Biomaterial Database

Electron microscopical studies on onchocerciasis. I. Mesenchyme reaction in untreated onchocercal dermatitis and ultrastructure of the microfilariae. 1978

G D Burchard, and M Bierther

Skin biopsies of 22 untreated Liberian patients suffering from onchocercal dermatitis were studied by electron microscopy. The microfilariae tend to accumulate in the upper dermis, without eliciting a cellular reaction. Occasionally macrophages or mast cells are found in the neighbourhood of the microfilariae. The most conspicuous changes concern the presence of perivascular infiltrates, comprised of lymphocytes and macrophages, with a varying admixture of plasma cells. Only exceptionally the macrophages show an increase in number and size of their lysosomes and pseudopodia as well as prominent strands of ergastoplasm indicating an activation. The endothelial walls of the dermal vessels are swollen. The amount of mast cells in the upper dermis is increased. Ultrastructural features of the microfilariae are described, especially the cuticle, muscles, central undifferentiated cells and cephalic region. When comparing these findings with the literature on the fine structural morphology of the Latinamerican form, no differences can be found.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008214	Lymphocytes	White blood cells formed in the body's lymphoid tissue. The nucleus is round or ovoid with coarse, irregularly clumped chromatin while the cytoplasm is typically pale blue with azurophilic (if any) granules. Most lymphocytes can be classified as either T or B (with subpopulations of each), or NATURAL KILLER CELLS.	Lymphoid Cells,Cell, Lymphoid,Cells, Lymphoid,Lymphocyte,Lymphoid Cell
D008247	Lysosomes	A class of morphologically heterogeneous cytoplasmic particles in animal and plant tissues characterized by their content of hydrolytic enzymes and the structure-linked latency of these enzymes. The intracellular functions of lysosomes depend on their lytic potential. The single unit membrane of the lysosome acts as a barrier between the enzymes enclosed in the lysosome and the external substrate. The activity of the enzymes contained in lysosomes is limited or nil unless the vesicle in which they are enclosed is ruptured or undergoes MEMBRANE FUSION. (From Rieger et al., Glossary of Genetics: Classical and Molecular, 5th ed).	Autolysosome,Autolysosomes,Lysosome
D008264	Macrophages	The relatively long-lived phagocytic cell of mammalian tissues that are derived from blood MONOCYTES. Main types are PERITONEAL MACROPHAGES; ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES; HISTIOCYTES; KUPFFER CELLS of the liver; and OSTEOCLASTS. They may further differentiate within chronic inflammatory lesions to EPITHELIOID CELLS or may fuse to form FOREIGN BODY GIANT CELLS or LANGHANS GIANT CELLS. (from The Dictionary of Cell Biology, Lackie and Dow, 3rd ed.)	Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages,Monocyte-Derived Macrophages,Macrophage,Macrophages, Monocyte-Derived,Bone Marrow Derived Macrophages,Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophage,Macrophage, Bone Marrow-Derived,Macrophage, Monocyte-Derived,Macrophages, Bone Marrow-Derived,Macrophages, Monocyte Derived,Monocyte Derived Macrophages,Monocyte-Derived Macrophage
D008297	Male		Males
D008407	Mast Cells	Granulated cells that are found in almost all tissues, most abundantly in the skin and the gastrointestinal tract. Like the BASOPHILS, mast cells contain large amounts of HISTAMINE and HEPARIN. Unlike basophils, mast cells normally remain in the tissues and do not circulate in the blood. Mast cells, derived from the bone marrow stem cells, are regulated by the STEM CELL FACTOR.	Basophils, Tissue,Basophil, Tissue,Cell, Mast,Cells, Mast,Mast Cell,Tissue Basophil,Tissue Basophils
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009854	Onchocerca	A genus of parasitic nematodes whose organisms live and breed in skin and subcutaneous tissues. Onchocercal microfilariae may also be found in the urine, blood, or sputum.	Onchocercas
D009855	Onchocerciasis	Infection with nematodes of the genus ONCHOCERCA. Characteristics include the presence of firm subcutaneous nodules filled with adult worms, PRURITUS, and ocular lesions.	Onchocerciases
D011554	Pseudopodia	A dynamic actin-rich extension of the surface of an animal cell used for locomotion or prehension of food.	Axopodia,Filopodia,Lamellipodia,Lobopodia,Microspikes, Cell Surface,Reticulopodia,Pseudopodium,Cell Surface Microspike,Cell Surface Microspikes,Lamellipodias,Microspike, Cell Surface,Surface Microspike, Cell,Surface Microspikes, Cell
D005260	Female		Females