title: Viperid venom glands with defective venom production. Morphological study.
abstract: The venom of viperid snakes is collected monthly at Butantan Institute for research purposes and production of antivenoms. Here we describe histological and ultrastructural changes on Crotalus durissus terrificus and Bothrops sp. venom glands with defective venom production. Secretory tubules commonly showed partial or total obliteration of their lumina by masses of necrotic cells and cellular debris. Secretory cells showed varying degrees of degenerative and/or metaplastic alterations seriously affecting the structures responsible for the synthesis and secretion of venom. The intertubular connective tissue presented fibroblast hyperplasia, inflammatory cells infiltration, vacuolated cells and blood vessels alterations. In two venom glands out of nineteen snakes examined, virus-like particles were found. The alterations observed in most of the glands could have been caused by excessive manual pressure, during venom extraction routine, causing disruption of the secretory tubules and leakage of venom to the intertubular connective tissue.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brazil 1500, 05503-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Karina Cristina
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Giannotti
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sesso
authors.forename: Kathleen Fernandes
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Grego
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Rubens Pinto
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Gabriela Grilo
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: Sylvia Mendes
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Carneiro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017837:Bothrops / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003435:Crotalid Venoms / Q000378:metabolism*; D017839:Crotalus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005088:Exocrine Glands / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D003435:Crotalid Venoms