Browsing by Subject "Horse"

Now showing 1 - 17 of 17
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    Changes in Oxidative Status Biomarkers in Saliva and Serum inthe Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome and Colic of IntestinalAetiology: A Pilot Study
    (MDPI, 2022-03-07) Contreras-Aguilar, María Dolores; Peres Rubio, Camila; González-Arostegui, Luis Guillermo; Martín-Cuervo, María; Cerón, Jose J.; Ayala de la Peña, Ignacio; Holm Henriksen, Ida-Marie; Jacobsen, Stine; Hansen, Sanni; Medicina y Cirugía Animal
    Changes in the oxidative status of the blood of horses suffering from gastric ulcers and colicof intestinal aetiology (CIE) have been reported. However, saliva can also be a source of biomarkersof oxidative status. Therefore, this study aims to validate automated assays for the measurement ofoxidative status biomarkers (ferric reducing ability of saliva/serum—FRAS/FRAP, cupric reducingantioxidant capacity—CUPRAC, the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity—TEAC, uric acid, andadvanced oxidation protein products—AOPP) in the saliva and serum of horses, to assess theirchanges in the different ulcer gastric diseases (squamous—ESGD and glandular—EGGD) and CIE,and to evaluate their relationship with serum amyloid A (SAA), adenosine deaminase (ADA), andthe systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) status. The assays showed a low imprecisionand good linearity with enough sensitivity in both fluids. In EGGD, higher levels of FRAS, uric acid,and AOPP in saliva were observed compared to the healthy group, correlating with the salivaryADA levels. Horses with CIE showed increases in uric acid concentrations in serum associated with heir SIRS status and outcome of the disease. In conclusion, analytes related to the oxidative statuscan be measured in the saliva and serum from horses by automated assays, and some of them canpotentially be assessed as biomarkers in horses with gastric ulcers and CIE
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    Changes in Proteins in Saliva and Serum in Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome Using a Proteomic Approach
    (MDPI, 2022-05-02) Muñoz-Prieto, Alberto; Contreras-Aguilar, Maria Dolores; Cerón, Jose Joaquín; Ayala de la Peña, Ignacio; Martin-Cuervo, María; González-Sánchez, Juan Carlos; Jacobsen, Stine; Kuleš, Josipa; Beletić, Anđelo; Rubić, Ivana; Mrljak, Vladimir; Tecles, Fernando; Hansen, Sanni; Medicina y Cirugía Animal
    Changes in the salivary proteome in 12 horses with the two diseases included in equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS), equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD) (n = 6) and equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) (n = 6), were evaluated using a high-resolution LC-MS/MS analysis of TMT-labelled peptides and compared to 10 healthy control horses. Serum was also analysed for comparative purposes. The comparison between the horses with EGGD and controls showed significant changes in 10 salivary proteins, whereas 36 salivary proteins were differently abundant between ESGD and control groups. The most upregulated proteins in the case of EGGD were relatedto immune activation whereas, in horses with ESGD, the most significantly changed proteins were associated with squamous cell regulation and growth. Compared to serum, saliva showed a higher number of proteins with significant changes and a different pattern of changes. The proteins identified in our study, in addition to providing new information about the pathophysiological mechanisms in these diseases, could have the potential to be novel biomarkers for the diagnosis or monitoring of EGGD and ESGD.
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    Changes in Saliva Analytes Correlate with Horses’ Behavioural Reactions to An Acute Stressor: A Pilot Study
    (2019-11-18) Contreras Aguilar, María Dolores; Henry, Séverine; Coste, Caroline; Tecles Vicente, Fernando; Escribano Tortosa, Damián; Cerón Madrigal, José Joaquín; Hausberger, Martine; Medicina y Cirugía Animal; Université de Rennes, Université de Normandie, CNRS, Laboratoire Ethologie et humaine - UMR CNRS 6552, Station Biologique
    Acute stress induces an array of behavioural reactions in horses that vary between individuals. Attempts to relate behavioural patterns and physiological responses have not always given clear-cut results. Here, we measured the changes in a panel of salivary components: salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), lipase, total esterase (TEA), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), adenosine deaminase (ADA), and cortisol, and their potential link with horses’ behaviours after acute stress. Saliva samples were collected in nine riding horses subjected to a test consisting of opening an umbrella. Saliva sampling was obtained at a basal time point in the stall (T1), in the test indoor arena (T2), at a time of stress (T3), and 30 min (T4) and 60 min (T5) later. The horses’ behaviour was recorded at T3 for 1 min. sAA, lipase, TEA, and BChE showed significant changes along time, increasing at T3 for BChE, and decreasing at T4 for sAA and BChE. Butyrylcholinesterase appeared to be the most reliable predictor of behavioural responses, as it correlated with the index of emotionality, of laterality, and the occurrence of alarm signals, while sAA decreased when horses expressed quieter behaviours. These first results bring promising lines for novel, more precise physiological markers of acute stress in horses that can bridge the gap between behaviour and physiology.
