There are 5 distinct aspects to this study. (i) Two histological stains for collagen were compared against each other for the first time, namely Herovici's technique and picrosirius-polarization. (ii) Skin samples from embalmed cadaveric tissue from human cadavers were compared against samples taken from surgical patients. (iii) Skin samples were studied from different regions of the body to assess if dermal structure correlates with scarring potential. (iv) Skin samples were sectioned in a plane parallel to the epidermis to gain further insight into dermal structure. (v) A novel basement membrane stain was produced. Type I and type III collagen are important structural constituents of dermis and play a crucial role in wound healing. Only two traditional histological methods are thought to differentiate between them, so avoiding the need for antibodies. These were compared against each other for the first time in order to establish differences in image quality and discrimination between Type I and type III collagen. Neither technique requires antibodies, however picrosirius requires polarisation microscopy. to result in a clearer, consistently reproducible collagen staining pattern than the picrosirius method and more importantly did not require elaborate apparatus to analyze. Additionally other cellular elements were visible. Skin samples for research are often obtained from surgical excision. This clearly limits which tissues are available for comparative study to those areas operated on. Studying samples from embalmed medical school cadavers has the great advantage of studying areas of the body not routinely available from common surgical procedures. It was therefore desirable to assess whether embalmed cadaveric tissues exhibited different properties by virtue of their age and the embalming process compared to fresh surgical specimens, in order to give confidence that studies utilising the former would be equally valid. To test this, 58 skin samples from embalmed medical school cadavers were compared to skin samples from 38 fresh operative specimens. The levels of tissue preservation and processing artefacts were similar in both groups. Embalmed medical school cadavers clearly offer an opportunity to study tissue areas not routinely available during surgery. This is the first time such a comparison has been made. Many things will affect the final appearance of the scar, but the single most important determinant is the body region affected. The most common areas for unfavourable scarring, specifically keloid or hypertrophic scarring have been shown to be the ear, deltoid and sternal areas. To test the hypothesis that there is no difference in histological structure of skin that correlates to body region, comparative histology was undertaken exploring the regional variations of skin characteristics in 58 cadaveric samples. Closely comparable samples were taken from the deltoid (9), abdomen (13), sternum (10), post-auricular (5), earlobe (12) and eyelid (9). Epidermal thickness, epidermal appendage density and collagen fibre orientation were examined and qualitative structural differences were assessed for each region Skin samples were then grouped by both topographical location of the body and scarring potential. Skin samples exhibited qualitative and quantifiable regional variations in the characteristics studied. Epidermal thickness and appendage counts did not correlate with scarring potential. Both however were statistically significantly higher in skin sampled from the head compared to the trunk. Bundles of collagen fibres in the reticular dermis were grouped according to their orientation in relation to the coronal plane; either parallel, oblique or perpendicular. The ratio of oblique to parallel fibres was statistically significantly higher in body areas with poorer scarring prognosis. This corresponds to a more disorganised arrangement of collagen fibres in these areas. Further qualitative understanding of dermal collagen fibres came from perpendicular to conventional histological samples. This new method stained basement membranes purple, cytoplasm was stained greenish-brown and nuclei dark brown. Collagen fibres were either thin and blue or thick and green. This method was compared to PAS staining and although required more preparative steps allows greater identification of other cellular structures.

