Malformations of the external genitalia are among the most common congenital anomalies in humans. The urogenital and anorectal sinuses develop from the embryonic cloaca, and the penis and clitoris develop from the genital tubercle. Within the genital tubercle, the endodermally derived urethral epithelium functions as an organizer and expresses sonic hedgehog (Shh). Shh knockout mice lack extern...

Defects in cilia and basal bodies function are linked to ciliopathies, which result in kidney cyst formation. Recently, cell division defects have been observed in cystic kidneys, but the underlying mechanisms of such defects remain unclear. Wtip is an LIM domain protein of the Ajuba/Zyxin family, but its role in ciliogenesis during embryonic development has not been previously described. We re...

This study illustrates the main morphological structures of the cloaca of six adult horned vipers Vipera ammodytes (3.3). The coprodeum is characterized by smooth and thin mucosa, with moderate vasculature. In the centre of the coprodeum the anal sphincter is located, which separates the coprodeum from the colon. Structures of the urodeum are divided by two highly developed septa in female vipe...

Cloacal malformations are challenging as to the surgical correction. A case of cloacal malformation who underwent reconstructive surgery is being reported. The patient had colostomy in the neonatal period and reconstruction was performed at the age of 6 year. The surgical management included abdomino-perineal anorecto-urethro-colo-vaginoplasty. The patient is fully continent of urine and achiev...

tary Engineering Association, it gives me a great deal of pleasure to be here this afternoon among the engineers and the plumbers, for the reason that I personally feel the plumber was the original health officer and that the foundations of preventative medicine and public health were founded upon the activities of the engineer and the plumber in the very beginning. So that basically the things...

migratory birds can become long-distance vectors for a wide range of microorganisms. the objective of the present study was to investigate the presence of cryptococcus neoformans in the cloacae, crop and nasal cavity of migratory birds in order to assess their role as potential reservoirs and/or mechanical vectors of human and animal cryptococcosis. a total of 700 samples (cloacae, crops and na...