-
The Israel Medical Association Journal... Oct 2007OsO4 is a powerful oxidizer. It affects mainly the skin and mucous membranes. Although unsuitable for a large-scale terrorist attack, mainly due to its scarcity, it... (Review)
Review
OsO4 is a powerful oxidizer. It affects mainly the skin and mucous membranes. Although unsuitable for a large-scale terrorist attack, mainly due to its scarcity, it could be used in small-scale attacks. The small quantity contained in a vial would cause irritation to the eyes, nose, throat and skin. Combining the agent with an explosive material will probably destroy most of it, chemically. Thus, releasing the chemical without using explosives may be considerably more dangerous. Medical management is mainly symptomatic. As soon as the chemical enters the body, it rapidly reacts with the tissues in contact. Medical personnel should be aware of its poisonous effects and be equally familiar with the necessary self-protection measures and the treatment protocols.
Topics: Chemical Terrorism; Chemical Warfare Agents; Emergency Treatment; Environmental Exposure; Humans; Mucous Membrane; Osmium Tetroxide; Oxidants; Skin
PubMed: 17987767
DOI: No ID Found -
Clinical Toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.) Nov 2023Osmium tetroxide is a strong oxidizing agent. After dermal exposure to osmium tetroxide, skin discoloration and red papules can occur. We describe a patient with skin...
INTRODUCTION
Osmium tetroxide is a strong oxidizing agent. After dermal exposure to osmium tetroxide, skin discoloration and red papules can occur. We describe a patient with skin discoloration due to osmium tetroxide.
CASE SUMMARY
A 25-year-old postgraduate student unintentionally exposed his hand to osmium tetroxide while working in a laboratory setting. After immediate washing, he sought medical care due to left middle finger discoloration. He reported no discomfort in the affected area. Thorough water rinsing was continued, and corticosteroid ointment was applied.
IMAGES
Our patient developed dark brown pigmentation on the ventral side of the left middle finger. The pigmentation disappeared one week later.
CONCLUSION
Osmium tetroxide may induce dark brown skin discoloration.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Male; Osmium Tetroxide; Skin Diseases
PubMed: 37987740
DOI: 10.1080/15563650.2023.2281253 -
Basic & Clinical Pharmacology &... Nov 2020Osmium tetroxide is a strong oxidizing agent used in electron microscopy. Eye exposure may cause severe burns, and after inhalation or ingestion damage to the...
Osmium tetroxide is a strong oxidizing agent used in electron microscopy. Eye exposure may cause severe burns, and after inhalation or ingestion damage to the respiratory or gastrointestinal tract occurs. Exposure to osmium and its compounds is extremely rare. We present a case of a 32-year-old female stained by 9 mL of 2% osmium tetroxide in acetone during an accident in the laboratory, with rare dermal and ocular findings. Due to lack of data in toxicological databases and the absence of antidote, the therapy was symptomatic. Osmium was detected in serum 19 hours later (0.22 μg/L) and in urine during the 15-hour collection (three samples-7.05, 1.65 and 8.45 μg/L). In blood serum on admission, after 1 and 2 days after exposure, the levels of iron (28.2, 39.8 and 50.5 μmol/L; reference range 5.8-34.5 μmol/L) and transferrin receptor/ferritine were elevated. To our knowledge, this is the first paper documenting a significant absorption from the skin and potentially from the eye conjunctiva, based on serum and urine analysis. The relationship between increased iron in blood and exposure has not been described yet, and the mechanism remains unknown. The patient is being followed up for the unknown long-term effects.
Topics: Adult; Eye; Female; Humans; Osmium Tetroxide; Skin
PubMed: 32524772
DOI: 10.1111/bcpt.13450 -
Microscopy Research and Technique Apr 2021Lobomycosis is a skin infection produced by the fungus Lacazia loboi, which mainly affects some indigenous and afro-descendant populations in Tropical America. We...
Lobomycosis is a skin infection produced by the fungus Lacazia loboi, which mainly affects some indigenous and afro-descendant populations in Tropical America. We previously reported the comparative effect of osmium tetroxide (OsO ) and ruthenium tetroxide (RuO ) in the electron microscopy (EM) of other related microorganisms. The objective of this study is to compare the effect of postfixation with OsO and RuO in the ultrastructure of L. loboi yeasts. Skin biopsies on patients diagnosed with lobomycosis were fixed in glutaraldehyde at 3% and postfixed in the following solutions: (a) 1% OsO , (b) 0.2% RuO , and (c) OsO at 1% followed by RuO at 0.2%. They were then processed using the conventional method for EM. Unlike OsO the treatment with RuO revealed different shades of gray and electron dense bands in the cell wall and other cell components of L. loboi. The most notable finding was the presence of radial filamentous structures around the yeast, which made the image look like the sun. Postfixation with RuO revealed ultrastructural details that had not been previously reported for L loboi. The combined use of OsO and RuO in EM of microorganisms with cell walls can be useful to evaluate the effect of microbicide substances.
Topics: Humans; Lacazia; Microscopy, Electron; Osmium Tetroxide; Ruthenium Compounds
PubMed: 33176034
DOI: 10.1002/jemt.23638 -
RNA (New York, N.Y.) Apr 2017Structured RNAs have a central role in cellular function. The capability of structured RNAs to adopt fixed architectural structures or undergo dynamic conformational...