O colágeno é a proteína fibrosa predominante da matriz extracelular e é a maior proteína constituinte do tecido conectivo. Alterações nas taxas de colágeno tipo I na derme ocorrem durante o envelhecimento. A introdução de um agente eficaz para a manutenção da pele durante o envelhecimento é importante, possibilitando a redução destes efeitos. Neste projeto foram avaliados os efeitos proliferativos e de biossíntese de colágeno, em fibroblastos humanos de derme normal tratados com colágeno bovino e derivados de diferentes perfis moleculares, colágeno super hidrolisado, colágeno hidrolisado e gelatina, em diferentes experimentos, adesão e viabilidade celular, síntese de colágeno e análises das fases do ciclo celular. Os resultados sugerem que o colágeno bovino e derivados induzem as propriedades adesivas nos fibroblastos, não desencadeiam efeitos citotóxicos e induzem a biossíntese de colágeno pelos fibroblastos. Os resultados de síntese de colágeno indicam que concentrações menores de colágeno super hidrolisado e colágeno hidrolisado podem ser utilizadas em relação à amostra de gelatina. Comparando os resultados após 48 horas de cultura na síntese de colágeno e nas modificações na fase S do ciclo celular, as células tratadas com as amostras de colágeno super hidrolisado e colágeno hidrolisado induziram aumentos significativos. / Collagen is the predominant fibrous protein of the extracellular matrix and it is a major protein constituting connective tissue. Alterations in the rate of collagen type I deposition occur during aging. The introduction of an efficient agent for the maintenance of the skin during the aging process is important as it can reduce those effects. Thus, the proliferative effects and collagen biosynthesis in normal dermis of human fibroblasts were evaluated in this project. The fibroblasts were treated with bovine collagen and its derivates from different molecular mass, as well as super hydrolysate collagen, hydrolysate collagen and gelatine. Different assays were applied as adhesion, cell viability, collagen biosynthesis, and cell cycle phases analysis. The results suggest that the bovine collagen and its derivates can induce to adhesion properties in fibroblasts, they do not produce cytotoxic effects, and they can induce the collagen biosynthesis by fibroblasts. The results also show that super hydrolysate collagen and hydrolysate collagen can be used in lower concentrations than gelatine in collagen biosynthesis analysis. Analyzing the results after 48 hours of culture, the cells treated with the samples of super hydrolysate collagen and hydrolysate collagen had significant improvement in the collagen biosynthesis and in the modifications in the S phase of the cell cycle.

O colágeno é a proteína fibrosa predominante da matriz extracelular e é a maior proteína constituinte do tecido conectivo. Alterações nas taxas de colágeno tipo I na derme ocorrem durante o envelhecimento. A introdução de um agente eficaz para a manutenção da pele durante o envelhecimento é importante, possibilitando a redução destes efeitos. Neste projeto foram avaliados os efeitos proliferativos e de biossíntese de colágeno, em fibroblastos humanos de derme normal tratados com colágeno bovino e derivados de diferentes perfis moleculares, colágeno super hidrolisado, colágeno hidrolisado e gelatina, em diferentes experimentos, adesão e viabilidade celular, síntese de colágeno e análises das fases do ciclo celular. Os resultados sugerem que o colágeno bovino e derivados induzem as propriedades adesivas nos fibroblastos, não desencadeiam efeitos citotóxicos e induzem a biossíntese de colágeno pelos fibroblastos. Os resultados de síntese de colágeno indicam que concentrações menores de colágeno super hidrolisado e colágeno hidrolisado podem ser utilizadas em relação à amostra de gelatina. Comparando os resultados após 48 horas de cultura na síntese de colágeno e nas modificações na fase S do ciclo celular, as células tratadas com as amostras de colágeno super hidrolisado e colágeno hidrolisado induziram aumentos significativos. / Collagen is the predominant fibrous protein of the extracellular matrix and it is a major protein constituting connective tissue. Alterations in the rate of collagen type I deposition occur during aging. The introduction of an efficient agent for the maintenance of the skin during the aging process is important as it can reduce those effects. Thus, the proliferative effects and collagen biosynthesis in normal dermis of human fibroblasts were evaluated in this project. The fibroblasts were treated with bovine collagen and its derivates from different molecular mass, as well as super hydrolysate collagen, hydrolysate collagen and gelatine. Different assays were applied as adhesion, cell viability, collagen biosynthesis, and cell cycle phases analysis. The results suggest that the bovine collagen and its derivates can induce to adhesion properties in fibroblasts, they do not produce cytotoxic effects, and they can induce the collagen biosynthesis by fibroblasts. The results also show that super hydrolysate collagen and hydrolysate collagen can be used in lower concentrations than gelatine in collagen biosynthesis analysis. Analyzing the results after 48 hours of culture, the cells treated with the samples of super hydrolysate collagen and hydrolysate collagen had significant improvement in the collagen biosynthesis and in the modifications in the S phase of the cell cycle.

