Responsible: Prof. Giuseppe FAMILIARI
FACULTYProf. Giuseppe FAMILIARI (Professor) Prof.ssa Stefania A. NOTTOLA (Associate Professor) Prof. Alberto CAGGIATI (Associate Professor) Dott.ssa Rosemarie HEYN (Research Associate) Dott.ssa Michela RELUCENTI (Research Associate) Dott.ssa Selenia MIGLIETTA (Research Associate "a tempo determinato")
STAFFMr. Ezio BATTAGLIONE (Technician, Technical Responsible)
VISITING RESEARCHERSProf. Guido MACCHIARELLI (Professor), University of L'Aquila Prof. Vincenzo PETROZZA (Associate Professor), Sapienza University, Rome, Polo PontinoDr. Fabio MAGLIOCCA (Research Associate), Sapienza University, Rome Dr. Enrico VIZZA (Medical Director), IFO-Regina Elena Hospital, Rome Dr. Maria Grazia PALMERINI (Research Associate “a tempo determinato”), University of L’Aquila Dr. Sevastiani ANTONOULI (PhD Student), University of L’Aquila
PhD STUDENTSDr. Orlando DONFRANCESCO Dr. Gabriele BOVE
GRADUATING STUDENTSVeronica SORRENTINO Carla IUDICA Marta GATTI
INSTRUMENTATIONLight microscopies: ZEISS FOMI 2;ZEISS AXIOSKOP-40, NIKON SM7-10A; LEITZ DIAVERT Transmission electron microscopies: ZEISS EM10 (equipped with CCD camera GATAN ES 500 W and CCD camera DEBEN XR 80) Scanning electron microscopies: HITACHI S4000;HITACHI SU3500 (VP-SEM); JEOL JSM-5310LV; ZEISS EVO 40 (ESEM) Freeze-etching/fracture device: BALZERS Ultramicrotomes: LEICA EMUC6,REICHERT LKB Sputter coaters: EMITECH Critical point dryers: BALZERS CPD020; EMITECH K850
RESEARCH ACTIVITY1. ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE FEMALE GAMETE DURING GAMETOGENESIS, FOLLICULOGENESIS AND AT FERTILIZATION 1a. Role of the zona pellucida and of the cumulus oophorus at fertilization and during the early stages of embryo development 1b. Effects of cryopreservation and in vitro maturation procedures on oocytes from humans and other mammals 1c. Ultrastructural characterization of oocytes in vitro: comparative studies on samples obtained during different assisted reproductive protocols 1d. Morphodynamics of parthenogenesis
2. ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE MAMMALIAN MALE GAMETE (INCLUDING HUMAN) IN DIFFERENT CLINICAL, EXPERIMENTAL AND MICROENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
3. ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE EMBRYONIC ADNEXA IN HUMANS 3a. Morphogenesis of the yolk sac 3b. Three-dimensional organization of the umbilical cord 3c. Development and physiopathology of the placenta
4. ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE GONADS 4a. Embryogenesis and development of the human ovary 4b. Embryogenesis and development of the human testis 4c. Morphodynamics of the follicular-luteal complex in the ovary 4d. Studies on the ovarian endometriosis 4e. Studies on ovarian grafts and on in vitro cultured ovarian follicles 4f. Ultrastructure of seminal fluid and testicular tissue in patients affected by different forms of infertility (idiopathic, genetic – Klinefelter -, or post- varicocelectomy), with particular regard to: alterations of the seminiferous epithelium and of Sertoli cellsmorphology, alterations of the basement membrane of the seminiferous tubule, thickening of the lamina propria, changes of Leydig cells and interstitial tissue
5. ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE FEMALE GENITAL TRACT IN NORMAL AND PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS 5a. Embryogenesis of the female genital tract 5b. Three-dimensional organization of Fallopian tubes, uterus and vagina 5c. Ultrastructure of the epithelial cells of the uterine cervix and vagina after sampling and application of different PAP test techniques. 5d. Ultrastructure of the uterine myoma and of the carcinoma of the uterine cervix in humans
6. MORPHODYNAMICS OF THE FEMALE GENITAL SYSTEM DURING AGEING, WITH PARTICULAR REGARD TO CHANGES DUE TO MENOPAUSE
7. ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE MAMMARY GLAND: EMBRYOGENESIS, DEVELOPMENT AND PHYSIOPATHOLOGY
8. EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL STUDIES ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM 8a. Morphodynamics of the angiogenetic process in different experimental models 8b. Structural and ultrastructural arrangement of the connective tissue scaffolding in heart, arteries and veins 8c. Ultrastructural observations on myocardial biopsies in different clinical situations 8d. Ultrastructural studies on the hepatic and adrenal sinusoidal networks 8e. Structural and ultrastructural modifications of the vascular wall during ageing and in atherosclerosis- associated pathologies, with particular regard to the application of new staining protocols for resin- embedded samples and to the identification of calcium deposits 8f. Studies on the vascular tree and on the angiogenetic processes in the ovary and Fallopian tube of mammals, performed by scanning electron microscopy of vascular corrosion casts
