Important notice
The course guide is provisional.
The PDF version of the course guide may take a few days to become available in the DDD.
Mouse Anatomy and Pathobiology
Code: 45023Credits: 10
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Erasmus Mundus Master in Human Disease Models Morphological Phenotyping | OB | 1 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Jesús Ruberte Paris
- Email :
- jesus.ruberte@uab.cat
Teaching staff
- Ana Carretero Romay
- Marc Navarro Beltran
- Jesús Ruberte Paris
- Víctor Nacher Garcia
Teaching staff (external to UAB)
- Paolo de Girolamo
- Livia d'Angelo
- Luísa Mendes-Jorge
- Anastasia Tsingotjidou
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
A degree in Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Pharmacy, Veterinary, or Medicine is required. Proof of English language proficiency must be provided, with a minimum level of C1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Objectives
- Understand the basic mouse genetics and the mechanisms that control embryonic processes.
- Know the etiology and meaning of developmental abnormalities.
- Recognize and understand the shape, structure, disposition and relationships of mouse organs and systems.
- Identify microscopically mouse tissues and organs.
- Use embryological, anatomical, and histological terminology correctly and appropriately.
- Integrate mouse morphology through the organic, cellular, and subcellular levels
- Understand the fundamental principles of general pathology.
- Identify structural organ alterations through histology and immunohistochemistry to correlate them with specific pathological processes.
Learning outcomes
- CM01 (Incorporate the morphology of mice at organic, cell and subcell levels.) Incorporate the morphology of mice at organic, cell and subcell levels.
- CM02 (Correlate structural alterations in the mouse's organs with specific pathological processes.) Correlate structural alterations in the mouse's organs with specific pathological processes.
- KM01 (Know about the mechanisms that control embryonic processes in mice.) Know about the mechanisms that control embryonic processes in mice.
- KM02 (Recognise the etiology and meaning behind developmental anomalies.) Recognise the etiology and meaning behind developmental anomalies.
- KM03 (Identify and understand the form, structure, and arrangement of organs in mice, and the relationship between them.) Identify and understand the form, structure, and arrangement of organs in mice, and the relationship between them.
- KM04 (Identify the tissue and organs of mice using a microscope.) Identify the tissue and organs of mice using a microscope.
- KM05 (Understand the fundamental principles of mouse pathology.) Understand the fundamental principles of mouse pathology.
- KM06 (Identify structural alterations in organs using histology and immunohistochemistry.) Identify structural alterations in organs using histology and immunohistochemistry.
- SM01 (Use anatomical, embryonic, histological and pathological terminology correctly.) Use anatomical, embryonic, histological and pathological terminology correctly.
- SM02 (Perform a dissection and autopsy of a mouse correctly.) Perform a dissection and autopsy of a mouse correctly.
Contents
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Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in
Human Diseases Models
Morphological Phenotyping
(MorphoPHEN)
Teaching Programme 2026-2027
| MODULE I – Mouse Anatomy and Pathobiology |
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| Monday, September 7th | ||
| 9.30 – 10.00 | Introductory remarks | J. Ruberte and E. Gea |
| 10.00 – 11.00 | General concepts in morphological mouse phenotyping | J. Ruberte |
| 11.00 – 11.30 | Legal information for international students | M. Lluís |
| 11: 30 – 12:00 | Active pause - Servei d'Activitat Física (SAF) | |
| 12:00 – 12:15 | Introduction to Module I – Mouse Anatomy and Pathobiology | J. Ruberte |
| 12:15 – 12:30 | Introduction to Module II – Mouse Imaging | J. Ruberte |
| 12:30 – 12:45 | Introduction to Module III – Experimental Design and Deep Learning | E. Gea |
| 12:45 – 13:00 | Introduction to the Master’s Degree Internship | E. Gea |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | GRADUATION |
