Daily Archives: December 7, 2016

Mouse spleen: eosinophil after infusion of FC47

Ultimate order, the cell

I am getting bored with surfactant protein A: Taking a break to look at some old micrographs from mice that were infused with FC47 (FC standing for fluorochemical) emulsions. This particular mouse (No. 8) was given 75cc/kg of an emulsion (10% in 5% F68 – emulsion number 741028) on four consecutive days (10-28-74 to 10-31-1974). The mouse weighed 22.2g  at sacrifice (11-1-1974), liver =1.79 g, spleen=0.62g. Tissues were fixed in Karnovskys, cacodylate buffer 2% OsO4, dehydrated in ethanols, embedded in Epon 812.

The unretouched image is grey scale in the background, one granule with perfluorochemical “droplet-footprints” remain in this (and many of the other) granules in this eosinophil. Components of the granules include histamines, peroxidase, ribonuclease (RNase), deoxyribonucleases (DNase), lipase, plasminogen, and major basic protein (stored in the dark crystalloid like structures within granules). Inset is contrast enhanced, cut out, enlarged, FC47 droplets pseudocolored.

The propensity for the minute emulsion particles phagocytosed by eosinophils to end up in the granules is something interesting in and of itself.  Several types of granules hold the little PFC (perfluorocarbon) footprints, not just those with MBP crystalloids.

mouse_eosinophil_spleen_artificial_blood_FC47

 

Mouse lung: liquid breathing E2

Electron microgaphs of lung, Environment and contaminants, Ultimate order, the cell

lymphocyte_plateletTwo archived electron micrographs from experiments in the 1970s which were part of liquid ventilation studies by Leland Clark, Jr.  These images are from a mouse that liquid breathed E2 (this is the hooker, I cannot find in my records what the chemical name for E2 is/was, but it is not what is currently searchable in google — what comes to mind is di fluoro methyl ether?).  This a mouse (typically swiss albino) was submerged in perfluorocarbon  for 15 min and tissues were taken at 0 min recovery.  Two micrographs of the dozen or so from this animal (I still have the Epon 812 blocks probably) and immediately I noticed two intravascular lymphocytes (probably medium size lymphocytes) making a quick pass by two platelets. One even has about 4 little surface folds reaching out to the lymphocyte.  I am not drawing any conclusions from two cells and two micrographs, but found it interesting, and would be highly surprised if something doesn’t point to this interaction, under some normal and experimental circumstances, as being significant.