• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1244-1251
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• 2014

Platycodon grandiflorum (PG) has been known to possess many biological effects, including anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy activity and anti-obesity and hyperlipidemia effects. However, little research has been conducted regarding its anticancer effects, with the exception of its ability to stimulate apoptosis in skin cells. There has also been no study regarding PG-induced autophagy. The modulation of autophagy is recognized as one of the hallmarks of cancer cells. Depending on the type of cancer and the context, autophagy can suppress or help cancer cells to overcome metabolic stress and the cytotoxicity of chemotherapy. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate whether or not extracts from PG-induced cell death were connected with autophagy and apoptosis in HCT-116 human colon cancer cells. PG stimulation decreased cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner and induced apoptosis, which was partially dependent on the activation of caspases. PG treatment also resulted in the formation of autophagic vacuoles simultaneously with regulation of autophagy-related genes. Interestingly, a PG-mediated apoptotic effect was further triggered by pretreatment with the autophagy inhibitors 3-methyladenin and bafilomycin A1. However, cell viability recovered quite well with bafilomycin A1 treatment. These findings show that PG treatment promotes both autophagy and apoptosis and that PG-induced autophagic response might play a role in the autophagic cell death of HCT-116 cells.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.225-236
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• 2011

This study was aimed to determine the fish physical status according to the gross and histopathological findings of liver in cultured black rock fish, Sebastes schlegeli. All 47 fish submitted had no marked abnormalities in the external findings. 42.55% of fish showed normal liver, 25.53% yellow liver, 25.53% atrophic brown liver, 4.26% yellowish-green liver and 2.13% fatty liver in gross examination. Grossly normal liver showed no remarkable change in lobular structure but many vacuoles were found in hepatic cell. Hepatic cells took normal roundish, polygonal shapes containing spherical nuclei. In group of yellow-brown liver, many brown pigments were seen in hepatic cells, MMCs and brown-colored hyaline droplets within cytoplasm of hepatocytes. Yellowish green pigments were seen in hepatic cells and MMCs of yellow green liver and green colored hyaline droplets within hepatocytes. The dilated central veins are highlighted with atrophy of hepatic cells. Outline of atrophic hepatocyte became ambiguous and nucleus frequently become small and pyknotic. Fatty liver showed prominent vacuolar structures in cells as clear spaces or foamy cytoplasm with degenerative nuclei. From these results, it was strongly suggested that hepatic gross and histological findings could be used as important and critical health parameters of fish prior to progression to substantial manifestation as clinical disease.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to describe the cellular characteristics of endometrial hyperplasia without/with atypia in cervical smears. These cellular features were compared with those of normal endometrium and endometrial carcinoma. We reviewed 265 cervical smears : 64 normal proliferative endometrium, 118 endometrial hyperplasia without atypia, 21 endometrial hyperplasia with atypia, and 62 endometrial adenocarcinoma. Of these smears, 72(27.2%) smears which had diagnostic endometrial epithelial cells were selected for this study. The cytologic abnormalities about cellularity, background, changes in cellular architecture, alterations in nuclear size, anisokaryosis, chromatin pattern, nucleoli, cytoplasmic vacuoles, and mitosis were observed. Nuclear enlargement(1.6 to 2 times of the nucleus in the intermediate squamous cell) and anisokaryosis(${\geq}$2 fold in size variation) were highly suggestive of endometrial hyperplasia without/with atypia. The nuclei from endometrial hyperplasia with atypia were more coarsely granular in chromatin patterns than hyperplasia without atypia(33.3% vs 3.4%). Micronucleoli were observed in all endometrial conditions, but the presence of macronucleoli were more suggestive of hyperplasia with atypia(22.2%) and adenocarcinoma(55%). The changes in cellular architecture(loss of polarity, uneven internuclear distance, overlapping and loose arrangement) were seen in hyperplasia with atypia and adenocarcinoma. Characteristically, bloody background was seen in endometrial hyperpiasia, and cellular detritus or granular proteinaceous material was only observed in endometrial adenocarcinoma. Mitoses were also observed in adenocarcinoma. In conclusion, although there is no single parameter useful for the cytologic differential diagnosis of endometrial lesions, combined cytologic evaluation can be used to diagnose hyperplasia cytologically.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.9 s.89
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• pp.1272-1277
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• 2007

