Evaluating the Effects of Oral Morphine on Embryonic Development of Cerebellum in Wistar Rats

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Abstract

In the present research, the effect of morphine consumption during pregnancy on the development of the embryo's spinal cord was studied in Wistar rat.

Female Wistar rats (Wt: 250-300 g) were mated with males. The test group received morphine (0.01 mg/ml) in their drinking water. Pregnant rats were later killed with chloroform on the 12th, 13th and 14th days of pregnancy, and the embryos were taken out surgically. The embryos were fixed in formalin 10% for 2 weeks. Then, the weight of fixed embryos was calculated by a scale. In addition, several animals’ sizes including fronto-posterior and lateral length were measured by a caliper. Tissue processing, sectioning and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining were applied for the embryos. The sections were examined for spinal cord development by light microscope and MOTIC software.

Significant decrease was observed in the fronto-posterior and lateral length and the weight of the embryos in the test groups. The thickness of the white matter layer decreased on the 12th, 13th and 14th embryonic days. The thickness of the spine's grey layer was also less than the control group, on the same days. Increase in the length of the ependimal duct observed as well. Number of grey substance cells decreased compared to the control group within the same days. Meanwhile, thickness of the germinal layer reduced in comparison to the control group on the mentioned days.

In conclusion, morphine consumption during pregnancy causes defects in growth and completion of the spinal cord.

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Most cited references 35

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Programming placental nutrient transport capacity.

F. B. Peter Wooding, A Forhead, Ashley J W Ward … (2006)

Many animal studies and human epidemiological findings have shown that impaired growth in utero is associated with physiological abnormalities in later life and have linked this to tissue programming during suboptimal intrauterine conditions at critical periods of development. However, few of these studies have considered the contribution of the placenta to the ensuing adult phenotype. In mammals, the major determinant of intrauterine growth is the placental nutrient supply, which, in turn, depends on the size, morphology, blood supply and transporter abundance of the placenta and on synthesis and metabolism of nutrients and hormones by the uteroplacental tissues. This review examines the regulation of placental nutrient transfer capacity and the potential programming effects of nutrition and glucocorticoid over-exposure on placental phenotype with particular emphasis on the role of the Igf2 gene in these processes.

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Cellular and synaptic adaptations mediating opioid dependence.

O Manzoni, Jason Christie, D Annesley (2000)

Although opioids are highly effective for the treatment of pain, they are also known to be intensely addictive. There has been a massive research investment in the development of opioid analgesics, resulting in a plethora of compounds with varying affinity and efficacy at all the known opioid receptor subtypes. Although compounds of extremely high potency have been produced, the problem of tolerance to and dependence on these agonists persists. This review centers on the adaptive changes in cellular and synaptic function induced by chronic morphine treatment. The initial steps of opioid action are mediated through the activation of G protein-linked receptors. As is true for all G protein-linked receptors, opioid receptors activate and regulate multiple second messenger pathways associated with effector coupling, receptor trafficking, and nuclear signaling. These events are critical for understanding the early events leading to nonassociative tolerance and dependence. Equally important are associative and network changes that affect neurons that do not have opioid receptors but that are indirectly altered by opioid-sensitive cells. Finally, opioids and other drugs of abuse have some common cellular and anatomical pathways. The characterization of common pathways affected by different drugs, particularly after repeated treatment, is important in the understanding of drug abuse.

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The placenta and intrauterine programming.

A Forhead, Rachel Burton, A L Fowden … (2008)

Intrauterine programming is the process by which the structure and function of tissues are altered permanently by insults acting during early development. In mammals, the placenta controls intrauterine development by supplying oxygen and nutrients, and by regulating the bioavailability of specific hormones involved in foetal growth and development. Consequently, the placenta is likely to have a key role in mediating the programming effects of suboptimal conditions during development. This review examines placental phenotype in different environmental conditions and places particular emphasis on regulation of placental nutrient transfer capacity and endocrine function by insults known to cause intrauterine programming. More specifically, it examines the effects of a range of environmental challenges on the size, morphology, blood flow and transporter abundance of the placenta and on its rate of consumption and production of nutrients. In addition, it considers the role of hormone synthesis and metabolism by the placenta in matching intrauterine development to the prevailing environmental conditions. The adaptive responses that the placenta can make to compensate for suboptimal conditions in utero are also assessed in relation to the strategies adopted to maximise foetal growth and viability at birth. Environmentally-induced changes in placental phenotype may provide a mechanism for transmitting the memory of early events to the foetus later in gestation, which leads to intrauterine programming of tissue development long after the original insult.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Basic Clin Neurosci

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Basic Clin Neurosci

Journal ID (publisher-id): BCN

Title: Basic and Clinical Neuroscience

Publisher: Iranian Neuroscience Society

ISSN (Print): 2008-126X

ISSN (Electronic): 2228-7442

Publication date (Print): Spring 2013

Volume: 4

Issue: 2

Pages: 130-135

Affiliations

[1 ]Department of Biology, School of Science, Tehran North Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

[2 ]Department of Biology, School of Science, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

[3 ]Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah (a.s.) University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

[4 ]Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah (a.s.) University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Author notes

[* ] Corresponding Author: Hedyat Sahraei, PhD, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Baqiyatallah (a.s.) University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. P.O.Box: 19395-6558, Tel & Fax: (+9821)2612725. E-mail: h.sahraei@ 123456bmsu.ac.ir

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Publisher ID: BCN-4-130

PMC ID: 4202532

SO-VID: 93d4da0c-4c3a-44f9-aebc-e273473a3e90

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Evaluating the Effects of Oral Morphine on Embryonic Development of Cerebellum in Wistar Rats

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Malaria vaccine development

Most cited references 35

Programming placental nutrient transport capacity.

Cellular and synaptic adaptations mediating opioid dependence.

The placenta and intrauterine programming.

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