Anatomia Histologia Embryologia最新文献

The rising incidence of obesity underscores the necessity for alternative obesity treatments. Patients commonly prefer medication aiding in weight reduction. Topiramate, an antiepileptic drug, is gaining popularity among obese patients for its weight loss benefits. This study aims to explore Topiramate's impact on the cerebella of obese female rats. In the experiment, 24 female rats (200–250 g) were divided into four groups: non-obese control (NOC), obese control (OC), non-obese topiramate (NOT) and obese topiramate (OT). The non-obese rats were given a standard diet, while the obese rats received a high-fat diet (40% fat). After 9 weeks, topiramate was administered intraperitoneally daily for 6 weeks. Following this, the rats were euthanised, and their cerebella were removed. The volume of the cerebellum and mean numerical density of the molecular neurons, granular neurons and Purkinje cells were estimated using stereological methods, and the link between obesity-caused cerebellum damage and TNF-α was assessed through immunohistochemical and bioinformatic techniques. Additionally, histopathological evaluations of the tissues were conducted. The cerebellar volume in the OC group was decreased compared to the NOC group. The topiramate groups exhibited a decrease in molecular or/and granular neuron numbers in the NOT and OT groups. Notably, neurons with dark cytoplasm were observed in the topiramate-treated groups, alongside neuronal degeneration was seen in the obese groups. The connection between TNF-α and obesity or obesity-caused cerebellum damage was confirmed through both immunohistochemical and bioinformatics analyses. These findings suggest that topiramate might have a degenerative effect on the cerebellum, especially following obesity.

This study aimed to identify and analyse the distribution and functional activity of the main types of immunocompetent cells and to assess the level of cell proliferation in lymph nodes and spleen, as well as to identify species-specific differences in the immune system. The main results of the study detailed how T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes and macrophages organise and function in the lymph nodes and spleen, identifying specialised zones for cell-mediated and humoral immune response. A high concentration of T-lymphocytes was found in the paracortical (T-dependent) zone of lymph nodes, whereas B-lymphocytes were predominantly localised in lymphoid follicles (B-dependent zone), highlighting the specific organisation of immune defence. The spleen, which provides both humoral and cell-mediated immune response, showed the presence of periarteriolar lymphoid sheaths rich in T-lymphocytes (T-dependent zone) and lymphoid follicles with a high concentration of B-lymphocytes (B-dependent zone). In addition, the presence of macrophages, which play a key role in phagocytosis and antigen presentation, was confirmed in both organs. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed active proliferation of immunoblasts in response to immune challenges, indicating the dynamic nature of the immune response. These data emphasise the complexity and efficiency of the immune system of the studied species, providing their protection against infectious agents and maintaining their health, which is key for the development of new approaches to improve animal health and productivity.

Geometric morphometric studies often rely on accurate landmark placement to analyse shape and size variations. Manual and automated landmarking methods are widely used, but their performance can vary depending on the anatomical structure and complexity. This study compares manual and automated landmarking accuracy in two anatomical samples: the skull and the distal phalanx. Fifteen Holstein cattle skulls and 15 distal phalanges were analysed. Two landmark configurations were used: 10 and 20 landmarks for the skull and 5 and 10 landmarks for the distal phalanx. Both manual and automated landmarking were performed using Slicer software. Procrustes distance and centroid size were calculated to assess shape and size differences. ANOVA was applied to evaluate statistical differences, and PCA was conducted to visualise shape variations. Procrustes distance revealed significant differences between manual and automated landmarking for most configurations, particularly in the skull, highlighting the variability introduced by automated methods. No significant differences were observed for centroid size, indicating consistency in size measurements. Automated landmarking showed increased variability in capturing shape, especially in complex structures and higher landmark densities. Automated landmarking provides efficiency but introduces significant shape variability, particularly in complex anatomical structures. Our findings highlight the superior accuracy of manual landmarking, particularly for capturing subtle anatomical features and complex structures where automated methods face challenges. Although more time-consuming, manual landmarking minimises variability and preserves crucial morphological details, making it essential for precise analysis, especially in the presence of thresholding artefacts in 3D models. Future research should explore multiple software platforms and refine automated algorithms to improve performance in morphometric analyses.

