Scientific work at the Department of Histology, Cytology and Embryology is carried out on the basis of the application of a systematic approach to the study of functional systems and the interaction of organs in embryogenesis. At the same time, considerable attention is paid to the quantitative aspects of morphogenesis. The staff of the department studies the processes of formation of the hierarchy of regulatory factors of morphogenesis – genetic, nervous, endocrine, immune.
Published more than 1,700 scientific and educational publications. At the Department of Histology, Cytology and Embryology, 6 doctoral and 37 candidate of science (PhD) theses have been prepared and defended.
The program of systematic scientific research of human and animal embryonic development includes a number of stages: identification and analysis of histological, histochemical and ultrastructural features of the development of organs and tissues, determination of the stages of their morphogenesis, determination of the interrelationships of the development of regulatory systems and regulated organs in embryogenesis, identification of parallels, correlations and factors of morphogenesis in embryogenesis and experimental exposure.
On this basis, it is possible to reveal the regularities of the systemic development of the whole organism in ontogenesis and the role of nervous, endocrine and immune regulators of morphogenesis.
Recently, the department has completed the implementation of the scientific topic: 'The structural organization of the systems of tissue elements and their correlations in the ontogenesis of humans and animals'. The general section of the report, written by I. A. Melnikov, is devoted to the analysis of methodological, technical and software support for quantitative morphological studies.
T. I. Ostrovskaya described the structural organization of some parts of the brain in fetuses and children with hereditary pathology.
I. V. Laman characterized the structure and function of the anterior hypothalamus in newborn rats in normal and after exposure of pyrogens.
V. S. Gaiduk showed the dynamic of correlations between the structures of the thyroid gland in the embryogenesis of the white rat.
I. A. Stelmah considered the systemic organization of the thymus in embryogenesis, in normal condition, and under experimental influence.
A. G. Beloveshkin devoted his research work to revealing the role of the human thymus Gassal bodies in the differentiation of dendritic cells.
I. A. Melnikov described the embryonic development of the lymphoid organs of the digestive tract in qualitative and quantitative aspects.
T. M. Studenikina devoted her research work to the comparative morphometric characteristics of modern adhesive systems in dentistry.
T. A. Vylegzhanina analyzed the effect of low lead concentration on the structural organization of the liver of experimental white rats offspring.
S. I. Belevtseva considered the structural organization and embryogenesis of the exocrine and endocrine apparatus of the human pancreas and age-related changes in the gland during ontogenesis.
Currently, the scientific activity of the department is focused on the topic 'Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the structures of human tissues and organs and experimental animals'. Within the framework of the topic, it is planned to use such methods of processing and analyzing quantitative data as descriptive statistics, histogram analysis, information analysis of histograms of the distribution of cell populations, correlation, factor and cluster analysis, the construction of regression mathematical models to reveal the dynamic of the development of experimental objects.
Applied research methods
The scientific and methodological work of the Department of Histology, Cytology and Embryology based on the various methods of light microscopy. The methods of histological and histochemical staining are regularly used in the scientific research of postgraduates and staff of the department. A long-standing methodological tradition of the department is the production and using of a series of embryonic material for scientific purposes. The development of immunohistochemical techniques has begun. Methods of dissociation of tissues to cell suspensions with subsequent morphological studies are mastered. There are opportunities for conducting research by methods of polarization, interference, luminescence, and contact microscopy.
Among the available methods of visualization of histological preparations there are several variants of digital photography for macro-photography (magnification from several times to several tens of times), as well as micro-photography (from tens to thousands or more times), with a resolution of 0.3 to 10 Megapixels. There are opportunities for traditional visualization methods by sketching preparations using drawing devices of several models.
The department has been using various methods of quantitative morphology for many years in scientific research. Among them are methods of stereology based on ocular grids (the method of point counting, etc.), morphometry using ocular rulers and eyepiece micrometers. In addition, methods of manual and automated morphometry on digital images are used using specialized software (Bioscan, Scion Image, ImageJ). In addition to third-party programs, for a number of quantitative methods proprietary programs (Morphologist, Stereology, etc.) have been developed. Statistica and Statgraphics programs are used for statistical processing of the results, as well as a number of programs of their own development.
The rapid development of computer technology in the last 30 years has allowed to put quantitative morphology on a new basis. The department was one of the pioneers of the introduction of computer technology at the university, including scientific research. Today, the staff of the department uses for scientific work such method of computer morphology as three-dimensional reconstruction of microscopic objects based on digital photographs of their serial sections. One of the promising computer methods of quantitative morphology, mastered by the staff of the department, is the assessment and description of the fractal properties of developing objects of complex structure. New technologies made it possible to get acquainted with the basics of modeling cellular and tissue interactions based on such mathematical objects as cellular automata and perform research on this topic.