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    Changes in saliva analytes in equine acute abdominal disease: a sialochemistry approach
    (2019-06-06) Contreras Aguilar, María Dolores; Escribano Tortosa, Damián; Martínez Subiela, Silvia; Martín Cuervo, María; Lamy, Elsa; Tecles Vicente, Fernando; Cerón Madrigal, José Joaquín; Medicina y Cirugía Animal
    Background: The biochemical components of saliva can change in certain pathologies in horses, for example in acute abdominal disease. The aim of this study was (1) to evaluate if a panel of biochemical analytes usually used in serum can be measured in saliva of horses and (2) to study the possible changes of these biochemical analytes in saliva of horses affected by acute abdominal disease. A panel of 23 analytes was analytically validated in saliva of horses and possible changes in these analytes in a pilot study with six healthy horses and six horses with acute abdominal disease were evaluated. The analytes with significant changes were then evaluated in a larger population of 20 healthy and 37 diseased horses. Results: Seven analytes showed significant increases in the pilot study which were confirmed in the larger population. The analytes which showed significant changes, and their median fold increase and significance shown in the larger population were salivary γ-glutamyl transferase (gGT, 2.3 fold, P = 0.001), creatine kinase (CK, 6.2 fold, P < 0.001), urea (2.3 fold, P = 0.001), total bilirubin (2.6 fold, P < 0.001), total proteins (3.2 fold, P < 0.001), phosphorus (P, 4.5 fold, P < 0.001) and alpha-amylase (sAA, 8.5 fold, P < 0.001). Total proteins, P and sAA showed sensitivities higher than 70% at their optimal cut-off points and a specificity of 100% in differentiating between healthy horses and those with acute abdominal disease. Conclusions: A panel of 23 biochemical analytes can be measured in saliva of horses, where gGT, CK, urea, total bilirubin, total protein, P and sAA levels are raised in horses with acute abdominal disease.
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    Changes in the saliva proteome analysed by gel-proteomics in horses diagnosed with Equine gastric ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) at diagnosis and after successful treatment
    (Elsevier, 2024-02) Lamy, Elsa; López-Martínez, Maria José; Ceron, Jose Joaquín; Ayala de la Peña, Ignacio; Contreras-Aguilar, María Dolores; Henriksen, Ida-Marie; Muñoz-Prieto, Alberto; Hansen, Sanni; Medicina y Cirugía Animal
    Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) has a high prevalence, being currently one of the more frequent diseases in horses. Saliva is a source of biomarkers that change in EGUS and can potentially be used for treatment monitoring. We aimed to identify changes in the salivary proteome by using gel proteomics in horses with EGUS and also the possible changes that could occur after successful treatment for this disease. Saliva samples were collected from 9 horses with EGUS before and after treatment and 9 matched healthy con-trols. SDS-PAGE (1DE) and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) were performed in these samples, and significantly different protein bands and spots were identified by mass spectrometry. In 1DE, increases in bands containing containing family A member 2 and immunoglobulin-heavy constant mu) and decreased in bands containing prolac-tin-inducible protein and Ribosomal proteinS9 were observed in EGUS horses compared to healthy ones. In addition decreases in bands containing Major allergen Equ c 1, Gluta-thione transferase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, decarboxylating decreased in EGUS after successful treatment compared to pre-treatment were observed in EGUS horses after treatment. For the 2DE analysis, sets of saliva samples were organized into (a) three pools from a cohort of nine horses afflicted with EGUS before undergoing treatment, (b) another three pools were constituted from the same horses with EGUS after the treatment and (c) three pools from 9 healthy horses. Thioredoxin (TRX), a protein showing signifi-cant changes at 2DE before and after EGUS treatment, was validated by an ELISA kit in 12 horses with EGUS before and after treatment. Results of 2DE showed the hoses with EGUS have changes in saliva proteins compared to healthy horses, with increases in ADA, tri-osephosphate isomerase, keratins and immunoglobulin heavy constant mu and decreases in CA and albumin. These changes would indicate various physiopathological mecha-nisms such as the activation of the immune system, decrease in the stomach defence mechanisms and inflammation involved in this disease. In addition, the successfully treated horses presented lower expression levels of TRX after a successful treatment in proteomics and also measured with a commercially available ELISA kit. Overall, horses with EGUS have protein changes in their saliva when measured with gel proteomics compared with healthy horses, and they also showed changes after successful treatment. These proteins could be potential biomarkers for detection and monitoring treatment re-sponse in EGUS.
