Virchows Archiv : an international journal of pathology
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The reconstruction of epidermal architecture over time in normotrophic and hypertrophic scars in untransplanted, spontaneously healed partial-thickness burns has scarcely been studied, unlike the regeneration of epidermal grafts used to cover burn wounds and the regeneration of the dermis during hypertrophic scarring. The expression of markers of epidermal proliferation, differentiation and activation in normotrophic and hypertrophic scars in spontaneously healed partial-thickness burns was assessed and compared with the expression of these markers in normal control skin of healthy persons to determine whether hypertrophic scarring is associated with abnormalities in the phenotype of keratinocytes. Punch biopsies were taken both of partial-thickness burns after re-epithelialisation and of matched unburned skin. ⋯ At 7 months post-burn all keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation markers showed normal expression, but the activation marker CD36 remained upregulated in both normotrophic and hypertrophic scars. Surprisingly, in matched unburned skin of burn patients, a state of hyperactivation was observed at 1 month. Our results suggest that keratinocytes may be involved in the pathogenesis of hypertrophic scarring.
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Various genetic changes are involved in human renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). However, the molecular events related to other cytomorphological subtypes of RCC are not well known, apart from the relationship between the von Hippel-Lindau tumour suppressor gene and clear cell subtype RCC. We examined the overexpression of several growth factor receptors immunohistochemically and analyzed their relationship to the cytomorphological characters in 120 cases of RCCs. ⋯ These results strongly suggest a close correlation between the overexpression of c-MET and development of the chromophilic subtype of RCC with papillary growth pattern. EGFR expression is closely related to the pathogenesis of the clear cell subtype of RCC with compact growth pattern. The overexpression of c-MET, EGFR, and TGFbetaR may have roles that are individually significant in the morphogenesis of RCC.
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Historical Article
Metastatic carcinoma of presumed prostatic origin in cremated bones from the first century A.D.
A cremated pelvis dating from the first century A. D. showed evidence of osteosclerotic metastasis, presumably secondary to prostate carcinoma. The case demonstrates the importance of microradiography in palaeopathology as well as some of the structural changes seen in cremated bone.
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Comparative Study
Morphology of cardiac muscle in septic shock. Observations with a porcine septic shock model.
The morphology of cardiac muscle was investigated in a porcine model of septic shock, created by intermitted application of Escherichia coli-endotoxin. The earliest lesions, found after 18 h of septic shock, were endothelial cell swelling, marked leucostasis and slight ischaemic alterations of the muscle fibres. At the end point of the experiments, after 48 h, some fibrin thrombi were found associated with more pronounced ischaemic alterations of cardiac muscle cells and some necrotic fibres. Comparing these findings with the severe endothelial and muscle fibre lesions found in skeletal muscle, the endothelial cells of the heart microvasculature, are clearly more resistant to the attack of the endotoxins and mediators liberated in septic shock.