9. OTHER PROJECTS 9a. New technologies for intraoperative anatomical imaging (Brain Suite operatory room) and its impact on the improvement of teaching and learning human neuroanatomy. 9b. Researches on teaching: e-learning/teleteaching and innovative ways of teaching gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy at a national, interuniversity level (distance learning unit of the Faculty of Medicine and Psychology)
TECHNIQUES EMPLOYEDLight microscopy (LM); Phase contrast LM; LM and immunofluorescence; LM on serial sections; Transmission electron microscopy (TEM); TEM and morphometry; TEM and immunocytochemical analysis; Conventional, low vacuum and high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM); SEM of vascular corrosion casts (three-dimensional visualization of the microvasculature of tissues and organs); SEM after alkali maceration, by different alkali concentrations and different exposure times (in order to reveal the collagen scaffolding of the organs or, conversely, to produce connective tissue removal); SEM after osmium- dimethylsulphoxide-osmium maceration of the intracellular matrix (best view of the organular apparatus and/or the cytoskeleton); SEM after sonication (followed by fine cleaning of the surfaces to be observed); SEM and TEM after detergent, ruthenium red and osmium-thiocarbohydrazide treatment (exposure and stabilization of the extracellular matrices). ONGOING SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATIONSDepartment of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy (Prof. G. Macchiarelli: Ultrastructure of the ovary, Fallopian tube and oocyte; Scanning electron microscopy of vascular corrosion casts in the ovary and Fallopian tube) Department of Gynaecology-Obstetrics & Urology, University “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy (Prof. C. Aragona, Dr. G. Micara: Ultrastructure of the human oocyte) CNESPS, Italian National Health Institute, Rome, Italy (Dr. G. Scaravelli: Multicentric study on human oocyte cryopreservation) Department of Animal Biology, University of Sassari, Italy (Prof. S. Naitana: Light, electron and confocal microscopy of prepubertal and adult sheep oocytes) Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Teramo, Italy (Prof. B. Barboni: Angiogenesis in sheep and pig ovary) Tecnobios Procreazione, Bologna, Italy (Dr. A. Borini, Dr. G. Coticchio: Ultrastructure of the human cryopreserved oocyte; ultrastructure of the human oocyte after in vitro maturation) San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Ob/Gyn IVF UNIT, Milan, Italy (Dr. L. De Santis: Human oocytes cryopreserved with different macromolecular supplements) Department of Biomedical, Biotechnological and Translational Sciences, University of Parma, Italy; Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Lazzaro Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, Italy (Prof. M. Zuccotti, Prof. S. Garagna: Oogenesis in mammals) Department of Gynecology, Catholic University of Louvain, Bruxelles, Belgium (Prof. J. Donnez, Dr. M.-M. Dolmans: Ovarian tissue cryopreservation and grafting) Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Toho University, Tokyo, Japan (Prof. S. Makabe: Electron microscopy of fertilization and early human development) Yazd Institute for Reproductive Sciences, Shaid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran (Prof. M.A. Khalili: Morphology of cryopreserved and in vitro-matured human oocytes; morphology of cryopreserved human spermatozoa) Department of Anatomy, West Kazakhstan Marat Ospanov State Medical University, Aktobe, Kazakhstan (Prof. G.Zhurabekova: Pesticides and reproductive health) Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan (Dr. H. Yamashiro: Effects of radiations on Japanese macaque spermatozoa) Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Science, University of California San Francisco, USA (Prof. P. Rinaudo: In vitro culture of mouse embryos under different oxygen saturations)
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