Background and purpose: Previous studies have shown that morphine consumption during pregnancy could delay placental and embryonic development or could cause abnormal function of nervous system. The present study evaluates the effect of oral morphine consumption on choroid plexus EPENDYM CELLS of central nervous system development in Wistar rats.Materials and methods: Wistar rats (170-200g) were used in this study. The experimental groups received 0.05 mg/ml of morphine by tap water while after pregnancy, the control group received water only. On 14th and 17th days of pregnancy, the pregnant animals were anaesthetized by chloroform and the embryos were removed surgically. Then, embryos were fixed in formalin 10% for 4 weeks.Embryonic tissues were harvested, processed, sectioned and stained using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E.) Choroid plexus CELLS of central nervous system of embryos were studied using light microscope and MOTIC software.Results: Our results show an increase in the choroid plexus area and number of the EPENDYM CELLS among experimental group in comparison with controls.Conclusion: Taken together, oral morphine consumption can inhibit choroid plexus CELLS to develop and function naturally. This defect may postpone the function and development of choroid plexus CELLS.

Background: The aim of this investigation is to evaluate the histologic results of biopsy in women with atypical squamous CELLS of undetermined significance (ASCUS) cytologic diagnosis.Materials and Methods: We reviewed a series of cases with ASCUS pap smears from March 1999 to Feb 2002 in Imam Khomeini Hospital (n= 104), Who had cervical biopsy indirected colposcopy (103) and in Onec endocervical biopsy obtained without colposcopy. In 60 patients before colposcopy and biopsy repeat pap smear was tabled.Results: Biopsy revealed 28.8% SIL (14 LSIL and 16 HSIL),1 invasive carcinoma and 1 endometrial carcinoma. Pap smear repeated for 60 women before colposcopy examination, which 7 (11.7%) of them were normal. ASCUS persisted in 45 cases (75%) and 8 cases (13.3%) turned out to be SIL (6 LSIL, 2 HSIL) of 7 normal repeat smear, 2 marked as LSIL by biopsy. In colposcopic examination 22 of 103 (21.4%) had normal view which one of them was LSIL histologically.Conclusion: Based on these findings, it seems immediate colposcopy and directed biopsy are appropriate procedures for management of ASCUS and to detect underlying SIL.

Background and Aim: Although the degeneration of nucleus pulposus CELLS (NPCs) is one of the main causes of intervertebral disc degeneration, the molecular complications of this disease have yet to be clarified. The ability of stem CELLS to differentiate into different types of CELLS, especially NPCs, has attracted much attention. This study aimed to investigate the role of genes with differential expressions in stem cell differentiation into NPCs and to identify the salient signaling pathways involved. Since there has not been an extensive study on the important genes of NPC cell differentiation, it is necessary to investigate this process. Methods: RNA-sequencing raw files of stem cell samples and differentiated NPCs with the accession number GSE122429 from the GEO database. The samples were analyzed, and genes with differential expressions were isolated in the R programming language with the Limma package via logarithmic fold changes (logFC) ≠, 3 and adjusted P-values < 0. 05. Functional analysis was conducted on the signaling pathways and biological processes of the differentially expressed genes using the Enrichr database. Results: In NPCs, 170 genes were upregulated, and 102 genes were downregulated. The functional analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes were mostly involved in the extracellular matrix organization, collagen organization, and positive cellular processes. The study of signaling pathways identified the neural crest differentiation pathway as the most significant pathway in the evaluated samples. Considering logFC ≠, 3, overexpression was detected in MSX2, OLIG3, WNT3A, TWIST1, PAX3, RHOB, CDH6, COL2A1, CDH1, ZIC1, PMP22, SNAI2, and MSX1, all of which are involved in the neural crest differentiation pathway. Conclusion: Our results should expand the knowledge of the molecular pathways involved in stem cell differentiation into NPCs and proffer new clues to the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration. Nonetheless, more detailed molecular studies are needed to determine the reliable biomarkers of NPCs.

Backgrounds and Aims: Natural killer (NK) CELLS are a component of innate immune system and play an important role in numerous protective and regulatory mechanisms in human. Several methods have been developed to determine cytotoxic activity of NK CELLS. The classical 51Cr-releaseassay is the conventional method for cytotoxicity determination but several drawbacks of this assay has increased the demand for new reliable testing system. This study showed a flowcytometric based method to assess natural killer cell activity. This assay was based on the use of two D275 and PI fluorochromes. Materials and Methods: For the assessment of flowcytometric method, peripheral mononuclear CELLS (PBMC) were collected from an apparently healthful person at different times and then each sample was tested with both flowcytometric and LDH-release methods for several times. In this assay, the target CELLS (K562) were labeled with D275 dye, prior to incubation with effector CELLS (PBMC) and at the last stage the PI dye was added and analyzed by flowcytometry. The flowcytometric method permits the differentiation of four cell population: live target CELLS, dead target CELLS, live effector CELLS and dead effector CELLS.Results and Discussion: Human NK-cell cytotoxicity assessment results in flowcytometric and colorimetric LDH-release methods correlated in the normal conditions and after sever activity. Thus, no significant difference was found between them (p=0.3).Conclusion: Flowcytometric assay which uses the D275/PI fluorochromes dye, is an accurate, reproducible and sensitive method that is capable of analyzing cytotoxic activity of natural killer CELLS.

Background & Aim: Preeclampsia (PE) is the most common hypertensive disorder after 20 weeks of gestation, and its complications are the leading cause of maternal and fetal mortalities. Changes in the innate and adaptive immune systems play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of PE. Natural Killer CELLS (NKTs) are the most abundant leukocytes during pregnancy, recruited and activated by ovarian hormones in the decidua. Recent evidence supports the idea that NKT CELLS exist in various environmental tissues and the decidua with their unique transcriptional profiles and cytokines, and bridge between innate and adaptive immune systems. Therefore, this study aimed to review the number, phenotype, changes, and functional function of NKT CELLS in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia. Materials & Methods: This study was a narrative review that utilized the PubMed-Medline and Embase databases to search for the role of NKT CELLS in pregnancy and preeclampsia. Data were obtained from searching and extracting relevant articles. Findings: The results of various studies showed that the number of NKT CELLS increases in preeclampsia compared to normal pregnancy. However, there isn't any significant difference in the quantity and characteristics of iNKT CELLS between normal pregnancy and preeclampsia. Nonetheless, normal pregnant women exhibit a slight but meaningful reduction in the secretion of IFN-γ from iNKT CELLS compared to women with preeclampsia. Discussion and Conclusion: NKT CELLS regulate the balance of Th1 and Th2 responses by secreting interleukin-4 and interferon-γ. During pregnancy, maternal immunity is biased towards the production of type 2 cytokines to inhibit the function of type 1 cytokines, which can be harmful to the developing fetus. This shift to type 2 cytokines occurs in normal pregnancy.