Biomaterial Database

Ultrastructure of gallstones produced in mice fed a high cholesterol diet. 1977

L C Saland, and L M Napolitano

Mice fed a high cholesterol-cholic acid diet for two to six months develop gallstones; these were studied by transmission electron microscopy after glutaraldehyde-digitonin fixation. Examination of the contents of mouse gallbladders presents views of layered structures and surrounding amorphous material. We interpret these images of gallstones to suggest that they may arise by cohesion of material rich in cholesterol to form more ordered structures. Gallbladder contents of mice fed the diet for five to six months were found to contain occasional crystals and rectangular areas similar to those observed in thin sections of human gallstones (unpublished observations). Recent findings that human gallstones can be dissolved with chenodeoxycholic acid are discussed, with reference to their applicability to studies of gallstones in mice.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
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
D002769	Cholelithiasis	Presence or formation of GALLSTONES in the BILIARY TRACT, usually in the gallbladder (CHOLECYSTOLITHIASIS) or the common bile duct (CHOLEDOCHOLITHIASIS).	Gallstone Disease,Cholelithiases,Gallstone Diseases
D002791	Cholesterol, Dietary	Cholesterol present in food, especially in animal products.	Dietary Cholesterol
D005260	Female		Females
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D051379	Mice	The common name for the genus Mus.	Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus