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Basement membrane pathology: a feature of acute equine laminitis.
Abstract: Thirty-two dorsal, mid-hoof wall, lamellar sections from 8 Standardbred horses, humanely killed 48 h after the administration of an alimentary carbohydrate overload, were sectioned and examined by light microscopy. Sections were stained with the connective tissue and basement membrane stains periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), Azan and periodic acid silver methanamine (PASM) and with routine haematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Lesions of the epidermal lamellae, attributable to laminitis, were graded in order of increasing severity from Grade N (normal), Grade 1 (mild), Grade 2 (moderate) to Grade 3 (severe and extensive). The grading system was based principally on changes to lamellar basement membrane (BM) which were clearly visible when the connective tissue stains PAS and PASM were used. Earliest changes were rounding of the basal cell nuclei and elongation of secondary epidermal lamellae (SELs). Secondary epidermal lamellae tips were pointed instead of round and the basement membrane had separated from the lamellae. In early Grade 1 lesions, this was obvious at the tips of the SELs where the BM had lifted to form teat-shaped bubbles. The absence of BM at the tips of secondary dermal lamellae, along with varying amounts of connective tissue, was considered a progression in severity and classified as Grade 2. Eventually, even the primary epidermal and primary dermal lamellae separated from each other and the empty shells of isolated BM, in what was once the tip of the primary epidermal lamella, signified that a global separation of the epidermal and dermal lamellae had occurred (Grade 3 lesion). The histopathological grading system correlated well with the degree of lameness at the time of euthanasia, (r2 = 0.94) and apparently described the severity of laminitis accurately. Disintegration of the BM and failure of its attachment to the basal cells of the epidermis appears to be one of the earliest pathological events to occur in acute laminitis and could be the change that initiates the collapse of the lamellar architecture. Histopathological diagnoses of laminitis are strengthened when based on sections stained with at least PAS, in addition to routine H&E and should exhibit evidence of the BM pathology described here.
Publication Date: 1996-01-01 PubMed ID: 8565952DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1996.tb01588.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This study examined the connection between the deterioration of the basement membrane (BM) and horseshoe lamitis, a severe hoof disease in horses. The research found that a breakdown of the BM in the hoof often marked the earliest stages of lamitis and that categorization of the disease’s severity could be accurately gauged based on this deterioration.
Research Method
- Thirty-two lamellar sections from the middle hoof walls of eight Standardbred horses were used. These horses were euthanized 48 hours after being given an alimentary carbohydrate overload.
- These sections were examined using light microscopy and stained using periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), Azan, and periodic acid silver methanamine (PASM), as well as routine haematoxylin and eosin (H&E).
Establishing a Grading System
- The research team developed a grading system based on the observed changes in the lamellar basement membrane (BM) after staining. This system ranged from Grade N (normal) to Grade 3 (severe and extensive laminitis).
- Key changes signaling the onset of laminitis included basal cell nuclei rounding and elongation of secondary epidermal lamellae (SELs), with SEL tips presenting as pointed rather than round.
- BM separation from the lamellae was considered an early sign of Grade 1 laminitis, especially visible at the tips of the SELs where the BM was lifted to form teat-shaped bubbles.
- Progression to Grade 2 was marked by the absence of BM at the tips of secondary dermal lamellae, accompanied by varying amounts of connective tissue.
- Grade 3 indicated a global separation of epidermal and dermal lamellae, featuring isolated, empty shells of BM.
Findings and Implications
- The severity grading system created for the study correlated strongly (r2 = 0.94) with the degree of lameness observed at the time of euthanasia, thus seemed to accurately reflect the severity of the laminitis.
- The researchers concluded that the degradation of the BM and its failure to adhere to the basal cells of the epidermis are among the earliest pathological events in acute laminitis.
- This degeneration process could potentially be the trigger for the collapse of lamellar architecture, a key feature of the disease.
- Thus, histopathological diagnoses of laminitis are strengthened if the sections are stained with PAS, in addition to routine H&E, to easily exhibit and evidence of the BM pathology present.
Cite This Article
APA
Pollitt CC.
(1996).
Basement membrane pathology: a feature of acute equine laminitis.
Equine Vet J, 28(1), 38-46.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1996.tb01588.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery Department, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Acute Disease
- Animals
- Basement Membrane / pathology
- Basement Membrane / ultrastructure
- Coloring Agents
- Connective Tissue / pathology
- Connective Tissue / ultrastructure
- Epidermis / pathology
- Epidermis / ultrastructure
- Foot Diseases / pathology
- Foot Diseases / veterinary
- Histocytochemistry / methods
- Hoof and Claw / pathology
- Hoof and Claw / ultrastructure
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses / anatomy & histology
- Inflammation / veterinary
Citations
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