maturation.

Die histologischen Grundeigenschaften des Inselgewebes der Bauchspeicheldruse wurden vor allem aufgrund der Arbeiten von Langerhans (1893), Lane (1907) and Bensley (1911) genauer bekannt. Auf Basis dieser alteren Arbeiten und zahlreicher neuer eigener Unterlagen veroffentlichte Bargmann (1939) eine ausgezeichnete Zusammenfassung unserer Kenntnisse auf dem Gebiet der Normalhistologie des endokrinen Pankreas.

From a morphological point of view, two distinct pathological pictures emerge in the common types of human diabtetes. The first is characterized in the initial phase of the disease by inflammatory lesions in the islets of Langerhans. These lead to fibrosis and apparent atrophy of the islets, which in a more advanced stage are composed of non-insulin-producing cells, the B-cells having been largely destroyed. This picture is specific and diagnostic for the classical insulin-dependent type of diabetes, which occurs more often in young individuals. The second is characterized by a variable, but on the average moderate reduction of the number of B-cells, and by degenerative islet changes (fibrosis, hyalinosis). Despite the long lasting hyperglycemia to which they have been submitted, the B-cells fail to develop cytological features of hyperactivity. This pathological picture is associated with the classical insulin-independent, maturity-onset type of diabetes.