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.

Scientific research activity at institute of histology is focused on the study of the influence of various xenobiotics on the structure of organs of different species of animals. Currently, it focuses on evaluation of structural changes in selected organs of adult and juvenile rats, which are caused by non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation applied prenatally or postnatally. The study takes place at the level of light and transmission electron microscopy, using conventional as well as modern immunohistochemical methods. In cooperation with the Institute of Neurobiology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Košice, it participates in solving research tasks focused on the study of electromagnetic radiation influence on neurogenesis.

Research activities of the Institute of Pathological Anatomy focuses on:

• detection of a mucosal immune response in chickens, which will be modulated by administration of organic Zn and administration of Eimeria spp.
• influencing the immune system of the intestinal mucosa in chickens infected with Campylobacter spp.
• the study of immune mechanisms in reducing the incidence of Campylobacter jejuni in the poultry intestine by application of probiotics
• study of the activity of muscle myogenic stem cells and modulation of microflora in intestinal tract of poultry

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

Projects

• Stimuli for support of basic research: Incentive for research and development to support a basic research project: Research of innovative forms of treatment bone defects by linking bioactive biomaterials with autologous growth factors. 2019-2021; responsible investigator of UVMP in Kosice: Ján Danko, prof. DVM, PhD.
• APVV-17-0110 Injectable hybrid composite biocements, 2018 – 2021; responsible investigator of UVMP in Kosice: Ján Danko, prof. DVM PhD.
• VEGA 1/0050/19 Regeneration of cartilage defects usin,g innovative biomaterials. 2019-2022; principal investigator: Eva Petrovová, Assoc. 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 004UVLF-4/2019 The integration of the latest imaging technologies for the study of hard tissues in veterinary medicine, 2019-2021, principal investigator: Katarína Vdoviaková, DVM, PhD.
• KEGA 009UVLF-4/2020 Stratigraphy of the vascular system in an innovative form of anatomy teaching, 2020-2022, principal investigator: Lenka Krešáková, DVM, PhD.
• VEGA 1/0060/18 Influence of electromagnetic radiation during prenatal development of rats on some tissues and organs from a morphological aspect, 2018 - 2020, principal investigator: Viera Cigánková, prof. DVM, PhD.
• KEGA 004UVLF-4/2018 Preparation of teaching texts and implementation of new didactic tools in the teaching of histology and embryology in the study program general veterinary medicine. 2018 – 2020, principal investigator: Assoc. Viera Almášiová, prof. DVM, PhD.
• VEGA 1/0355/19 Influence of zinc and probiotic bacteria on intestinal helmints in poultry, 2019-2022, principal investigator: Mikuláš Levkut, prof. DVM, DrSc.
• VEGA 1/0112/18 Monitoring of immunological properties of new potential probiotic lactobacilli in vitro and in vivo conditions in Campylobacter jejuni infection in chickens, 2018-2020, principal investigator: Viera Karaffová, DVM, PhD.
• VEGA 1/0107/21 Activity of muscle myogenic stem cells and modulation of microflora in intestinal tract of poultry, principal investigator: Martin Levkut, Assoc. Prof., DVM., PhD

Patents

• Patent - approved: 288348-2016  Medvecký Ľ.: Calcium phosphate cement powder mixture and method of its preparation.