Ultrastructure of rat Purkinje neurons after chronic ethanol consumption and prolonged abstinence.
In the present study of nutrition control of Wistar white rats, the ultrastructure of cerebellar Purkinje cells was studied after chronic ethanol exposure and a subsequent period of prolonged abstinence: a qualitative investigation of the perikarya of Purkinje cells was performed in age-matched controls (group A) and rats alcohol-fed for 5 months and withdrawn from this diet for 3 months (group B). The results showed massive accumulation of small dense bodies as well as obvious deposition of lipofuscin in the Purkinje cells of group B. Furthermore, ring-shaped Golgi apparatus units, lamellar bodies and degenerative foci dispersed throughout the cytoplasm of the alcohol-treated animals referred to degeneration processes and neuronal cell death, the morphological characteristics and the aetiology of which are discussed.
Wenisch
S
S
Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Giessen, Germany.
Hild
A
A
Bitsch
I
I
Leiser
R
R
Hummel
G
G
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008062:Lipofuscin / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D015388:Organelles / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D008062:Lipofuscin; D000431:Ethanol