Invited talk at the international microscopy congress, held in Urbino, Italy, from fourth to 9th September 2011, presented the results of membrane research on urothelial cells. In the first part of the talk, an overview was given of biosynthetic pathway and vesicular traffic of the specialized apical plasma membrane during normal differentiation of urothelial cells. These processes establish an effective blood-urine barrier. In the second part, mechanisms were explained that result in alternative pathways of urothelial differentiation. Alternative pathways of urothelial differentiation are characteristics of some diseases of lower urinary tract like bladder outlet obstruction and tumours. The roles of membrane pathways and traffic dynamics were discussed during alternative differentiation, which ultimately leads to the disruption of the blood-urine permeability barrier.
B.04 Guest lecture
COBISS.SI-ID: 28905945The presented book is the first textbook in the field of cell biology in Slovenian language. The main topic of the book describes the cell structure, the processes that take place in a cell and the principles of genetics. Besides describing, the basic mechanisms of cell functioning examples of illnesses are included where these mechanisms are ill functioned. The textbook was written based on many decades of research work and teaching experiences of authors in the field of cell biology.
D.10 Educational activities
COBISS.SI-ID: 262994688Original research and review articles published in this special issue bring new knowledge and discussions on the complexity of urinary bladder wall structure/function and communication between different types of cells/tissues of the bladder wall. The articles reveal the importance of research for understanding many urinary bladder-related diseases and symptoms (cystitis, bladder pain syndrome, overactive bladder, inflammation, and neoplastic growth) and suggest possible treatments for these conditions.
C.03 Guest-associated editor
COBISS.SI-ID: 31861465Bladder (ISSN 2326-9901) is an international, open-access journal committed to publishing top-quality peer-reviewed articles describing basic laboratory, translational, and clinical investigations in the broad fields of bladder biology and diseases, including benign and malignant conditions. Subject areas covered by Bladder include, but are not limited to: anatomy, embryology, development, physiology, neurophysiology and diseases of the bladder and its neighbouring organs such as the urethra, ureters, seminal vesicle and pelvic floor.
C.06 Editorial board membership
COBISS.SI-ID: 32029913The invention describes protocol for development of highly differentiated urothelium on connective tissue of intact human amniotic membrane as a tissue scaffold. Due to high concentrations of collagens, glycoproteins and proteoglycans, in conjunction with bound growth factors as well as growth factors released from amniotic cells, this membrane represents a unique scaffold that stimulates cell differentiation. Urothelial cells on connective tissue of amniotic membrane form urothelium, which is composed from basal, intermediate and highly differentiated superficial cells. Highly differentiated urothelium grown on connective tissue of amniotic membrane establishes tight blood-urine barrier, thus mimicking urothelium in vivo. Urothelium with such characteristics represents a model for basic and applicative studies of the lower urinary tract.
F.33 Slovenian patent
COBISS.SI-ID: 28297689