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Biomedical subjects

T H Parmley

Publications and source records attributed to T H Parmley.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Spontaneous cell death in the chorion laeve.

The granulosa cells of the dominant follicle grow, differentiate, and die in a roughly predictable amount of time. Because the simultaneous death of this population of cells results in menstruation, one may say that the life span of this population of cells "times" the menstrual cycle. Metamorphosis in amphibians and morphogenesis in several vertebrates are other examples of developmental milestones that are "timed" by the life span of specific cell populations. In all these examples, cell death is associated with a specific histology, apoptosis. Apoptosis characterizes the cell death that produces the progressive disappearance of the trophoblast in the chorion laeve as term is approached. Therefore, the histology of trophoblastic death in the near-term chorion laeve corresponds to that of populations of cells with life spans that "time" developmental events. The trophoblastic cell population of the chorion laeve is prematurely destroyed by infiltrating maternal leukocytes in cases of chorioamnionitis.

Cell Survival↗

Interaction of epithelial and stromal cells in vaginal adenosis.

Two types of direct contact between epithelial and stromal cells in patients with vaginal adenosis are documented in electron micrographs. In the first type, epithelial cells send cytoplasmic extensions through the basal lamina to achieve, at times, complete fusion with fibroblasts in the stromal compartment. In the second type, mast cells act as intermediaries between the epithelial and stromal compartments.

Epithelium↗

Neonatal ovarian cysts: sonographic-pathologic correlation.

The authors reviewed the prenatal (11 infants) and postnatal (17 infants) sonograms and the clinical, surgical, and pathologic findings in 17 infants with an ovarian cyst to determine the sonographic features and natural history of neonatal ovarian cysts. An uncomplicated cyst (nontwisted, nonhemorrhagic) was completely anechoic and the cyst wall was imperceptible with sonography (five cases). A twisted or hemorrhagic cyst was cystic with a fluid-debris level, cystic with a retracting clot, septated with or without internal echoes, or solid (12 cases). These complicated cysts contained liquid and/or organized hematoma. Eleven of the 12 complicated cysts had a thin, highly echogenic wall. Cyst torsion commonly occurred in utero and could be diagnosed on prenatal sonograms by a typical sonographic appearance (eight cases). All of these infants were asymptomatic after birth. Four infants with hemorrhagic or twisted cysts were symptomatic. All cysts except one that resolved spontaneously were treated surgically, including three twisted cysts that showed no change in size over a 1-8-month interval. All of the cysts were of follicular origin.

Female↗

Development of ciliated cells in the human fetal oviduct: an ultrastructural study.

Prenatal development of ciliated cells in the human fallopian tube was studied by light and electron microscopy in specimens obtained from 12 fetuses, aged 12-40 weeks. On light microscopy, transverse sections of the ampullary portion of the tube revealed a slit-like lumen at 12 weeks. The lumen began to fold by 15 weeks, and formed the typical villous structures by 31 weeks. On electron microscopy, the epithelial cells contained a large number of sub- and supranuclear glycogen particles until 18 weeks and an occasional solitary cilium. At 20-22 weeks, instead of glycogen particles, cytoplasmic organelles such as mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticula and Golgi apparatus were well developed, and some cells possessed cilia with a 9 + 2 microtubular structure. Between 22 and 31 weeks, ciliated cells were sporadically observed. At 31 weeks, the epithelial cells accumulated a large number of sub- and supranuclear glycogen particles. Afterwards, numerous ciliated cells with well-developed cytoplasmic organelles were observed by 40 weeks.

Animals↗

Fibro-osteochondroma of the uterus.

A very rare case of fibro-osteochondroma arising in uterine musculature was studied histologically. The tumor exhibited three types of cellular proliferation--fibroblastic, cartilaginous, and osseous--all within an abundant collagenous matrix. The three components were intermingled, and varied in the degree of differentiation of cartilaginous and osseous tissue. The more differentiated tissues were usually circumscribed by fibrocellular bands of spindle-shaped cells that seemed to have transformed into rounded cartilaginous cells. Presumably this tumor arose from undifferentiated mesenchymal cells in the myometrium, which proliferated to form fibroblasts, chondrocytes, and osteoblasts. The tumor may be designated fibrio-osteochondroma. It is histologically benign and exceedingly rare.

Adult↗

Ovarian cancer metastatic to the breast.

The breast is an uncommon site for metastasis from epithelial ovarian cancer. Such lesions are purportedly secondary to blood-borne metastases. The accurate classification of ovarian epithelial neoplasms is the cornerstone of decisions regarding therapy and prognosis. Taylor, in 1929, reported a hyperplastic variety of papillary cystadenoma which, on occasion, produced multiple implants on the peritoneum but usually behaved in a benign fashion. The International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians adopted a classification of benign cystadenomas, cystadenocarcinomas of low malignant potential (LMP), and cystadenocarcinomas. The serous tumors of LMP rarely metastasize outside of the abdominopelvic cavity. This case, of a serous tumor of LMP with breast metastasis, permits an analysis of metastatic breast lesions secondary to epithelial ovarian cancer.

Adult↗

Foreign body granulomas in normal ovaries.