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    Cholinergic, nitrergic and peptidergic (Substance P- and CGRP-utilizing) innervation of the horse intestine. A histochemical and immunohistochemical study
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 2004) Domeneghini, C.; Radaelli, G.; Arrighi, S.; Bosi, G.; Dolera, M.
    The small and large intestine of adult horses were histochemically and immunohistochemically investigated in order to evidence components of the intramural nervous system. The general structural organization of the intramural nervous system was examined by using Nissl-thionin staining as well as the anti-neurofilament 200 (NF200) immunoreaction, which demonstrated the presence of neurons in the submucous as well as myenteric plexuses. The additional presence of subserosal ganglia was shown in the large intestine. Acetylcholinesterase (AChEase) activity was observed in both the submucous and myenteric plexuses. Localization of acetylcholine-utilizing neurons was also evidenced by immunohistochemical reactions for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT). With both histochemistry and immunohistochemistry possible cholinergic nerve fibres were detected in the inner musculature. The two possible cholinergic co-mediators Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) and Substance P (SP) have been investigated by an immunohistochemical approach. CGRP immunoreactivity was detected in roundish nerve cell bodies as well as in nerve fibres of the submucous plexus, whereas SP immunoreactivity was evidenced in nerve fibres of the tunica mucosa, in nerve cell bodies and fibres of the submucous plexus and in nerve fibres of the myenteric plexus. NADPH-diaphorase reactivity, which is linked to the synthesis and release of nitric oxide, was detected in nerve cell bodies and nerve fibres of both the submucous and myenteric plexuses as well as in a subserosal localization of the large intestine. The nitrergic components were confirmed by the anti-NOS (nitric oxide synthase) immunoreaction. Results are compared with those of other mammals and related to the complex intestinal horse physiology and pathophysiology.
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    Data for compounds included in the article "Biomarker discovery for equine gastric ulcers using saliva and serum proteomics"
    (2025-01-02) Matas Quintanilla, Marta; Whitacre, L.; Ipharraguerre, I.R.; Gutiérrez, A.M.; Medicina y Cirugía animal
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    Detection of glycoconjugates in the ductus epididymis of the prepubertal and adult horse by lectin histochemistry
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 1997) Parillo, F.; Stradaioli, G.; Verini Supplizi, A.; Monaci, M.
    This paper describes an approach for studying the structure of glycoconjugates found in the principal cells lining the epididymal duct in adult and prepubertal horses, using ten different lectin horseradish coijugates: Con-A, L C ~W, GA, GSA-11, SBA, PNA, RCA-1, DBA, UEA-1, and LTA. Saponification and sialidase procedures, followed by lectin binding, were employed to visualize the distribution and to reveal the sequence of sialoglycoconjugates in ductus epididymis. In the adult horse the results demonstrated variations in the content and distribution of glycosidic residues of glycoconjugates in different epididymal regions (caput, corpus, cauda) and vas deferens, suggesting that each epididymal segment has a specific function. In particular, staining of the Golgi-zone in the principal cells lining corpus epididymis was interpreted as evidence for synthesis and secretion of glycoconjugates and sialoglycoconjugates. In the prepubertal horse, only the glycocalyx of the epithelial cells lining the epididymal duct showed reactivity toward the different lectins used, suggesting hormonal regulation of the epididymis activity. Additionally, the heterogeneity of the lectin staining pattern of the adult horse epididymis reported in this investigation also suggests the existence of different functional segments along the epididymal duct.
