Biomaterial Database

Optic nerve in globoid leukodystrophy (Krabbe's disease). Ultrastructural changes. 1978

S Brownstein, and K Meagher-Villemure, and R C Polomeno, and J M Little

Globoid leukodystrophy (Krabbe's disease) was diagnosed in an infant in whom a progressive neurological disorder and optic atrophy developed. At autopsy, ultrastructural examination of the optic nerves and cerebral white matter revealed characteristic tubular inclusions in globoid-epithelioid cells. Thinning of the nerve fiber and ganglion cell layers of the retina appeared to be due to retrograde degeneration of the optic nerve related to the abnormal metabolism of myelin. We discuss the pathogenesis of the clinical and pathological ocular findings, with regard to the inherited absence of the enzyme galactocerebroside beta-galactosidase and the accumulation in the optic nerve and brain of its substrates, galactocerebroside and psychosine.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D007787	Lactose Intolerance	The condition resulting from the absence or deficiency of LACTASE in the MUCOSA cells of the GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT, and the inability to break down LACTOSE in milk for ABSORPTION. Bacterial fermentation of the unabsorbed lactose leads to symptoms that range from a mild indigestion (DYSPEPSIA) to severe DIARRHEA. Lactose intolerance may be an inborn error or acquired.	Lactose Malabsorption,Alactasia,Dairy Product Intolerance,Hypolactasia,Milk Sugar Intolerance,Intolerance, Lactose,Malabsorption, Lactose
D007965	Leukodystrophy, Globoid Cell	An autosomal recessive metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of GALACTOSYLCERAMIDASE leading to intralysosomal accumulation of galactolipids such as GALACTOSYLCERAMIDES and PSYCHOSINE. It is characterized by demyelination associated with large multinucleated globoid cells, predominantly involving the white matter of the central nervous system. The loss of MYELIN disrupts normal conduction of nerve impulses.	Diffuse Globoid Body Sclerosis,Galactosylceramidase Deficiency Disease,Krabbe Disease,Classic Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy,Early-Onset Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy,GALC Deficiency,Galactocerebrosidase Deficiency,Galactosylceramide Lipidosis,Galactosylceramide beta-Galactosidase Deficiency,Galactosylceramide-beta-Galactosidase Deficiency Disease,Galactosylcerebrosidase Deficiency,Galactosylsphingosine Lipidosis,Globoid Body Sclerosis, Diffuse,Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy,Globoid Cell Leukoencephalopathy,Globoid Leukodystrophy,Infantile Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy,Krabbe Leukodystrophy,Krabbe's Disease,Krabbe's Leukodystrophy,Late-Onset Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy,Leukodystrophy, Globoid Cell, Classic,Leukodystrophy, Globoid Cell, Early-Onset,Leukodystrophy, Globoid Cell, Infantile,Leukodystrophy, Globoid Cell, Late-Onset,Psychosine Lipidosis,Cell Leukodystrophies, Globoid,Cell Leukodystrophy, Globoid,Cell Leukoencephalopathies, Globoid,Cell Leukoencephalopathy, Globoid,Deficiencies, GALC,Deficiencies, Galactocerebrosidase,Deficiencies, Galactosylceramide beta-Galactosidase,Deficiency Disease, Galactosylceramidase,Deficiency Disease, Galactosylceramide-beta-Galactosidase,Deficiency Diseases, Galactosylceramidase,Deficiency Diseases, Galactosylceramide-beta-Galactosidase,Deficiency, GALC,Deficiency, Galactocerebrosidase,Deficiency, Galactosylceramide beta-Galactosidase,Disease, Galactosylceramidase Deficiency,Disease, Galactosylceramide-beta-Galactosidase Deficiency,Diseases, Galactosylceramidase Deficiency,Diseases, Galactosylceramide-beta-Galactosidase Deficiency,Early Onset Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy,GALC Deficiencies,Galactocerebrosidase Deficiencies,Galactosylceramidase Deficiency Diseases,Galactosylceramide beta Galactosidase Deficiency,Galactosylceramide beta Galactosidase Deficiency Disease,Galactosylceramide beta-Galactosidase Deficiencies,Galactosylceramide-beta-Galactosidase Deficiency Diseases,Globoid Cell Leukodystrophies,Globoid Cell Leukoencephalopathies,Globoid Leukodystrophies,Krabbes Disease,Krabbes Leukodystrophy,Late Onset Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy,Leukodystrophies, Globoid,Leukodystrophies, Globoid Cell,Leukodystrophy, Globoid,Leukodystrophy, Krabbe,Leukodystrophy, Krabbe's,Leukoencephalopathies, Globoid Cell,Leukoencephalopathy, Globoid Cell,beta-Galactosidase Deficiencies, Galactosylceramide,beta-Galactosidase Deficiency, Galactosylceramide
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
D009896	Optic Atrophy	Atrophy of the optic disk which may be congenital or acquired. This condition indicates a deficiency in the number of nerve fibers which arise in the RETINA and converge to form the OPTIC DISK; OPTIC NERVE; OPTIC CHIASM; and optic tracts. GLAUCOMA; ISCHEMIA; inflammation, a chronic elevation of intracranial pressure, toxins, optic nerve compression, and inherited conditions (see OPTIC ATROPHIES, HEREDITARY) are relatively common causes of this condition.	Atrophy, Optic
D009900	Optic Nerve	The 2nd cranial nerve which conveys visual information from the RETINA to the brain. The nerve carries the axons of the RETINAL GANGLION CELLS which sort at the OPTIC CHIASM and continue via the OPTIC TRACTS to the brain. The largest projection is to the lateral geniculate nuclei; other targets include the SUPERIOR COLLICULI and the SUPRACHIASMATIC NUCLEI. Though known as the second cranial nerve, it is considered part of the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Cranial Nerve II,Second Cranial Nerve,Nervus Opticus,Cranial Nerve, Second,Cranial Nerves, Second,Nerve, Optic,Nerve, Second Cranial,Nerves, Optic,Nerves, Second Cranial,Optic Nerves,Second Cranial Nerves
D011609	Psychosine	An intermediate in the biosynthesis of cerebrosides. It is formed by reaction of sphingosine with UDP-galactose and then itself reacts with fatty acid-Coenzyme A to form the cerebroside.	Galactosylsphingosine,Sphingosine Galactoside,Galactoside, Sphingosine
D001921	Brain	The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM.	Encephalon
D002554	Cerebrosides	Neutral glycosphingolipids that contain a monosaccharide, normally glucose or galactose, in 1-ortho-beta-glycosidic linkage with the primary alcohol of an N-acyl sphingoid (ceramide). In plants the monosaccharide is normally glucose and the sphingoid usually phytosphingosine. In animals, the monosaccharide is usually galactose, though this may vary with the tissue and the sphingoid is usually sphingosine or dihydrosphingosine. (From Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 1st ed)
D003593	Cytoplasm	The part of a cell that contains the CYTOSOL and small structures excluding the CELL NUCLEUS; MITOCHONDRIA; and large VACUOLES. (Glick, Glossary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 1990)	Protoplasm,Cytoplasms,Protoplasms