In 100 consecutive cases in which grossly normal ovaries were removed at the time of pelvic surgery, 9% were found to contain crystalline foreign particles. An additional 9% contained cortical granulomas. In four of six cases, computer-assisted x-ray analysis of the crystalline foreign particles was successful and revealed magnesium and silicon.

Adult↗

Placental immaturity associated with anencephaly.

The placenta associated with anencephalic infants demonstrates striking histologic immaturity near term. This consists of large numbers of prominent cytotrophoblastic cells with frequent mitoses.

Anencephaly↗

Interobserver variability in the interpretation of epithelial ovarian cancer.

The interobserver diagnostic reproducibility for epithelial ovarian neoplasia was studied. The histologic sections of 68 ovarian tumors from 34 patients were independently reviewed by two pathologists from different institutions, without knowledge of the clinical course. Each observer rendered 68 diagnoses. The interobserver agreement rate for histologic type was 60% and for histologic grade 66%. In the 23 instances in which a discrepancy in grade occurred, 5 (23%) were disagreements in the diagnosis of borderline versus malignant tumors. On analysis of the diagnostic variability with regard to histologic type, one observer (A) classified 60% of the tumors as undifferentiated, while the other observer (B) classified 59% of the tumors as serous. In an attempt to understand the reasons for the diagnostic disagreements, the observers were asked to simultaneously reexamine the material. This occurred 6 months after the initial review and they were unaware of their original diagnoses. The diagnostic differences with regard to histologic type were mainly due to (1) tumor cell heterogeneity, and (2) difficulty in discriminating between serous and undifferentiated tumors. The differences in grade were largely related to the use of different criteria. Observer A used mitotic counts while observer B used glandular pattern and its replacement by solid sheets of epithelium. Observer B consistently assigned a higher grade to the tumors. In making therapeutic decisions, clinicians should be aware of the interobserver diagnostic variability and the reasons for this variability.

Carcinoma↗

Comparative effects of intrauterine instillation of analogues of quinacrine and tetracycline on uterine morphology in the rat.

Currently, intrauterine instillation of quinacrine hydrochloride is used to induce closure of the uterotubal junction in women, thus constituting a chemical method of sterilization. Questions regarding the safety of this drug have been raised. The purpose of the present study is to screen other drugs for their sterilizing potential by comparing quinacrine-induced changes in uterine morphology in the rat which have previously been correlated with decreased fertility with the changes induced by other drugs. The drugs tested include quinacrine-like compounds, namely chloroquine, primaquine and trimethoprim; and tetracycline and its analogues which are known sclerosing agents. The quinacrine-like drugs were relatively ineffective in producing uterine lesions similar to those of quinacrine, but like quinacrine, chloroquine and primaquine showed some toxicity. Tetracycline and its analogues produced quinacrine-like morphologic changes in the rat uterus and showed no toxicity for the doses tested. These results prompt further testing of tetracycline and its analogues as sterilizing agents.

Animals↗

Effect of intrauterine administration of tetracyclines on cynomolgus monkeys.

Cynomolgus monkeys were used to screen for chemicals which potentially could be used as tubal occluding agents. Intrauterine administrations of solution or pellets of tetracycline and its analogues (100 mg doses) were tested for their effects on morphologic changes in the reproductive tract of monkeys. These effects were compared to monkeys receiving intrauterine administration of quinacrine pellets (36 mg) since quinacrine has been used successfully in the clinical setting. Blood levels of drugs, blood chemistry and hematology determinations and liver and kidney pathology data were also obtained as indices for toxicity. Morphologic damage to the uterine lining and intramural section of the tube (including necrosis, inflammation or scarring) was elicited by intrauterine tetracycline and doxycycline in the same frequency and severity as quinacrine. In contrast, saline or sham control monkeys showed no morphological damage of the tube or uterus. Although all drugs could be detected in the blood 4 hours after intrauterine administration, levels were near or below the limit of detection by one week. No evidence was found for toxicity of tetracycline or its analogues for the dosage given. Because of these results and the extensive literature on tetracycline toxicity, further studies should be directed toward the use of tetracycline as a sterilizing agent in women.

Animals↗

Tumor heterogeneity and histopathology in epithelial ovarian cancer.

The histopathology of the original and the persistent or recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer in 34 patients was simultaneously reviewed by two pathologists. The time between removal of the primary tumor and removal of the persistent or recurrent tumor ranged from four to 132 months (median, 13 months; mean, 25 months). The initial operation was followed by multiagent chemotherapy in 23 patients, single-agent chemotherapy in seven, radiation and chemotherapy in two, radiation in one, and no therapy in one patient. In four of the 34 primary tumors, a mixed tumor composition was initially identified. In comparing the initial histopathology with that of persistent or recurrent tumors, a change was identified in nine patients. In four patients, the tumor changed from a mixed to an undifferentiated histologic type; in four patients there was a change from a lower to a higher tumor grade, and two of these patients also had a change in tumor cell type from serous to undifferentiated. In the ninth patient, the tumor changed from a large cell undifferentiated to a small cell undifferentiated carcinoma. The observed changes could be the result of 1) modification of the tumor by cytotoxic therapy, 2) spontaneous dedifferentiation of the initial tumor, 3) tumor cell heterogeneity with preferential growth of one cell type over the others, or 4) the development of a second primary tumor.

Carcinoma↗