title: Morphological effects of transcardially perfused SDS on the rat brain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For explanation of the formation of 'dark' neurons, an enigmatic phenomenon in neuropathology, we hypothesized recently that all spaces between the ultrastructural elements visible in the traditional transmission electron microscope are filled with a gel structure that stores free energy in the form of non-covalent interactions, is continuous in the whole soma-dendrite domains of neurons, and is capable of whole-cell phase transition. This hypothesis was deduced from the fact that 'dark' neurons can be formed, even under conditions extremely unfavourable for enzyme-mediated biochemical processes, if initiated by a physical damage. In order to gain further information on this gel structure, we perfused transcardially rats for 5 min with physiological saline containing 1 mM SDS before the perfusion of a fixative for electron microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dramatic compaction of visibly intact ultrastructural elements was caused in the whole soma-dendrite domains of thinly scattered neurons ('dark' neurons), whereas substantial cytoplasmic swelling and patchy ultrastructural disintegration occurred in numerous other neurons ('light' neurons). Similar morphological changes were observed in scattered astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, pericytes and endothelial cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These observations: (i) support the existence of the above intracellular gel structure in neurons; (ii) allow the conclusion that this gel structure is present in the form of an ubiquitous trabecular network surrounded by a confluent system of fluid cytoplasm; (iii) draw attention to the possibility that the previous two statements also apply to other cell types of the brain tissue; and (iv) suggest that pressure-induced direct channels exist between neurons and astrocytes.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Pécs University, Pécs, Rét utca 2, Hungary.
authors: Betti
authors: B
authors: Kovács
authors: Péter
authors: P
authors: Bukovics
authors: Ferenc
authors: F
authors: Gallyas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003712:Dendrites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006321:Heart; D019579:Neocortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010477:Perfusion; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate