RESUMEN
Marinesco bodies were discovered in the human substantia nigra neurons in 1902. However, relationships these intranuclear inclusions with other cell nuclear structures remains obscured yet. The aim of the present study was to investigate morphological and cytochemical peculiarities of these ubiquitin-immunopositive intranuclear bodies in neurons of the human substantia nigra and the character of their relationships with the nucleolus using light microscopy, immunocytochemistry, and confocal laser microscopy. It has been established that up to 20 % of the neurons of the substantia nigra contain ubiquitin-immunopositive Marinesco bodies. Only a third of them were closely adjacent to the nucleolus. Using a method of silver impregnation of argentophilic proteins associated with nuclear organizer, the lack of the argentophilic proteins typical for the nucleolus has been shown in the Marinesco bodies. We have found some specific ubiquitin-positive structures in the nuclei of neurons in addition to Marinesco bodies. These structures having less than 1 µm in size are supposedly the initial forms of the Marinesco bodies. Confocal laser microscopy has revealed two types of the ubiquitin-immunopositive intranuclear bodies--with high and low immunofluorescence, while the latter shows heterogeneity in distribution of the immunopositive product. With the use of a fluorescent dye SYTOX Green, the presence of DNA has been revealed in the Marinesco bodies. The absence of the peripheral zone of heterochromatin and poor perception of toluidine blue in combination with the DNA presence and loss of argentophilic proteins strongly suggest significant structural and chemical differences between Marinesco bodies and nucleoli and argue against the view that the revealed bodies may be changed nucleoli.
Asunto(s)
Núcleo Celular/metabolismo , Heterocromatina/metabolismo , Neuronas/metabolismo , Proteínas Nucleares/metabolismo , Sustancia Negra/metabolismo , Ubiquitina/metabolismo , Adulto , Anciano , Femenino , Humanos , Inmunohistoquímica , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Neuronas/citología , Sustancia Negra/citologíaRESUMEN
Distribution of iron in the substantia nigra of the human brain (10 men and women aged 27-78 years) was studied using Perls' histochemical method. Iron ions were demonstrated in the nigral neuropil and melanin-containing neurons. For the first time the nuclei of some neurons were found to contain iron accumulations. The intranuclear iron inclusions correspond to the nucleolus according to their sharp outline and sizes. Detection of iron in the neuronal nucleolus may contribute to the understanding of mechanisms of iron neurotoxicity for nigral dopaminergic neurons.