Biomaterial Database

An ultrastructural study of blood vessels in peripheral nerves of leprosy patients: blood vessels in peripheral nerves. 1989

V Kumar, and R B Narayanan, and G N Malaviya

Ultrathin sections of nerves of tuberculoid and lepromatous leprosy were examined in an electron microscope for changes in endoneural blood vessels. In the tuberculoid nerves, hypertrophy of endothelial cells was the most prominent feature. This was to such an extent that the lumen of blood vessel was often closed. Endoneural blood vessels showed multilayers separated by collagen and ground substances. In contrast, in the lepromatous nerves, there was no hypertrophy of endothelial cells in the blood vessels and the lumen of the vessels was open. M. leprae were seen within the endothelial cells and these organisms were intact and probably viable. These observations suggest a possible involvement of endoneural blood vessels which may contribute to nerve damage in leprosy.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007918	Leprosy	A chronic granulomatous infection caused by MYCOBACTERIUM LEPRAE. The granulomatous lesions are manifested in the skin, the mucous membranes, and the peripheral nerves. Two polar or principal types are lepromatous and tuberculoid.	Hansen's Disease,Hansen Disease
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D010525	Peripheral Nerves	The nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord, including the autonomic, cranial, and spinal nerves. Peripheral nerves contain non-neuronal cells and connective tissue as well as axons. The connective tissue layers include, from the outside to the inside, the epineurium, the perineurium, and the endoneurium.	Endoneurium,Epineurium,Perineurium,Endoneuriums,Epineuriums,Nerve, Peripheral,Nerves, Peripheral,Perineuriums,Peripheral Nerve
D004730	Endothelium, Vascular	Single pavement layer of cells which line the luminal surface of the entire vascular system and regulate the transport of macromolecules and blood components.	Capillary Endothelium,Vascular Endothelium,Capillary Endotheliums,Endothelium, Capillary,Endotheliums, Capillary,Endotheliums, Vascular,Vascular Endotheliums
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man