| Tuesday, September 8th | |||
| 9.00 – 10 | Comparative Mouse vs Human Anatomy | J. Ruberte | |
| 10 – 11 | Animal transgenesis: from the classics to the CRISPR genome editing | A. Pujol | |
| 11– 12 | Introduction to mouse development: segmentation, gastrulation, the embryonic period, and the foetal period | J. Ruberte | |
| 12-13 | The placenta and Annexes | J. Ruberte | |
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| Wednesday, September 9th | |||
| 9.00 – 11.00 | Skeleton of thoracic limb: scapula, clavicle, humerus, ulna, carpal, metacarpal, and digital bones. Identification of main anatomical features in isolated bones | L. Mendes-Jorge | |
| 11.00 – 13.00 | Skeleton of pelvic limb: coxal, femur, tibia, fibula, tarsal, and metatarsal bones. Identification of main anatomical features in isolated bones | L. Mendes-Jorge | |
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| Thursday, September 10th | |||
| 9.00 – 11.00 | Bone Ontogeny. Bone histology, immunohistochemistry, and ultrastructure. Strain, gender, and age differences | J. Ruberte |
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| 11.00 – 12.30 | Skull: neurocranium and splanchnocranium. Identification of main anatomical features in isolated bones | J. Ruberte | |
| 12.30-13.30 | Mandible. Identification of main anatomical features in isolated bones | S. Olvera-Maneu | |
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| Monday, September 14th | |||
| 9.00 – 11.00 | Skeleton of the trunk: vertebral column, ribs and sternum. Identification of main anatomical features in isolated bones | A. Carretero | |
| 11.00 – 13.00 | Arthrology: shoulder, elbow, hip, and stifle joints. Myology: types of muscles, histology, histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and ultrastructure | M. Navarro | |
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| Tuesday, September 15th | |||
| 9.00 – 10.00 | Main muscular groups | M. Navarro | |
| 10.00 – 11.00 | Peripheral nerves | J. Ruberte | |
| 11.00 – 12.00 | Common errors in tissue processing | P. Jaramillo | |
| 12.00 – 14.00 | Advanced optical microscopy | D. Ramos | |
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| Wednesday, September 16th | |||
| 9.00 – 11.00 | Dissection of main muscular groups and peripheral nerves | M. Navarro and J. Ruberte | |
| 11.00 – 12.00 | Anatomical basis of cardiovascular development | J. Ruberte | |
| 12.00 – 13.00 | Heart: topography, structure, and vascularization | J. Ruberte | |
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| Thursday, September 17th | |||
| 9.00 – 11.00 | Localization, disposition, and topography of main vessel trunks. Structure of blood and lymphatic vessels. Components of the vascular wall | J. Ruberte | |
| 11.00 – 13.00 | Digital histology – Session I | J. Ruberte | |
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| Friday, September 18th | |||
| 9.30-11.30 | Blood: cellular morphology and clinical analysis | E. José-Cunilleras | |
| 11.30 – 12.30 | Blood: clinical analysis | E. José-Cunilleras | |
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| Monday, September 21st | |||
| 9.00 – 11.00 | Topography and histology of lymphatic nodes | J. Ruberte | |
| 11.00 – 13.00 | Demonstration of lymphatic nodes | J. Ruberte | |
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| Tuesday, September 22nd | |||
| 9.00 – 10.00 | Anatomical basis of gastropulmonar development | J. Ruberte | |
| 10.00 – 11.30 | Respiratory apparatus: nasal cavities, larynx, trachea and lungs | M. Navarro | |
| 11.30 – 13.00 | Oral cavity, pharynx, oesophagus, and stomach | V. Nacher | |
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| Wednesday, September 23rd | |||
| 9.30 – 11.30 | Dissection of the thorax | M. Navarro and J. Ruberte | |
| 11.30– 12.30 | Intestine and liver | L. d’Angelo | |
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| Friday, September 25th | |||
| 9.30 – 10.30 | Anatomical basis of urogenital development | A. Carretero | |
| 10.30 – 11.30 | Male and female genital organs | A. Carretero | |
| 11.30 – 12.30 | Urinary organs | L. d’Angelo | |
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| Monday, September 28th | |||
