Laurea Magistrale a Ciclo Unico in Medicina Veterinaria

Acquisition of essential knowledges on the constitution of the eukaryotic cell, organization of animal tissues, microscopic anatomy of the major organs, necessary for understanding descriptive anatomy and physiology, acquisition of the basic notions of Embryology and Teratology of domestic mammals.

After passing the exam, the student is expected to have acquired basic knowledge about eukaryotic cell structure, organization of tissues for the recognition of the various organs of different animal species to the optic microscope basic notions of gametogenesis, and of normal and pathological development of different apparatuses. It is expected the ability to manage the topics of the course and to be interviewed using appropriate language and correct biological terms.
(TB_6: The student correctly identifies histological samples of the main tissues and describes them with appropriate terminology)

Cytology - Study of the eukaryotic cell:

- How do they keep the cells and tissues, fixation methods; as you observe the cells and the tissues, the main types of staining in light microscopy and main types of Optical Microscope ,; sample preparation for observation with TEM and SEM.  The cell membrane: formation, membrane receptors, exocytosis, endocytosis, phagocytosis, ion pumps, membrane potential;

- Cytoplasmic organelles: mitochondria, morphology and function; rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, morphology and function; ribosomes, structure, function, structure of 'RNA, polyribosomes; Golgi apparatus, morphology and function; lysosomes, morphology and function; peroxisomes, morphology and function; centrioles, structure and function;

- Cytoskeleton: microfilaments, intermediate filaments, microtubules, structure and organization;

- Cytoplasmatic  inclusions: main types;

- Nucleus: nuclear envelope, constitution, nuclear pores, structure and function; chromatin, organization, hetero and euchromatin, structure and organization of DNA; nucleolus, organization and function; - Apical specializations of the eukaryotic cell: microvilli, cilia, sterocilia

- Cell junctions: occludens, adherens, connecting junctions, structure and function;

- Cell cycle: cell cycle length in different cell populations, cell cycle phases, interphase and mitosis, phases of mitosis; cytokinesis, cell death, apoptosis.

 - Cell movement: pseudopodia, undulating membranes, amoeboid movement.

Histology - Classification of tissues:

- Epithelial tissue: classification, organization; glandular epithelia, exocrine glands and endocrine glands, structure, hormones and receptors; sensory epithelia, taste cells, taste buds, cytological characteristics, hairy cell, home, cytological and functional characteristics, acoustic cell, home, cytological and funzioali characteristics.

- Connective tissue: connective tissue features, organization and location, histophysiology.

- Specialized connective tissues: cartilage, bone, blood, fat tissue:

° Cartilage: histological features, cells and matrix, types of cartilage, site and function, mode of growth cartilage, histophysiology; cartilages of veterinary interest, growth plate, articular cartilage, intervertebral discs.

° Bone tissue: histological features, cells and matrix, types of organization of bone tissue, Haversian systems, bone growth methods in various types of bones, histophysiology, principales metabolites involved in the physiology of the bone tissue.

° Blood: cellular component, plasma, serum; red blood cells, number, shape, size, species differences; the constitution of the cell membrane and function, hemoglobin, structure and function; stages of erythropoiesis, bone marrow; white blood cells, classification, number, shape, size, cellular characteristics of the various categories of white blood cells and their specific function, platelets, number, shape and size, function, development.

- Adipose tissue: white adipose tissue and brown adipose tissue, the main histological type, location and function

- Muscle tissue: main features of muscle cells, metabolism, types of muscle tissue:° Skeletal muscle tissue, cytological characteristics, sarcomere, myofilaments, organization and constitution, contractile proteins, mechanism of contraction, motor end plate, motor unit, red and white muscles.  ° Cardiac muscle tissue: cytological characteristics, sarcomere, myofilaments, contractile proteins, intercalated discs, common and specific myocardium, mechanism of contraction, nervous regulation of contraction.° Smooth muscle tissue: histological features, myofilaments, organization, contractile proteins, mechanism of contraction, motor units, innervation.

- Nervous tissue: neurons and glia, classification of neurons, cytological characteristics :cellular body, dendrites and axon, axonal flow, conduction of nervous stimulus, the membrane potential of neurons; synapses, types of synapses, chemical synapses, neurotransmitters and neuromodulators, excitatory synapse and inhibitory synapses; types of glial cells, astrcytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia, ependymal cells, Schwann cells, cytological features , myelin, organization and function in the CNS and PNS, cerebrospinal fluid, histological and functional characteristics.