Comparison of fruit bodies of Pleurotus ostreatus cultivar chunchu No .2 grown on the sawdust, rice straw and cotton waste substrates revealed differences in the pattern of differentiation of hyphal compartments. Required period for primordium induction of fruit bodies grown on sawdust substrate was 13 days. Physical structure shown as hardness of stipes grown on the sawdust substrate, fruit bodies were harden than control. Pileocystidia were well developed on the surface of pileus in the fruit body cultivated on rice straw. Microstructures of fruit body grown on the sawdust and cotton wastes substrates shown fast-discharge of basidiospore and sytoms ageing. Hyphae of fruit bodies formed on sawdust substrate had less stainable cytoplasmic material and many more vacuoles than hyphae of fruit bodies formed on synthetic substrate with 50% of pine sawdust, 30% of cotton seed hull and 20 of beet pulp(control).

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.211-226
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• 1985

The ultrastructure of the digestive organ of Korean Planaria (Dugesia japonica) is studied by light microscope and transmission electron microscope. 1. Pharynx The epithelium surrounding pharyngeal lumen has a number of microvilli on the free surface. The epithelial cells contain PAS-positive granules which are 0.4 to 0.6 $\\mum$ in size. They also contain hundreds of vesicles and vacuoles. The pharyngeal epithelium of the external surface surrounded by pharyngeal cavity possesses a number of cilia and microvilli on the free surface. A number of muscle bundles are found in the pharyngeal tissue. The parietal epithelium surrounding pharyngeal cavity have microvilli and electron-dense secretory granules. 2. Caeca The cells which constitute the cecal epithelium are divided into four kinds of cells. 1) Phagocytic cell : These cells are characterized by presence of a number of lysosomes. These cells have highly developed mitochondria, polyribosomes and granular endoplasmic reticulum of which cisternae are distended. 2) Granular club cell : These cells contain round granules 5 $\\mum$ in diameter which show strong PAS-positivity and weak eosinophilia. The cells have highly developed granular endoplasmic reticulum. 3) Storage cell : These cells include thousands of glycogen granules in the cytoplasm. These cells also have second kind of round granules which are 1.4 to 3 $\\mum$ in size and exhibit PAS-positive reaction. 4) Immature storage cell : These cells have a large nucleus and contain a small number of granules which have PAS-positive granules and a few lipid droplets. Several chromatoid bodies are found in the cytoplasm around the nucleus.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.9-28
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• 1982

Cyclical changes in the fine structures of the surface epithelial, stroma and glandular cells of guinea pig endometrium during the estrous cycle were studied by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Cytochemical studies were made in order to investigate the ultrastructural localization of the acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase and ATPase in these cells. The results obtained are as follows: 1. The endometrial surface epithelium was pseudostratified columnar during estrus and meterstrus, and simple columnar during proestrus and diestrus. The characteristic features observed in these cells include increased nucleocytoplasmic ratio at proestrus, elongated shapes of both the nucleus and the entire cell, increased volume of the cytoplasm and cytoplasmic bulding into the lumen during estrus, and smaller surface epithelial cells during metestrus. 2. In the cytoplasm of surface epithelial cells, the numbers of mitochondria and free ribosomes were increased, and rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex appeared during estrus, and the degenerated cells, lipid droplets, multilamellated bodies and lysosomes appeared during diestrus. 3. During estrus, scanning electron microscopic observations of endometrial surface showed a regular arrangement with polygonal outlines of epithelial cells, distinct intercellular border, and bulged surface into the lumen, whereas flat surface and indistinct cell border were characteristic during meterstrus and diestrus. 4. Microvilli which aligned on the surface were longer and most abundant during estrus while short and aparse during other phases. 5. Cytochemical studies indicated that during metestrus acid phosphatase activities were localized in the microvilli and vacuoles, and alkaline phosphatase activities were significant around luminal surface and lateral cell membrane in the surface epithelial cells. ATPase activities were present on the microvilli and cell membrane during proestrus and estrus.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.149-155
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• 2000