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    La evaluación del cuello en el examen precompra del caballo: revisión crítica
    (Universidad de Murcia. Servicio de publicaciones, 2021) Morales Briceño, Abelardo Antonio; Méndez Sánchez, Aniceto; Pérez Arévalo, José
    Se plantea como objetivo describir la evaluación del cuello en el examen precompra del caballo, una revisión crítica. Las 5 etapas recomendadas para el examen precompra son: La primera etapa el examen físico. La segunda etapa consiste en la evaluación al caminar y trotar. La tercera etapa corresponde a la fase de ejercicio vigoroso. La cuarta etapa comprende la fase de reposo. La quinta etapa consiste en una segunda fase de ejercicio. Los exámenes auxiliares complementarios son: la evaluación hematológica, química y serológia. Estudio radiográfico: hallazgos radiológicos de las 14RX de rutina. Endoscopia: se realiza principalmente para estudiar la garganta del caballo. La evaluación del cuello del caballo en el examen precompra se describe a continuación, así como diferentes métodos no invasivos: examen físico de la región del cuello mediante la inspección detallada y la palpación. El examen morfológico se realiza en conjunto con la evaluación del peso corporal mediante la cincha torácica y la condición corporal de acuerdo al protocolo de adiposidad descrito para equinos. La distancia y la circunferencia del cuello se debe medir con una cinta métrica. Entre los métodos invasivos podemos mencionarel Aspirado con Aguja Fina, esta técnica representa una herramienta para la valoración de la región dorsal del cuello. La técnica de biopsia modificada de la región dorsal del cuello en équidos consiste en la toma de muestras mediante un sistema de biopsia ajustable. En conclusión describimos los métodos recomendados y las herramientas disponibles para la evaluación del cuello en el examen precompra de caballos, mediante una revisión crítica
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    Evaluation of a Comprehensive Profile of Salivary Analytes for the Diagnosis of the Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome
    (MDPI, 2022-11-23) Muñoz-Prieto, Alberto; Cerón, José J.; Rubio, Camila P.; Contreras-Aguilar, María Dolores; Pardo-Marín, Luis; Ayala de la Peña, Ignacio; Martín-Cuervo, María; Holm Henriksen, Ida-Marie; Arense-Gonzalo, Julián J.; Tecles, Fernando; Hansen, Sanni; Medicina y Cirugía Animal
    In this report, the measurement of salivary biomarkers as an aid for diagnosis of equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) was studied. A comprehensive panel of 23 salivary analytes was measured in the saliva of horses affected by EGUS and compared to healthy animals and horses with other diseases clinically similar to EGUS but with a negative diagnosis at gastroscopic examination. A total of 147 horses were included in the study and divided into heathy population (n = 12), the EGUS group (n = 110), and the group of horses with other diseases (n = 25). From the 23 analytes studied, 17 showed increased values in EGUS horses when compared to healthy ones, and uric acid, triglycerides, and calcium were significantly increased in horses with EGUS compared to the group of other diseases. The receiver operating characteristic curve analyses showed a modest but significant discriminatory power of those three analytes to identify EGUS from other diseases with similar symptoms. The discriminatory power enhanced when the results of the three analytes were combined. In conclusion, the results showed that selected salivary analytes could have potential use as biomarkers in horses with EGUS.
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    Functional morphology of the equine pelvic flexure and its role in disease. A review
    (F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2000) Lopes, M.A.F.; Pfeiffer, C. J.
