02284nas a2200385   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001500055653001000070653000900080653001600089653002100105653001100126653001100137653001700148653001200165653001600177653001600193653000900209653001500218653002100233653002500254653001600279653001700295653000900312100001500321700001700336700001200353245006200365856004100427300001100468490000700479520139800486022001401884       1982                            d  c1982 Jun10aAdolescent10aAdult10aAged10aCapillaries10aErythema Nodosum10aFemale10aHumans10aInflammation10aleprosy10aLymphocytes10aMacrophages10aMale10aMast Cells10aMicrocirculation10aMicroscopy, Electron10aMiddle Aged10aPhagocytosis10aSkin1 aTurkel S B1 aVan Hale H M1 aRea T H00aUltrastructure of the dermal microvasculature in leprosy.  uhttp://ila.ilsl.br/pdfs/v50n2a06.pdf  a164-710 v503 a<p>Infection with M. leprae may lead to the presence of the organism within the dermal vascular endothelium, a phenomenon most pronounced in lepromatous leprosy. In order to study the ultrastructural features of the dermal microvasculature in leprosy, biopsies from 18 patients with lepromatous (14), borderline lepromatous (1) and borderline tuberculoid (3) leprosy were examined. Four patients with Lucio's phenomenon and four with erythema nodosum leprosum were included. The ultrastructural changes in the dermal microvasculature included endothelial swelling and hypertrophy, increased endothelial and pericytic cytoplasmic processes, and pronounced basal lamina reduplication. Occasional large, pale, endothelial cells with widely dispersed organelles were encountered. Phagocytized, membrane-bound intraendothelial organisms were found, similar in appearance to those within dermal macrophages. The predominantly perivascular dermal inflammatory infiltrate consisted of lymphocytes, macrophages and mast cells. The observed ultrastructural changes in the dermal microvasculature are similar to those previously described in the endoneurial vessels. While reflecting nonspecific responses of the dermal microvasculature in chronic inflammation, the findings support a possible role of the small dermal vessels in the chronic nature of the host's response to infection with M. leprae.</p>  a0148-916X