It was our objective to analyse the effects of resistance exercise (climbing steps), which was started in the acute phase, on the histomorphometry and the expression of aquaporin 1 (AQP1) in the soleus muscle after sciatic nerve injury in Wistar rats. Twenty-four adult rats were randomly divided into the following four groups, containing six animals each: control (G1); exercise (G2); injury (G3); and exercise with injury (G4). Three days after the compression of the sciatic nerve, the animals in G2 and G4 were submitted to resistance exercise for 21 non-consecutives days. The exercise was conducted in two series of 10 consecutive ascents of the ladder, with an additional weight of 100g and with an interval of 60 seconds between sets for rest. After this period, the animals were sacrificed, and the soleus muscle was processed. The number of blood capillaries in G3 was 65.7% and 76.86% higher when compared with the G2 and G4, respectively. The morphological analysis revealed muscle damage in G3, hypertrophy in G2 and significant improvement in the muscle in G4. The AQP1 was immunolocalized in the endothelium of blood capillaries present in the muscle fibres, with different expressions in the groups. Resistance exercise initiated in the acute phase was an effective therapeutic modality in the recovery of morphological aspects in the soleus muscle after denervation.

Neste estudo diferenças expressivas foram observadas na estrutura dos ductos eferentes distais (DED) de codorna doméstica Coturnix coturnix, da variedade italiana, mantida em cativeiro experimental durante dois anos, durante as quatro estações do ano. A variabilidade morfológica dos DED foi mais marcante na primavera e no outono, eqüivalendo às fases ativa e quiescente do ciclo reprodutivo anual (ciclo testicular) nesta ave. Nessas fases do ciclo, diferenças significativas foram observadas na ultraestrutura das células principais (P) e ciliadas (C) do epitélio de revestimento tubular e nos calibres tubulares. Estes tiveram valores médios maiores na primavera, com valores similares no verão e no inverno, e valores médios menores observados no outono. Na primavera, no citoplasma apical de células P, notou-se maior complexidade organelar, inferindo-se a ocorrência de processos endocitóticos ativos. A quiescência outonal caracterizou-se por redução do calibre tubular dos DED, luz tubular vazia de espermatozóides, degenerações de organelas citoplasmáticas e "debridamentos" citoplasmáticos apicais em células P e C. No inverno e verão, correspondentes às fases recrudescente e regressiva, respectivamente, do ciclo testicular nesta espécie, os dados obtidos foram, de modo geral, similares aos observados na primavera.

Some expressive differences were noted on the distal efferent ducts (DED) morphology in domestic quail of the Italian variety along the year. The birds were maintained on experimental captive breeding along two consecutive years, before the morphologic studies. Morphologic differences on the DED had been more evident in spring and autumn respectively, the active and quiescent phases of the annual testis cycle. Variability more expressive was noted among the principal (P) and ciliated (C) epithelial cells and in tubular diameters of DED, during the two focused seasons. Spring features of DED were marked by relative enlargement of the passageways, with similar results in summer and winter, and characteristic organelle development on the apical cytoplasm of P cells, allowing to conclude presence of active process of endocytosis. Autumn quiescence was marked by an enfolding pattern of all the tubular passageways, lacking of spermatozoa and small amount of heterogeneous material inside their luminal compartments, followed by presence of ultrastructural degenerative features in apical cytoplasm of P cells and C cells in DED passageways. Tubular features verified in DED during winter and summer were minor and similar to those described in spring. Summer and winter were respectively considered the recrudescent and regressive phases of the testis cycle in these species, based on the spermatogenesis cycle analysed in all the seasons of the year as well as on the base the morphologic features here found.