Research
- Research lines
- Research projects and contracts
- Scientific publications
Research lines
Skeletal Muscle in Mammals and Fish
Muscle Development and Fibre Types
Muscle development of mammals and fish has been studied by means of histochemical (mATPasa, NADH-TR, SDH) and immunohistochemical techniques, as well as transmission electronmicroscopy. Muscle fibres types have been typified in several skeletal muscles of the dog (flexor carpi rradialis, semitendinosus, and extrinsic ocular and deglutor muscles), pig (semitendinosus, longisimus lumborun and vastus lateralis) and sheep (semitendinosus muscle).
Muscle develpment has also been studied in fish (Teleosts), mainly those which are relevant for the Mediterranean farming industry: sea bass, sea bream and dentex. Muscle fibres types and muscle growth dynamics of red and white muscles have been typified in these species. White muscle fibre hyperplasia has been particularly studied in sea bass larvae and postlarvae when reared under different temperature regimes.
Meat Quality
In all livestock mammals muscle structure has great impact on the final meat quality. The proportion of muscle fibre types whitin a muscle, as weel as the size and number of muscle fibres are directly correlated with some textural and technological properties of the meat such as the hardness, water keeping capacity and final pH. Muscle structure (fibres types and cellularity) of several muscles of the loin and tight from different pig breeds (Landrace, Iberian, Chato Murciano) has been studied in conjunction with other physicochemical and sensorial properties of the meat. The influence of the maternal nutrition on the size and number of muscle fibres of the progeny is another goal of this research line which is now being investigated.
In fish the quality of the flesh has been traditionally associated to freshness. However, freshness is a broad concept which doesn’t specifically refer to any external or internal factor, so in the last few years many studies have been undertaken to define which are the main factors determining the flesh quality of wild and cultured fish species. The cellularity of the fillet is directly involved in the texture of the raw flesh. For several years, we have been investigating the correlation between the texture, composition and muscle cellularity of the flesh in wild and farmed specimens of sea bass. Another topics are to know how the rearing temperature may affect the cellularity of the fillet, and to describe the structural and ultrastructural changes in the muscle tissue during the post-mortem storage of sea bass and sea bream fillets.
Cooperation with other Research Groups
Centro Oceanográfico de Murcia (IEO), Instituto Murciano de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario y Alimentario (IMIDA), Nutrición y Bromatología (UMU), Fish Muscle Research Unit (Univ. St. Andrews), Muscle Unit (Royal Veterinary College), Dipartimento di Scienze Sperimentali Veterinarie (Univ. Padova).
Imaging techniques in veterinary anatomy
Sectional anatomy aimed to assist modern imaging diagnosis techniques is a big issue of research in Veterinary medicine. The combination of fresh, fixed and plastinated anatomical sections in any of the three spatial planes display great anatomical detail which allot an easier and more accurate interpretation of computerized tomography (TC), magnetic resonance (MR) and ultrasonographic images. A combination of anatomical sections have been used to define the most relevant anatomical features displayed by imaging techniques in the head of horse and goat, the thorax, abdomen and stifle joint of dog and the temporomandibular joint of horse and cat.
On the other hand, pig, dog, sheep and rabbit are usual model species used in many biomedical sciences. Experimental studies in these species demands a detailed and very accurate interpretation of the anatomy of these species. Plastination and casts of the blood supply of different organs have been probed very useful for this purpose, particularly in minimally invasive surgery protocols and training programs. In this sense, active research is taking progress in our labs to investigate the use of the dog and pig as animal models for the application of the double balloon endoscopy. We are also focused in finding out possible vascular accesses to the pancreas of the pig as a possible way of treatment of diabetes by endoluminal stem cells therapy.
Cooperation with other Research Groups
Anatomía y Embriología Veterinarias (ULPGA), Dept. Comparative Medicine (Univ. Tennessee), Centro de Cirugía de Mínima Invasión Jesús Usón (CCMI), Medicina y Cirugía Animal (UMU), Servicio de Digestivo del Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer (HMM), Servicio de Digestivo del Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca (HVA).
