Luiz Carlos Uchoa Junqueira, Brazilian cytologist and histologist (São Paulo 05 August 1920 – Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais State 06 October 2006)

ACHIEVEMENTS

Performed many important works about protein production in pancreas that became him known worldwide (1950s)

With G.C. Hirsch & A. Rothschild established the kinetics of protein synthesis process in pancreas 

With M. Rabinovitch & F.T. Mendes. Cytochemical demonstration of  “acid” phosphatase in bone marrow smears. Science 107(2778):322-3, 1948

First showed the secretion hormone control of a digestive enzyme

With A. Fajer, M. Rabinovich & L. Frankenthal. Biochemical and histochemical observations on the sexual dimorphism of mice submaxillary glands. J. Cell. Comp. Phys. 34:129-57, 1949

With H. Haselmann, S. Raia, A. Sesso et al. A method for microcinematography of secretory processes in the pancreas of the white mouse. Mikroskopie 8(11-2):400-5, 1953

Demonstrated that granulations of mast cells store histamine 

With I. Mota e Albuquerque, W.T. Beraldo & R.G. Ferri. Intracellular distribution of histamine. Nature 174:698-9, 1954

Demonstrated the importance of microtubules and microfilaments in intracellular transport processes (1970-8)

Demonstrated a relationship between the histology of the salivary ducts and ion composition of the saliva

With G. Vignolas & R.R. Brentani. A simple and sensitive method for the quantitative estimation of collagen. Anal. Biochem. 94:96-9, 1979

Developed Picrosirius polarization method or Junqueira staining

With G. Vignolas & R. R. Brentani. Picrosirius staining of polarization microscopy, a specific method for collagen detection in tissue sections. Histochem. Journal 11: 447-55, 1979

Described a method for characterization of Type I, II & III collagens in electron microscope

With G.S. Montes & R.M. Krisztan. The collagen of vertebrate peripheral nervous system. Cell Tissue Res. 202:453-60, 1979

Developed the first method to quantify collagen-proteoglycan interaction in tissue sections

With G. Bignolas, P.A.S. Mourão & S.S. Bonetti. Quantitation of collagen-proteoglycan interaction in tissue sections. Connect. Tiss. Res. 7:91-6, 1980

Demonstrated definitively that reticular fiber is distinct of collagen fiber

With G.S. Montes, R.M. Krisztan, K.M. Shigihara, R. Tokoro & P.A.S. Mourão. Histochemical and morphological characterization of reticular fibers. Histochemistry 65:131-41, 1980 

Elucidated the process of uterine cervix softening at parturition

With M. Zugaib, G.S. Montes, O.M.S. Toledo, R.M. Krisztan & K.M. Shigihara. Morphologhic and histochemical evidence for the occurrence of colagenolysis and for the role of neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes during cervical dilation. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 138:273, 1980

Presented first analysis about biological importance of collagen-proteoglycan interaction in various biological models 

With G.S. Montes et al. demonstrated the distribution and architecture of collagen in cartilages, nerves, arteries and skin (1979-89)

Established definitively collagen architecture in mammalian cartilages

With N.Z. Zambrano, K.M. Shigihara, E.M. Sanchez & G.S. Montes. Collagen arrangement in cartilages. Acta Anat. 113:26-38, 1982

Elucidated the nature of skeletal elements in tail fin ray of teleosts showing that they display all the morphological and histochemical features of a cartilaginous tissue

With J. Becerra, O.M.S. Toledo, M.A. Gordilho & G.S. Montes. Fine structure and histochemistry of the tail fin ray in teleosts. Histochem 75:363-76, 1982  

Showed that collagen molecules are orderly disposed in basal laminae

With G.S. Montes, R.R. Brentani, O.M.S.Toledo et al. Evidence for collagen molecular orientation in basement membranes. Histochem. J. 15:785-94, 1983 

Described a new type of acellular cartilage found in arterious cone of Potamotrygon sp.

With O.M.S. Toledo & G.S. Montes. Histochemical and morphological studies on a new type of acellular cartilage. Basic Appl. Histochem. 27:1-8, 1983 

First to describe morphological differences between the distinct types of intermediate filaments 

With G.S. Montes, P.P. Joazeiro, S.M. O. Vieira, A.B. Costa Silva & A. Cais. Specific attachment of morphologically-distinct intermediate filaments to desmosomes and hemidesmosomes in the epidermis of the tadpole of the anuran Pseudis paradoxus. J. Submicrosc. Cytol. 16:643-8, 1984

Proposed a precise method for osteid distinction and characterization

With M.T. Assis Figueiredo, H. Torloni & G.S. Montes. Differential diagnosis of osteid. A study on human osteosarcoma collagen by the histochemical Picrosirius-polarization method. J. Pathol. 148(2):189-96, 1986 

First report of the histology of epidermal glands in amphisbaenians

With M.M. Antoniazzi & C. Jared. Epidermal glands in squamata: fine structure of pre-cloacal glands in Amphisbaena alba (Amphisbaenia, Amphisbaenidae). J. Morphol. 221(1):101-9, 1994

Reported improvements in microscopy

With M.D. A. Silva & H. Torloni. A simple procedure to obtain one-micrometer sections of routinely embedded paraffin material. Stain Technol. 64:39-42, 1995

Histology revisited. Technical improvement promoted by the use of hydrophilic resin embedding. Ciencia e Cultura 47:92-95, 1995

Other papers in renowned periodicals

With I. Mota, W.T. Beraldo & R.G. Ferri. Action of peptone on mast cells of the dog. Nature 173(4403):547-8, 1954

With M.P. Rabinovitch & H.A. Rothschild. Influence of testosterone on nucleic acid phosphorus of rat seminal vesicle. Science 114 (2969):551-2, 1951

Authored Atlas de Anatomia Microscopica do Rato (Atlas of Microscopic Anatomy of Mouse) in the first publication of this kind in international literature (1947)

With J. Carneiro da Silva authored Histologia Básica (Basic Histology), translated into 17 languages and used worldwide in many medicine schools   

OTHERS  

Honorary Research Associate, Harvard University (1975)

Honorary Member, American Association of Anatomists (1988)