    The hindgut is the major site in the horse for nutrient digestion and absorption . Most of this activity occurs in the large intestinal compartments, i.e., cecum, right and left ventral colon and left and right dorsal colon. The colonic pelvic flexure is a short and narrow loop connecting the left ventral and left dorsal colon. It is not significant directly in digestive and absorptive processes but plays an important functional role in regulating colonic aboral and retropropulsive transit of digesta through its motility pacemaker activity. The pelvic flexure also contributes to the pathophysiology of colic, the leading cause of death in horses. Its narrow lumen may contribute to colonic impaction, and malfunctions of the pacemaker may contribute to volvuli and colonic displacements. Neuronal and ganglion density of the myenteric plexus is increased at the pelvic flexure and adjacent left dorsal colon pacemaker region. Contractile activity, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and neurokinins-l and -3 are all enhanced in the pelvic flexure. The mucosa histologically resembles that of the ventral and dorsal colon , with apically-granulated principal cells and goblet cells lining the luminal surface. Clustered intranuclear inclusions resembling the cytoplasmic granules are also observed by electron microscopy in the principal cells as elsewhere in the horse colon. Further neuroendocrine and morphologic investigation of the pelvic flexure is warranted due to the great importance of this localized region for normal function and pathophysiology.
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    Histochemical and morphometric study of the cricoarytenoideus lateralis muscle in the horse
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 1994) López-Plana, C.; Sautet, J.Y.; Ruberte, J.; Sabaté, D.
    Histochemical and morphometric parameters of the cricoarytenoideus lateralis muscle of the horse are presented. Using myosin ATPase staining after acid preincubation, 3 fibre types (1, IIA and IIC) were identified. Using NADH-TR staining, type 1 fibres showed high oxidative capacity, whereas type 11 fibres had high or low oxidative capacity. The type 1 to type 11 ratio was of 35:65. This ratio remained constant in the age range examined. Statistically significant (p<0.01) differences were found in values for fibre size between groups of horses weighing more than 500 kg and less than 400 kg. Mean area of type 11 fibres was greater (p<0.001) than that of type 1 fibres. There were no significant differences in mean area between left and right muscles in the group of animals with less weight. In contrast, significant differences (p<0.05) in mean area between left and right muscles were found for type 1 fibres in the group of animals exhibiting a higher weight. The histographical distribution of fibre type areas was unimodal. Most adult horses showed muscle fibre type grouping in the left muscle
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    Lectin-staining pattern in extratesticular rete testis and ductuli efferentes of prepubertal and adult horses
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 1998) Parillo, F.; Stradaioli, G.; Verini Supplizi, A.; Monaci, M.
    This study was undertaken to determine the lectin affinity of the extratesticular rete testis and ductuli efferentes epithelial cells in adult and prepubertal horses. using ten different lectin horseradish peroxidase conjugates: Con-A, LCA, WGA, GSA-11, SBA, PNA, RCA-1, DBA, UEA-1, and LTA. In some cases, treatments with sialidase and KOH preceded the lectin staining. In sexually mature and immature horses the results showed the presence of different kinds of sialoglycoconjugates with the terminal sialic acid linked to D-GalNAc and B-D-Gal residues in the rete testis. In the apical surface and cytoplasm of epithelial cells lining the ductuli efferer~teso f the adult horse, glycoconjugates with a-D-Man andlor a-D-Glc, GlcNAc, D-GalNAc and B-D-Gal residues were evidenced, whereas in the prepubertal horse only the apical surface of the ductuli efferentes epithelial cells resulted reactive toward some lectins. The differences observed in the presence of glycoconjugates between adult and prepubertal horse ductuli efferentes, suggest a hormonal control of the function of these tracts of the post-testicular ducts.
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    Localization of influenza virus sialoreceptors in equine respiratory tract
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 2008) Scocco, Paola; Pedini, Vera
    This study was performed to identify the equine respiratory tract areas which express the specific receptor for equine influenza virus; findings may be useful to provide new ways to treat the infectious disease. The present work aims to visualize in situ the presence of sialoderivatives in the horse respiratory tract in order to localize sialoderivatives acting as influenza virus receptors. To this purpose, nasal mucosae, trachea, bronchus and lung parenchyma were removed from 8 mature horses of both sexes. We performed sialic acid characterization by means of mild and strong periodate oxidation and saponification, combined with lectin histochemistry and sialidase digestion, in addition to the direct evidentiation of sialic acid residues. No differences were shown between sexes. Sialic acid residues are present in the nasal mucous cell secretion, where they are linked to galactose by means of a2-3 linkage and are mainly C9 acetylated, and in the nasal and tracheal epithelial lining, where they are represented by periodate labile residues (a2-3)- and/or (a2-6)- linked to galactose. Specific receptors for equine influenza viruses are present at the nasal and tracheal epithelial lining cell coat levels, and in some trachea epithelial cells, but the horse possesses a preventive defence, which consists of the secretion of a mucous layer at nasal level, which could specifically inactivate the hemagglutinins of equine influenza virus; in addition, it expresses other sialoreceptors which can mask the influenza specific ones.