Exercises:

- Classification and recognition of the tissues to the Optical Microscope

Embryology:

Generality, methods of studying embryology, the main morphogenetic processes, the role of apoptosis, the significance of morphogenetic fields, induction and differentiation concepts, influencing factors. Teratology, the critical stages of development, abnormalities for altered morphogenesis, agenesis, hypo- and hypertrophy, persistence of embryonic structures. Teratogenicity, endogenous causes: chromosomes abnormalities; exogenous causes: physical factors, infectious agents, nutritional factors, chemical and pharmacological factors, hormones.
The early stages of development, segmentation, gastrulation, the embryonic button, epiblast and endoderm, the trophoblast, the embryonic disc, gastrulation, the ectoderm, the endoderm and mesoderm, the genesis of the notochord, the formation of somites, the somitomeri, the origin of the body cavity.

Morphogenesis morphogenetic folds, intra- and extraembryonic coelom, the primitive gut, the yolk sac, the allantois, the neural plate, the neural tube, neural crest and their derivatives. The embryonic annexes, the yolk sac, the amnion, the chorion, the allantois, placenta, the different classifications of the placenta.

Considerations on the characteristics of the placenta in different species: pigs, horses, ruminants, carnivores. The umbilical cord, amniotic and allantoic fluids, possible alterations of embryonic annexes.

The development of the head, the face, the stomodeo, the formation of the mouth, palate, salivary glands, tongue, teeth,hypophysis, the formation of the nose and adjacent organs, the importance of the embrional pharynx, the gill arches, gill furrows, the pharyngeal derivatives, the genesis of the thyroid, the possible anomalies of the face, mouth, pharynx.

The digestive system development, the peculiar embryonic bowel division, the formation of the esophagus, stomach and stomachs, small intestine, large intestine, the cloaca and its derivatives, the origin of the mesentery, the transverse septum, the genesis of the liver and diaphragm, pancreas, digestive abnormalities.

The locomotor system development, the sclerotomi, the formation of skeleton, the ribs, the sternum, myogenesis, the myotomes, the division into epimer and ipomero, limb development, the genesis of the joints. Abnormalities of the limbs, spine, skull.

The respiratory system development, the genesis of the nasal cavity, the origin of the larynx, trachea, bronchi, the genesis of the lungs and the gradual maturation of pulmonary structures, the possible respiratory abnormalities.

The circulatory system development, the first stages of hematopoiesis, angiogenesis, the primitive circulation, the formation of the arteries, veins, heart, fetal circulation and the changes that occur at birth, the genesis of the lymphatic vessel, the main cardio-vascular abnormalities and their clinical diagnosis.

The urinary tract development, nefrotomi, differentiation pronephros, the mesonephros and metanephros, the origin and the urogenital sinus derived, ureters, bladder, urethra, urinary tract anomalies.

The genital development, the origin and migration of primordial germ cells, the formation and differentiation of gonads of both sexes, the testis, ducts Wolff, the ovary, ducts Müller, descent of the gonads, genesis of the external genitalia in the male and the female, the genital tract anomalies.

The development of the central and peripheral nervous system, primary and secondary neurulation, the differences in the neural tube, the genesis of the brain and spinal cord, the main anomalies of the nervous system.

The development of the eye, the optic vesicle, the genesis of the lens from the ectodermal placode, development and characteristics of the retina, eye abnormalities. The ear development, the saccule, the cochlea and the semicircular canals, the eardrum and the ossicular chain, ear anomalies.
The double monsters autositi and onfalositi.

Exercise : reading and critical analysis of scientific literature concerning embryonic development and differentiation.

The Cytology program was held in 10 frontal hours and 3 hours of  collective eexercise ; Histology program was held in 36 frontal  hours and 3 hours of exercises in groups. The program of Microscopic Anatomy include  3 hours of frontal lesson and 10 hours of exercises in groups . 

The program of Embriology is held in 35 frontal hours and 4 hours of exercises in groups.

Assessment consists of a written,  oral and practical test.

The written test is related to the Cytology program and consists of 31 multiple choice questions. The cut-off to pass the test is a note  > 18/30. The vote weighs 20% on the final evaluation. Students can attend an ongoing evaluation test (written) concerning the Ciytology program .

The remaining part of the exam is both oral, including a question on Histology and a question on Embryology, and practical as the recognition of an organ with the light microscope. The exam is passed if a sufficient score is attained for each question.

As optional activities, the two afternoons before any date of the exam, it is possible to access in single microscopies laboratory for viewing the optical microscope preparations.