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Purpose: Determination of changes of glycoconjugates, which have special terminal sugars, in embryonic developmental processes of brain stem and trigeminal nucleus in Balb/C mouse.
Materials and Methods: In this study mice embryos between 10-17 embryonic days were used. They were fixed according to ordinary laboratory procedures. The specimens were embedded in paraffin and serial sections with a thickness of 5 µm were cut. To determine the presence of terminal sugars, in brain stem and trigeminal nucleus, 8 lectin conjugates with peroxidase were used.
Results: The findings from this study showed that the intensity and the time of reaction of brain stem, trigeminal nucleus and its surrounding tissue, to lectins was different both with lectins and different embryonic days. The terminal sugar fucose was present in the first developmental stages in brain stem while in trigeminal nucleus it was present in later stages. The lectins SBA, PNA, MPA, and WFA identified the presence of N-acetylgalactose and D-saccharide galactose-N-acetylgalactoseamine in the trigeminal nucleus and its surrounding structures in different stages.
Conclusions: Analyzing the results obtained from this study demonstrates that presence of surface glycoconjugates with N-acetylgalactoseamine, D-saccharide galactose-N-acetylgalactoseamine and fucose sugar terminals, may suggest that these sugars take part in the development neuron precursor cells in early gestation stages of brain stem and trigeminal nucleus, and be present in molecules of FGF-8 and BPM and control characteristics and differentiation of sensory dorsal neurons.

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Purpose: This study was conducted in order to determine distributions and changes of glycoconjugates terminal sugars during skin morphogenesis. Materials and Methods: using lectin histochemistry technique, 10% formalin fixed, paraffin embedded rat embryonic sections for days 12, 14, 16 of gestation (N=30) were incubated with different HRP-lectins from Lotus tetragonolobus (LTA), Maclura pomifera (MPA) and Arachis hypogaea or Peanut (PNA) that are specific for terminal a-L Fuc, Gal (β1→3) GalNAC and D-Gal(β1→3) DGalNAC respectively. On the basis of colorimetery data that was determined by blind’s method, sections were graded. SPSS statistic soft ware and Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric statistical test were used to compare different embryonic stages. Results: Our results demonstrated that the reaction of ectodermal cells with LTA observed from gestational day12 (E12) was weak. This reaction increased E14 significantly (p=0.0001) and then decreased. Extracellular matrix (ECM) of mesenchyme did not react with LTA lectin. Ectodermal cells as well as ECM of mesenchyme reacted with PNA on E12 was fairly weak. It increased E14 (p=0.009). From E14 to E16 intensity staining remain the same in ectodermal cells but decreased in ECM mesenchyme (p=0.0001). Ectodermal cells and ECM of mesenchyme reacted with the MPA lectins from E12 to E16. Conclusion: According to our result, it is suggested that the distributions and changes of glycoconjugates with terminal sugars L-Fuc (a2-4) GlcNAC, Gal (β1→3) GalNAC and D-Gal (β1→3) DGalNAC be stage-regulated during rat skin morphogenesis

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Introduction: One of the most common reasons of infertility is un-ovulatory period. Hormone therapy is the most common treatments of this type of infertility. Gonadotropins may exert toxic effects on the molecular organization of uterine surface, such as glycoconjugates. Glycoconjugates are the most important components of the uterine and trophoblast surface playing an important role in embryo implantation. In this study, the effects of one of these gonadotropin hormones, Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG), on glycoconjugates distribution of uterine epithelium (apical membrane, Golgi zone and basement membrane of rat endometrial cells) and uterine glands studied during implantation period.

Methods: The mature female rats were selected and divided into two groups (Experimental, sham and Control). Experimental rats were injected with 10 I.U HCG intraperitoneally in estrus phase and mated with proven fertile male rats. The rats were sacrificed at 5.5 day of pregnancy (time of implantation) and their uteruses removed. The pregnant uterine tissues prepared histologically. Using WGA, DBA, PNA, ConA, SBA and UEA lectins, Lectin histochemistry was done.

Results: The intensity of the reactions to WGA in apical membrane and Golgi zone of the uterine epithelium were lower in HCG-treated group compared with the control group. After HCG treatment, uptake of DBA and UEA lectins by uterine glands was low.

Conclusion: HCG led to modification of the uterine surface glycoconjugates and affected the content of these critical molecules involved in implantation. Therefore, HCG may also exert adverse impact on the fertility rate.

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Introduction: Alteration of terminal sugars of Glycoconjugates is one of the important aspects of neoplasia. The aim of the present study was to identify GalNac and GlcNac containing glycoconjugates in different grades of neoplastic cells in adenocarcinoma of colon. 

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Introduction: Cisplatin is a platinum-based drug widely used for the treatment of different cancers. Cell surface glycoconjugates play an important role in cell-cell interactions. The present investigation was carried out to study the toxic effects of double dose injection of cisplatin on cell surface glycoconjugates in rat as an experimental model.
Methods: In this experimental study, 45 adult male Sprague Dawley rats were used. Experimental group E1 and experimental group E2 received two repeated dose of 2.5 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg of cisplatin, respectively in the beginning of the first and fifth week of the experiment. After 8 weeks of injection, rats were killed. Tissue samples were removed and prepared sections were stained with H&E, PNA (Peanut agglutinin), and UEA (Ulex europaeus agglutinin) methods. Prepared microscopic slides were utilized for both histopathological and morphometrical studies. The obtained data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey tests using SPSS.
Results: Cisplatin administration induced a significant decrease in internal and external diameters of seminiferous tubules in the experimental groups compared to the control one (P<0.0001). There was also significant difference between control and experimental groups with regard to germinal epithelial thickness of seminiferous tubules (P<0.0001). Moreover, there was a significant difference between control and experimental groups with regard to spermatogenesis index (P<0.004). Also a significant elevation was seen in staining intensity of germinal epithelium to PNA and UEA in experimental groups, compared to control group (P<0.0001).
Conclusion: Cisplatin induces a dose-dependent morphological changes of germinal epithelium and extensive changes in distribution pattern of fucose- and Gal/GalNac-containing glycoconjugates in seminiferous epithelium in rats.