Submitted by isabela.moljf@hotmail.com (isabela.moljf@hotmail.com) on 2017-08-11T12:22:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 robertosottomaiorfortesdeoliveira.pdf: 16646767 bytes, checksum: fbcd339691975b226d2d9a290fdd5b18 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-08-11T12:57:06Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 robertosottomaiorfortesdeoliveira.pdf: 16646767 bytes, checksum: fbcd339691975b226d2d9a290fdd5b18 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-11T12:57:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 robertosottomaiorfortesdeoliveira.pdf: 16646767 bytes, checksum: fbcd339691975b226d2d9a290fdd5b18 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-02-03 / FAPEMIG - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais / As fibras transeptais situam-se na lâmina própria da gengiva entre dois dentes adjacentes. São comumente descritas como um grupo de fibras colágenas inseridas no cemento de um dente que seguem diretamente por sobre a crista óssea alveolar inserindo-se em uma região correspondente no cemento do dente adjacente. De maneira distinta, relatou-se na literatura que as fibras transeptais não são contínuas ao longo de toda sua extensão; são originadas dos dentes adjacentes, entrelaçando-se na região central do espaço interproximal. Com o presente estudo, objetivou-se avaliar e quantificar o arranjo das fibras gengivais transeptais empregando-se análise histomorfométrica e histoquímica em cortes histológicos sagitais da região entre primeiro e segundo molares da maxila de 12 ratos Wistar machos. As fibras colágenas foram coradas pelo método de picro-sirius e analisadas por microscopia de luz polarizada linear, processamento e análise digital de imagem baseados em métodos de filtragem e medição por transformada de Fourier. Foram realizadas medidas histomorfométricas de orientação, densidade e dimensão fractal das fibras. O brilho máximo apresentado pelas fibras foi mensurado pelo histograma de intensidade. Os parâmetros quantitativos foram comparados entre três regiões de interesse ao longo da extensão da gengiva interproximal ocupada pelas fibras transeptais utilizando-se análise de variância (ANOVA) seguida de testes post hoc de Bonferroni ou Tamhane T2. Houve um aumento significativo (p < 0,05) nos parâmetros de densidade de ocupação e dimensão fractal das fibras pertencentes à região central quando comparada às regiões próximas aos dentes, sem haver diferença na orientação e na intensidade de brilho das fibras. Os resultados demonstraram quantitativamente um arranjo mais denso de fibras na região central, reforçando o conceito de que as fibras transeptais entrelaçam-se nesta região. / The transeptal fibers are located in the lamina propria of the gingiva between adjacent teeth. They are often described as a group of collagen fibers embedded in the cementum of one tooth that follows a straight path over the alveolar bone crest and embeds itself in the cementum of the adjacent tooth. In a distinct way, it was reported in the literature that the transeptal fibers are not continuous over its full length but originates from the adjacent teeth interlacing in the central area of the interproximal gingiva. The present study aimed to evaluate and quantitate the gingival transseptal fibers arrangement by histomorphometry and histochemistry of sagittally cut tissue sections of the interdental region between first and second maxilar molar teeth of 12 male Wistar rat. The collagen fibers were stained with Picrosirius red staining and assessed with linear polarized light microscopy, digital image processing and analysis based on Fourier transform measurements and filtering techniques. Histomorphometrical parameters like fiber orientation, area fraction and fractal dimension were measured. The maximal brilliance presented by the fibers was evaluated using intensity histogram measurements. These quantitative parameters were compared among three different regions of interest along the length of the interdental gingiva using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni’s or Tamhane’s T2 post hoc tests. There was an increase (p < 0.05) in area fraction and fractal dimension parameters in the central region compared to regions near the teeth, and no difference in the orientation and maximal brilliance of fibers among the tree regions. Our results quantitative demonstrated a denser arrangement of the fibers in the central region reinforcing the model of an interlacement of the transseptal fibers in that region.