Background: Pulsed radiofrequency (RF) lesioning is a painless procedure and causes no neurodestruction and neuritis-like reaction are common following conventional RF lesioning. There is little data about the effect of pulsed RF especially with regard to its suitability for the treatment of acute pain. The possibility of a placebo effect cannot be ruled out because a double-blind study was not performed in previous studies. There is also no neuropathologic study about pulsed RF. Methods: The rats were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (40 mg/kg, i.p.; supplemented as necessary). The common sciatic nerve was exposed by blunt dissection through biceps femoris. Pulsed RF was administered to the common sciatic nerve using a 30 ms/s pulse with for 120 seconds. The temperature reached was no more than $42^{\circ}C$. Analgesia was determined using hot-plate assay shortly and, 3 days and 1 week before, and 2 weeks after operation. Lesions were examined with LM (light microscope) and EM (electron microscope) 2 weeks later. Results: There were no differences in response latencies between the control and experimental group. There were many vacuoles with hyaline bodies in the Schwann cell cytoplasm rather than axon in LM and larger electron dense bodies. No changes were found in the axon or unmyelinated fibers. Only small changes were found in the sheaths of myelinated fibers and Schwann cells. Conclusions: We therefore do think that any analgesic effect of pulsed RF is not a result of block of neural conduction. But rather than it can be attributed to others factors. It was also ineffective as a treatment for acute pain such as that caused by the hot-plate test.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.215-233
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• 1986

The effect of tryptophan on brain formation at the early stage of chick embryo has been investigated morphologically using electron microscope. The electron micrographs of cerebral cortex cells of $5\\sim10$ day old chick embryo, which received 1.0mg of tryptophan showed that the irregularity, evagination and disruption of nuclear membrane and nuclear chromatin condensation, nucleolar chromatin margination and segragation. Hypertrophy of stalks, vesicles, and vacuoles can be seen and dilation and vesiculation of rough endoplamic reticulum and polysome disaggregation occured. Protein and RNA levels and the activity of several enzymes such as lactate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase of tryptophan administered group were significantly lower than those of control group suggesting that the tryptophan administration depressed protein biosynthesis resulting in the decrease of enzyme activity. It was found that serotonin content of egg yolk which has been incubated for 10 days were as much as three times that of control egg yolk. It is not clear whether the increase of serotonin content might inhibit intracellular yolk granule degradation which might result in malformation of chick embryo, but it is likely that tryptophan administration might depress protein biosynthesis, consequently, the enzyme biosynthesis would be impaired. This might give rise to improper development of chick embryo.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2004

To investigate the mechanism of germ cell death in postnatal stage of mouse, the involvement of apoptotic executioners, caspase-3 and caspase-activated DNase(CAD), and apoptotic initiators, Bax Fas and Fas ligand, in the germ cell death has been studied. Immune-labels of active caspase-3 and CAD were located in TUNEL-positive, apoptotic, oocytes as well as normal oocytes of primary or secondary follicles. CAD immune-labels were also detected in the nucleus of TUNEL-positive oocytes. Most of oocytes showing positive immune-labeling of active caspase-3 or CAD had vacuoles in their cytoplasm, which is the morphological characteristic of oocyte during folliclar atresia. Bax immune-stains were detected in the atretic oocytes which showed the vacuole in their cytoplasm. Positive immune-labels for Fas ligand was localized in TUNEL-positive or atretic oocytes. Presence of immunoreactivity of active caspase-3 and CAD in TUNEL-positive germ cells implicate that active raspase-3 and CAD might play a role in germ cell apoptosis during early development of mouse ovarian follicle. Immunohistochemical localization of Bax and Fas ligand in TUNEL-positive oocytes suggests that these might be the most plausible modulator of oocyte apoptosis.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2005

Many studies have been performed on the bovine leukemia virus (BLV) since bovine leukosis had been reported in 1968 in Korea. However, there was no report on the ultrastructural examination of BLV. An attempt to detect C-type viral particles in the cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes of Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle, was made to determine whether in vitro viral expression might be used as a reliable method to identify the cow which is likely to transmit BLV. In transmission electron microscopic (TEM) examination, the virus particles were found predominantly outside of the lymphocytes even though a few particles were also observed within the membrane bound cytoplasmic vacuoles. All of them were C-type particles consisting of a central, electron-dense core separated by a clear area from a limiting envelope with a unit membrane structure. Virus particles were easily detected in the lymphocyte which was cultured with medium supplemented with either T-lymphocyte mitogen (conconavalin A) or B-lymphocyte mitogen (lipopolysaccharide). Identical viral particles, although fewer, were also consistently present in the lymphocytes cultured with medium which was containing foetal bovine serum (FBS) only and which was containing neither FBS or mitogen. By contrast, no virus particle was detected in extensive examination of lymphocytes before culture. In conclusion, the BLV cultivation and detection methods established in this study could be used as a tool to identify and eliminate the cattle which can transmit the BLV.