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    Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and tissue transglutaminase (TG 2) are expressed in periglandular fibrosis in horse mares with endometrosis
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 2005) Walter, I.; Handler, J.; Miller, I.; Aurich, C.
    Periglandular arrangement of myofibroblasts, associated with the deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM), is a cardinal feature of endometrosis in mares. We hypothesized that a disturbance in the expression of matrix degrading enzymes such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMP’s) and matrix cross-linking proteins might lead to an imbalance in deposition and degradation of extracellular matrix components and thereby accentuate degeneration. Therefore, distributions of MMP-2, capable of collagen IV and laminin degradation, and tissue transglutaminase (TG2), a crosslinker of extracellular matrix proteins, were investigated by means of immunohistochemistry on uterine biopsies of healthy mares and animals with endometrosis. It was illustrated that both proteins were present in fibrotic regions of affected endometria, and that they were in most cases colocalized. Periglandular MMP-2 expression was significantly associated with dilated and fibrotic uterine glands. Furthermore, MMP-2 and TG 2 were demonstrated in the stratum compactum of healthy and endometrotic endometria. Gelatin zymography proved that active and inactive pro-form of MMP-2 were present in all examined samples with significantly higher amounts of total and active MMP-2 in affected endometria. TG 2-activity, determined by an in situ assay, was found in cases of severe periglandular fibrosis. We suggest that both enzymes play a major role in changes that occur in ECM homeostasis in endometrial fibrotic regions.
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    Optimizing the preparation of paraffin sections from stallion testes
    (Universidad de Murcia, Departamento de Biologia Celular e Histiologia, 2025) Asgenbaatar, Nairag; Yi, Minna; Wang, Xisheng; Ulaangerel, Tseweendolmaa; Shen, Yingchao; Wen, Xin; Du, Ming; Dong, Xiaoling; Mengkh, Yibeeltu; Dugarjav, Manglai; Bou, Gerelchimeg
    The preparation of paraffin sections is an important experimental technique in animal histological research, and key factors that determine the quality of a section include the dehydration time, waxing time, and drying temperature of the paraffin section. Paraffin sections obtained from testis tissue of adult horses exhibited higher quality with clear tissue structure and complete cell morphology after they underwent gradient dehydration for 6 hours, were immersed in wax for 60 minutes, and were dried in a 75-degree oven for 15 minutes. The detailed, optimized procedures that are developed in the current study may simplify histological experiments and research on equine testes.
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    Ultrastructural morphology of equine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 2010) Pascucci, Luisa; Mercati, Francesca; Marini, Carla; Ceccarelli, Piero; Dall’Aglio, C.; Pedini, Vera; Gargiulo, Anna María
    Mesenchymal stem cells are a virtually ubiquitous population of adult stem cells, able to differentiate into various tissue lineages. As they are multipotent and easy to grow in culture, they are at present considered very attractive candidates for tissue repair and gene therapy. With the exception of a few reports, mesenchymal stem cell morphology has been widely disregarded in the past years. In this paper we discuss the establishment of mesenchymal stem cell cultures from equine adipose tissue and describe their fine structure by transmission electron microscopy. The cultured cells revealed a fibroblastoid appearance and were characterized by an eccentric nucleus with multiple nucleoli, dense cytoplasm rich in ribosomes, a rough endoplasmic reticulum with dilated cisternae, elongated mitochondria and heterogeneous vacuolar inclusions. In addition, they were often interconnected by adhesion structures located on the cell body and on cytoplasmic processes contacting other cells. The features observed are evocative of an undifferentiated cellular phenotype and of an intense synthetic and metabolic activity.