Tamandua mexicana is a species of the superorder Xenarthra that is found in many regions of Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela. This species is important because it is a model for comparative studies of the evolutionary anatomy of xenarthrans. However, there are few anatomical studies on which to base these areas, such as the anatomy of the brachial plexus. Several studies use the brachial plexus anatomy for phylogenetic analysis and medical procedures. Thus, this study aimed to describe the origin and distribution of the brachial plexus in T. mexicana. Twelve specimens of T. mexicana fixed in formaldehyde 4% were dissected. The ventral spinal nerves from C5 to T2 originated the brachial plexus. In most cases, C5–C7 formed the cranial trunk, C6–C7 the middle trunk and C8–T1 the caudal trunk. In all specimens, these trunks joined and formed the common trunk, which distally divided into two divisions: dorsal and ventral. The pectoralis cranialis, pectoralis caudalis, thoracicus longus, thoracicus lateralis and thoracodorsalis nerves supplied the extrinsic thoracic limb muscles. The innervation for the intrinsic thoracic limb muscles was supplied by the suprascapularis, subscapulares, axillaris, musculocutaneus, radialis, medianus and ulnaris nerves. The intercostobrachialis, axillaris, radialis, ulnaris, medianus and caudal cutaneous antebrachial nerves innervated the skin of this species. The trunks and divisions were similar comparatively to those reported in other xenarthrans. However, T. mexicana was more similar to sloths. This suggests a phylogenetic trade in their evolution. The origin and distribution of the brachial plexus nerves resembled those of the other Xenarthras, which can assist in medical procedures within the superorder.

Sheep (Ovis aries) are ruminant animals, and a key feature they share with other species in this classification is the structure of the ascending colon, specifically the ansa spiralis (also commonly called the spiral ansa, spiral colon or ansa spiralis coli). In sheep, this structure generally forms a discoid spiral, consisting of two to four centripetal gyri, which transition at the central flexure into two to four centrifugal gyri, but some sheep exhibit deviations from this classic form. Current anatomical textbooks and scientific articles lack detailed descriptions relating to all of these possible variations of ansa spiralis in this species. This study identified and documented all of the deviations and their frequencies. The study was conducted from carcasses collected at a slaughterhouse in Tirana, Albania. In total, 555 large intestines from randomly selected sheep over the age of 6 months were evaluated. No records were kept regarding specific age, sex, breed, or region of origin. Among the 555 large intestines, 52 (9.37%) exhibited different ansa spiralis shapes compared to the classical form. Among these irregularly shaped samples, 12 distinct variations were discovered. This study offers valuable insights into the sheep large intestine morphology and lays the groundwork for further research. Future studies could focus on detailing ansa spiralis vascularization or investigating the relationships between ansa spiralis shape deviations, frequencies and factors such as sex, breed, age, diet and region.

There is increasing pressure on meat producers worldwide due to the need for higher yields and improved meat quality. This is why anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) have been widely used in most countries, due to their ability to accelerate animal muscle growth. However, out of concern for their side effects, EU states have banned their use and implemented control mechanisms. But they are reaching their limits, and therefore, it is necessary to look for new ways and investigate the mechanism of action of AAS on muscle tissue. This study replicated the administration of banned AAS (testosterone, nandrolone and their combination) and observed their effect on pig muscle. The pig model was purposely chosen for the study, as no such research has been carried out on this species. At the same time, pork is one of the most consumed meats in Europe. It focused on histological changes in muscle structure, specifically the size of muscle fibres and the number of satellite cells per muscle fibre. Furthermore, ultrastructural changes in muscle fibres, the diameter of myofibrils, the number of myofibrils per area, the distance between myofibrils and the size of sarcomeres were examined. The results using the techniques of histology, fluorescent labelling and transmission electron microscopy showed that, after the application of AAS, there is an increase in the diameter of muscle fibres, an increase in the diameter of myofibrils, a decrease in the number of myofibrils per surface area and, in the case of testosterone, an increase in the distance between myofibrils and an increase in the length of sarcomeres. There was also a significant increase in the number of satellite cells per muscle fibre. The detected statistically significant differences between control and experimental groups provide evidence that selected histological parameters could be additional mechanisms for detecting the presence of AAS in pork meat in the future.

South American coati (Nasua nasua) is a carnivoran of the suborder Caniformia and family Procyonidae. Anatomical and functional studies have been performed on the thoracic limb muscles of this species. The topology and innervation are necessary to establish a more suitable anatomical terminology and to infer the muscle evolutionary derivation in anatomical studies. Within the shoulder muscles, the articularis humeri muscle is found caudal to the shoulder joint capsule and is innervated by the axillary nerve. The coracobrachialis muscle is medial and is innervated by the musculocutaneous nerve. However, some studies in N. nasua and other carnivorans describe the coracobrachialis muscle with the name articularis humeri muscle. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyse the terminology and evolutionary derivation inferences of the shoulder intrinsic muscles in N. nasua based on their attachments, topology, and innervation. We dissected 15 thoracic limbs from eight formaldehyde-fixed specimens. Most muscles conserved the evolutionary derivation proposed to other procyonids. Ten limbs presented the articularis humeri muscle similar to that described in the ursid Ursus maritimus (polar bear) and the felids Felis catus (domestic cat) and Panthera leo (lion). This muscle could have derived from the subscapularis muscle and potentially be present in the last common ancestor of carnivorans. Based on most references in myological studies of Carnivora, the present study is the first record of the presence of the articularis humeri muscle in N. nasua. Therefore, the name m. articularis humeri should not be used as a synonym or homologous muscle to the coracobrachialis or coracobrachialis brevis.