Department of Morphological Disciplines

Scientific research activity

The Institute of Anatomy deals in complex in vivo pre-clinical testing of new types of biomaterials developed in cooperation with the collective of the Institute of Materials Research SAV. Preliminary results at the in vitro and ex ovo levels confirmed the safety and biocompatibility of the biomaterials developer. Currently underway are pre-clinical preliminary studies on the in vivo models of large animals, which confirm the effectiveness and efficiency of treating extensive defects of cartilaginous tissue, applying porous biopolymer composite systems. The aim of the cooperation is to markedly accelerate the healing of defects in the cartilaginous tissue with complete healing and the creation of a comparable tissue and subchondral bones as compared to the surrounding, original tissue. The results contribute to the newest knowledge about regeneration of cartilaginous and bone tissue, and the subsequent application of developed functional biomaterials in the clinical practice of veterinary and human medicine. The focus of the department is oriented toward study of the vascular system of laboratory animals. Regarding the high morphological variability of the vascular system with varied prevalence in individual parts of the body and with the eventual occurrance of anastomosis and alternative routes, we monitor the arrangement of the vascular system with emphasis on anatomical variation, the network of veins, changes in existence and positions of the vessels, formation of shared branches and analysis of the mutual vascular relationships. We compare the anatomical continuity of the vascular system of laboratory animals and people, because progress in the human clinical practice is accompanied by similar procedures in the experimental area and laboratory animals are an important model for new-age clinical study. Our results indicate possible alternative routes of the vascular system of organs (brain, heart, liver), which play key roles in experiments requiring ligation of the vessels or adding thrombogenic materials in those studies which induce ischemia of the organs, venous infarctions or indicate obstruction, and whose success is limited to anastomotic organization and intercommunication of the vascular system.

The scientific research activity of the workplace of Histology and Embryology is for a long time focused on the study of the structure and ultrastructure of selected tissues and organs of animals that have been exposed to various physical or chemical environmental risk factors. In the recent period, scientific research activity focuses on clarifying the influence of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation applied during prenatal development on selected organs and tissues of adult and juvenile rats as well as organs and tissues of chicken embryos. Research is carried out through conventional histopathological examination methods using light and transmission electron microscopes as well as through modern histochemical and immunohistochemical examination methods. The scientific and research activity of the workplace is currently carried out in cooperation with the Department of Theoretical and Industrial Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Technical University in Košice

The secientific work of pathological anatomy workplace is focused on:

• study of the activity of muscle myogenic stem cells and modulation of microflora in intestinal tract of poultry
• application of functional 3D model of chicken intestine on study of new lactobacillus isolates during infection by important zoonotic alimetary infections
• impact of modulated intestinal microbiota by probiotic bacteria on stimulation of myogenic stem cell activity
• biological active substances of bee brood on support of metabolic processess and immunity reactions in animals

The institute also performs diagnostic autopsies (necropsies) and histopathological and cytological diagnostics for veterinary workplaces from all over Slovakia

Projects

• APVV-20-0184 Composite biomaterials with complex natural additives. 2021 – 2024; principal investigator: Ľubomír Medvecký, Ing., PhD.,  responsible investigator of UVMP in Kosice Ján Danko, prof., DVM, PhD.
• APVV-20-0073 Chorioallantoic membrane - in vivo model for study of biocompatibility of materials. 2021-2025; principal investigator: Eva Petrovová, prof., DVM, PhD.
• VEGA 1/0336/20 Utilization of biocements in cartilage and hard tissue regeneration, 2020-2023; principal investigator: Veronika Šimaiová, DVM, PhD.
• KEGA 017UVLF-4/2022 2022 – 2024. Implementation of information and imaging technologies in the study of the locomotor system. 2022 – 2024; principal investigator: Katarína Vdoviaková, Assoc. Prof., DVM, PhD.
• VEGA 1/0107/21: Activity of muscle myogenic stem cells and modulation of microflora in intestinal tract of poultry, 2021-2023, principal investigator : Martin Levkut, Assoc. Prof., DVM, PhD
• VEGA 1/0098/22. Application of functional 3D model of chicken intestine on study of new lactobacillus isolates during infection by important zoonotic alimetary infections. 2022 – 2025,principal investigator: MVDr. Viera Karaffová, PhD
• APVV-21-0129. The impact  of modulated intestinal microbiota by probiotic bacteria on stimulation of myogenic stem cell activity, 2022-2025, principal investigator: Viera Karaffová, DVM, PhD
• APVV-20-0099 Biological active substances of bee foetus on support of metabolic processess and immunity reactions in animals 2021-2024, princial investigator Martin Levkut, Assoc. Prof., PhD
• VEGA: 1/0014/21 Anomalies of intracranial venous drainage in dogs and their clinical significance, 2021-2023, principal investigator: Igor Šulla, DVM, PhD.
• KEGA 005UVLF-4/2021 Innovation of teaching embryology in veterinary medicine and implementation of new didactic tools, 2021-2023, principal investigator: Viera Almášiová, Assoc. prof., DVM, PhD.
• VEGA 1 /0036/22 Study of the effect of Wi-Fi radiation on the development of tissues and organs of the chicken embryo, 2022-2025, principal investigator: Katarína Holovská, Assoc. prof., DVM, PhD.