Structured RNAs have a central role in cellular function. The capability of structured RNAs to adopt fixed architectural structures or undergo dynamic conformational changes contributes to their diverse role in the regulation of gene expression. Although numerous biophysical and biochemical tools have been developed to study structured RNAs, there is a continuing need for the development of new methods for the investigation of RNA structures, especially methods that allow RNA structure to be studied in solution close to its native cellular conditions. Here we use osmium tetroxide (OsO) as a chemical probe of RNA structure. In this method, we have used fluorescence-based sequencing technologies to detect OsO modified RNA. We characterized the requirements for OsO modification of RNA by investigating three known structured RNAs: the M-box, glycine riboswitch RNAs, and tRNA Our results show that OsO predominantly modifies RNA at uracils that are conformationally exposed on the surface of the RNA. We also show that changes in OsO reactivity at flexible positions in the RNA correlate with ligand-driven conformational changes in the RNA structure. Osmium tetroxide modification of RNA will provide insights into the structural features of RNAs that are relevant to their underlying biological functions.
Topics: Base Sequence; Molecular Probes; Nucleic Acid Conformation; Osmium Tetroxide; RNA, Transfer, Asp; Riboswitch; Staining and Labeling; Uracil
PubMed: 28115596
DOI: 10.1261/rna.057539.116 -
Histochemistry and Cell Biology Apr 2022High-pressure freezing followed by freeze-substitution is a valuable method for ultrastructural analyses of resin-embedded biological samples. The visualization of lipid...
High-pressure freezing followed by freeze-substitution is a valuable method for ultrastructural analyses of resin-embedded biological samples. The visualization of lipid membranes is one of the most critical aspects of any ultrastructural study and can be especially challenging in high-pressure frozen specimens. Historically, osmium tetroxide has been the preferred fixative and staining agent for lipid-containing structures in freeze-substitution solutions. However, osmium tetroxide is not only a rare and expensive material, but also volatile and toxic. Here, we introduce the use of a combination of potassium permanganate, uranyl acetate, and water in acetone as complementing reagents during the freeze-substitution process. This mix imparts an intense en bloc stain to cellular ultrastructure and membranes, which makes poststaining superfluous and is well suited for block-face imaging. Thus, potassium permanganate can effectively replace osmium tetroxide in the freeze-substitution solution without sacrificing the quality of ultrastructural preservation.
Topics: Freeze Substitution; Freezing; Lipids; Osmium Tetroxide; Potassium Permanganate
PubMed: 34984524
DOI: 10.1007/s00418-021-02070-0 -
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton,... 1997
Review
Topics: Animals; Base Sequence; DNA; Diethyl Pyrocarbonate; Echinomycin; Humans; Indoles; Molecular Sequence Data; Nucleic Acid Conformation; Osmium Tetroxide; Pyridines
PubMed: 9407527
DOI: 10.1385/0-89603-447-X:51 -
Journal of the American Academy of... Dec 2001Osmium tetroxide is a highly oxidizing, corrosive compound commonly found in electron microscopy laboratories. Although osmium tetroxide is known to cause rapid damage...
Osmium tetroxide is a highly oxidizing, corrosive compound commonly found in electron microscopy laboratories. Although osmium tetroxide is known to cause rapid damage to organic tissue, its cutaneous effects have not been well studied. We report a case of traumatic inoculation from a broken vial of 4% osmium tetroxide. Electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy confirmed the presence of osmium in the tissue specimen. The lesion was treated by simple excision.
Topics: Accidents; Adult; Hand Dermatoses; Hand Injuries; Humans; Male; Osmium Tetroxide; Skin
PubMed: 11712047
DOI: 10.1067/mjd.2001.117392 -
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology Mar 1995Ruthenium tetroxide and osmium tetroxide were compared as post-fixatives in the preparation of human epidermis for transmission electron microscopic examination. Both... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Ruthenium tetroxide and osmium tetroxide were compared as post-fixatives in the preparation of human epidermis for transmission electron microscopic examination. Both reagents revealed characteristic lamellar granules within the granular layer and extruded lamellar granule contents in the upper granular layer. The transformation of the granule contents into multilamellar sheets at the interface between the granular and cornified layers and the persistence of these sheets through all levels of the stratum corneum were demonstrated only with ruthenium tetroxide fixation. Therefore, the reactivity of osmium tetroxide with isolated epidermal lipids was examined. The failure of osmium tetroxide to reveal membrane structures in the stratum corneum can be explained by its inability to react with many of the lipid components of these membranes, rather than to selective removal of lipids during tissue processing, as was formerly believed. Ruthenium tetroxide, a stronger oxidizing agent than osmium tetroxide, overcomes this problem but has other severe limitations as a post-fixative.
Topics: Fixatives; Humans; Indicators and Reagents; Microscopy, Electron; Osmium Tetroxide; Ruthenium Compounds; Skin; Specimen Handling
PubMed: 7861011
DOI: 10.1111/1523-1747.ep12665909 -
Basic & Clinical Pharmacology &... Apr 2021
Topics: Osmium; Osmium Tetroxide; Skin
PubMed: 33459507
DOI: 10.1111/bcpt.13562