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Using a combined morpho-functional approach the author recently found that polyinnervation of the neuro-muscular juction (NMJ) is the critical factor for recovery of function after transection and suture of the facial nerve. Since polyinnervation is activity-dependent and can be manipulated, he tried to design a clinically feasible therapy by electrical stimulation or by soft tissue massage. First, electrical stimulation was applied to the transected facial nerve or to paralysed facial muscles. Both procedures did not improve vibrissal motor performance (video-based motion analysis of whisking), failed to diminish polyinnervation and even reduced the number of innervated NMJ to one fifth of normal values. In contrast, gentle stroking of the paralysed vibrissal muscles by hand resulted in full recovery of whisking. Manual stimulation was also effective after hypoglossal-facial anastomosis and after interpositional nerve grafting. The author concludes that manual stimulation is a non-invasive procedure with immediate potential for clinical rehabilitation following facial nerve reconstruction.
Mammalian spermatozoa have complex structures. The structure-function relationship of sperm has been studied from various viewpoints. Accumulated evidence has shown that the sperm components undergo sequential changes from the beginning of spermatogenesis to the time of fertilization/embryogenesis. Structural analyses have been performed using various new techniques of light and electron microscopy as well as immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry in combination with specific probes such as antibodies against sperm components. Recently developed gene-manipulation techniques have accelerated investigations on the events that govern the relationship between the structure and molecular co...
The early steps in corticogenesis are decisive for the correct unfolding of neurogenesis, neuronal migration and differentiation under tight genetic control. In this monograph, the author outlines the main events in human preplate formation according to their timetable of appearance and the expression of developmentally relevant gene products. Also examined are the gradual transformation of the preplate into the cortical plate, and the establishment of the transient compartments of the foetal cortical wall.
A sound and detailed knowledge of the anatomy of the pelvic floor is of the utmost importance to gynecologists, obstetricians, surgeons, and urologists, since they all share the same responsibility in treating patients with different pathological conditions caused by pelvic floor dysfunction. The most common clinical expressions of pelvic floor dysfunction are urinary incontinence, anal incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse. Most often these clinical expressions are found in women, and they are briefly discussed below based on the outline presented in the Third International Consultation on Incontinence, a joint effort of the International Continence Society and the World Health Organizati...
Neuregulins are EGF-like growth and differentiation factors that interact with tyrosine kinase receptors of the ErbB family. Neuregulin signals are also involved in the development diseases including breast cancer, heart disease and the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. This book reviews the biology of Neuregulins and their receptors and summarizes recent research, which has established crucial functions of this signaling system during development and disease.
Sleep is a necessary, active, diverse and periodic condition, homeostatically regulated and precisely meshed with waking time into the sleep-wakefulness cycle. The authors present a detailed and updated review of the structures involved in the phase of wakefulness, including their morphological, functional and chemical characteristics, as well as their anatomical connections
The book focuses on the lymphatic vascular system from a developmental biologist’s point of view. It provides an overview on the many recent advances in understanding the development of lymphatic vessels, using advanced genetic models in conjunction with state of the art imaging. For each chapter a synopsis is provided, highlighting the main points in a concise manner. The book is intended for professors and researchers in vascular biology, angiogenesis research and developmental biology. It furthermore offers an excellent basis for entry level researchers and newcomers to this field, as well as for teachers, graduate students, advanced science and medical students.
The postnatal development of the human hippocampal formation (HF) is subject of increasing interest due to its implication in important pathologies that hamper the normal development of children. In this work, the authors present a glimpse of the main events that constitute important milestones in the development and shaping of some of the most important psychological capabilities such as autobiographical memory. Although they examined some cases in the last trimester of gestation, their description starts at birth, around 40 gestational weeks. Serial sections with thionin for Nissl analysis revealed that all fields of the HF were present and identifiable at birth. However, the relative grow...
The skin, the body’s largest organ, is strategically located at the interface with the external environment where it detects, integrates and responds to a diverse range of stressors, including solar radiation. It has already been established that the skin is an important peripheral neuroendocrine-immune organ that is closely networked with central regulatory systems. These capabilities contribute to the maintenance of peripheral homeostasis. Specifically, epidermal and dermal cells produce and respond to classical stress neurotransmitters, neuropeptides and hormones, production which is stimulated by ultraviolet radiation (UVR), biological factors (infectious and non-infectious) and other ...