BACKGROUND: Skin is the first line of defense against the external environment and and it is possible to maintain the natural physiological functions in the body. The mucus layer on the surface of the fish body contains anti-microbial combination that provides the first layer of defense against pathogens. The mucus is released by some of the epidermis cells which are called goblet cells and it mostly contains the mucin and other glycoproteins. OBJECTIVES: Histomorphometrical, Histochemical and Electron Microscopic Studies of Goblet Mucous Cells in Different Regions of Argyrosomus Hololepidotus Epidermis. METHODS: In this study, six Argyrosomus hololepidotus are used and the structure of the fish’s skin was studied. For doing this microscopic study, the sampling was done on dorsal Regions of fish with a thickness of 0.5µ then they were stained with H & E, PAS, AB (PH = 2.5) and AB (PH = 2.5)-PAS. For electron microscopic study, the samples after primary and post-fixation were dehydrated and were embedded in resin. Then, thin sections 50 μm were prepared and stained with uranyl acetate. RESULTS: Argyrosomus hololepidotus fish has maximum goblet cells in ventral and dorsal skin and minimum numbers of goblet cells were seen in tail skin in 100 µm length of epidermis. There were goblet mucous cells containing mucous in the Argyrosomus Hololepidotus epidermal that thier numbers were different in difference areas but mucus components were similar in different areas and they reacted positively to PAS and AB dyes with PH = 2.5.The electron microscopic results of this study were showed that goblet cells immigrate in thickness of epidermis and they include mucosal drops. CONCLUSIONS: There are goblet mucus cells in all parts of Argyrosomus Hololepidotus Epidermis and they have similar mucus nature.

Age-related changes in skin color and histologic features of hairless descendants of Mexican Hairless dogs were investigated and compared with those of haired descendants of Mexican Hairless dogs and Beagles. According to age, dogs studied were allotted to 4 groups: 0 to 2 weeks, 4 to 5 months, 1 to 1.5 years, and 3 to 4 years old. Skin color, histologic features, and numbers of dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA)-positive melanocytes were examined. The luminance values measured, using a spectrophotometer, decreased with advancing age up to 1.5 years, but they increased again at 3 to 4 years in hairless dogs. The number of DOPA-positive melanocytes in hairless dogs decreased with advancing age, whereas there were no DOPA-positive melanocytes in haired dogs and Beagles. Histologically, the epidermis of newborn hairless pups was thick. The border between the epidermis and dermis was wavy, and epidermal ingrowths were found projecting into the dermis. As hairless dogs grew older, the epidermis became thinner and flatter. Although numbers of hair follicles and sebaceous and apocrine sweat glands were apparently fewer in hairless dogs than in haired dogs and Beagles, these structures were detected at least up to 4 years of age. On the other hand, haired dogs and Beagles had a thin epidermis at birth and aging had little effect on their epidermal structures. The dermis of hairless dogs contained fewer mast cells than did that of haired dogs and Beagles.

Cell proliferation kinetic values were established for the epidermis, hair follicle epithelium, and sebaceous glands of 8 Cocker Spaniels with primary idiopathic seborrhea. Values were established by intradermal pulse labeling injections of tritiated thymidine followed by cutaneous biopsy and autoradiography.The epidermal basal cell-labeling index was 4.96 +/- 0.97%, and the epidermal nucleated cell-labeling index was 3.33 +/- 0.71%. Calculated epidermal cell renewal time for the viable layers of the epidermis was 7.85 +/- 1.80 days. The hair follicle infundibulum basal cell-labeling index was 5.48 +/- 2.01%, and the sebaceous gland basal cell-labeling index was 5.94 +/- 4.15%. When compared with previously reported cell kinetic values for Cocker Spaniels and Beagles with healthy skin, these data indicate accelerated cellular proliferation in all 3 cutaneous structures in seborrheic Cocker Spaniels.

Keratinocytes from explants of the oral mucosa of dogs were grown in culture for five passages. The ultrastructure of primary cultures and fully developed subcultures passaged 1, 3, and 5 times was examined. At every stage, the cells had the morphologic characteristics of epithelial cells and formed a multilayered squamous epithelium. The basal cells had the characteristics of metabolically active cells, whereas the suprabasal cells and the cells at the media interface expressed many, but not all, of the organelles and cell surface characteristics associated with keratinocyte differentiation. Keratohyalin granules were located in the suprabasal and superficial cells. Cell size and shape and the relationship between cells in the layers also reflected the morphologic characteristics of the parent tissue. Cells maintained this typical structure through all passages and the cultures changed minimally for up to a week after development.

Isolation of Staphylococcus hyicus subsp. hyicus from piglets suffering from exudative epidermitis and healthy pigs was performed, and some properties of the isolates were examined. Twenty-six litters of exudative epidermitis observed in the field were sucking piglets with ages ranging from 1 to 5 weeks and most (73.1%) of these cases occurred in piglets between 2 and 3 weeks of age. Staphylococcus hyicus subsp. hyicus was isolated from 192 (38.9%) of 494 healthy pigs. The rate of isolation of these organism from healthy pigs was found to vary greatly among farms at an isolation rate of 33.3% to 45.5% and this organism was isolated more frequently from sucking piglets below the age of 8 weeks than adult pigs