| 9.00 – 11.00 | Dissection of male and female abdominal and pelvic cavities | A. Carretero and M. Navarro | |
| 12.00 – 14.00 | Electron microscopy | J. Ruberte | |
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| Tuesday, September 29th | |||
| 9.00 – 10.00 | Pancreas | V. Nacher | |
| 10.00 – 11.00 | Thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands | V. Nacher | |
| 11.00 – 12.00 | Basic developmental concepts and general morphology of the central nervous system | J. Ruberte | |
| 12.00 – 13.00 | Spinal cord and rhombencephalon | J. Ruberte | |
| Wednesday, September 30th | |||
| 9.00 – 10.00 | Cerebellum and mesencephalon | J. Ruberte | |
| 10.00 – 11.00 | Diencephalon and hypothalamus | J. Ruberte | |
| 11.00 – 12.00 | Telencephalon | J. Ruberte | |
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| Thursday, October 1st | |||
| 9.30 – 10.30 | Hypophysis and pineal gland | J. Ruberte | |
| 10.30 – 11.30 | Cranial nerves | J. Ruberte | |
| 11.30 – 12.30 | Encephalic ventricles and brain vascularization | J. Ruberte | |
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| Friday, October 2nd | |||
| 9.00 – 10.00 | Vestibulocochlear organ | M. Navarro | |
| 10.00 – 11.00 | Eye and related structures | J. Ruberte | |
| 15.00 – 17.00 | Dissection of the central nervous system and eye | J. Ruberte | |
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| Monday, October 5th | |||
| 9.00 – 11.00 | Retinal Vascularization | J. Ruberte | |
| 11.00 – 13.00 | Digital histology – Session II | J. Ruberte |
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| Tuesday, October 6th | |||
| 9.00 – 11.00 | In vivo retinal angiography Eye morphological and physiological phenotyping. Dissection of the eye. | D. Ramos and M. Lopez-Luppo | |
| 12.00 – 13.00 | Neoplasms | J. Ruberte | |
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| Wednesday, October 7th | |||
| 10.00 – 11.00 | Cellular damage. Apoptosis. Necrosis. Senescence | J. Ruberte | |
| 11.00 -12.00 | Cellular and tissue deposits | J. Ruberte | |
| Thursday, October 8th | |||
| 10.00- 11.00 | Local and systemic circulatory disorders | J. Ruberte | |
| 11.00 – 12.00 | Inflammation, reparation, and regeneration | J. Ruberte | |
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Workshop on Mouse Pathobiology
| Tuesday, October 13th | ||
| 8:45 – 9:00 | Registration and Opening | |
| 9:00 – 10:00 | Standardized Genetic Nomenclature for Mice and Rats | F. Benavides |
| 10:00 – 11:00 | Mouse Model and Morphologic Phenotyping: A Comparative Pathologist Perspective | P. R. Ruivo |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | Coffee break | |
| 11:30 – 12:30 | Skin Morphology and Function in Health and Rare Disease: Insights from Human Disease Models | R. Sedlacek |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | TBD | Y. Herault |
| 13:30 – 14:30 | Lunch break | |
| 14:30 – 15:30 | Spontaneous Pathology in Short Term (Juvenile) Mouse Studies | D. Corbetta |
| 15:30 – 16:30 | Histological and Pathological Assessment of the Mouse Kidney | P. da Silva-Buttkus |
| 16:30 – 17:30 | Mouse Necropsy | J. Ruberte |
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Wednesday, October 14th | |
| 9:00 – 10:00 | Histology of the Mouse Thymus and Spleen: Pathological Insights into the Lymphoid and Hematopoietic Systems | P. da Silva-Buttkus |
| 10:00 – 11:00 | Pathology of immunodeficient and humanized mice (I) | P. R. Ruivo |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | Coffee break | |
| 11:30 – 12:30 | Pathology of immunodeficient and humanized mice (II) | P. R. Ruivo |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Histopathologic Analysis of Mouse Lymph Nodes | P. da Silva-Buttkus |
| 13:30 – 14:30 | Lunch break | |
| 14:30 – 15:30 | Spontaneous Pathology in Long Term (Aged) Mouse Studies (non-neoplastic lesions) | D. Corbetta |
| 15:30 – 16:30 | Pathological Evaluation of the Developing Placenta | O. Wendling |
| 16:30 – 17:30 | Retinal Vascular Heterogenicity: Implications in Hypertension | D. Ramos |
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| Thursday, October 15th | ||
| 9:00 – 10:00 | Astrocytic Gene Therapy in Mouse Models of MLC: Reversion of brain edema and motor function | A. Bosch |
| 10:00 –11:00 | Mapping the Lymphatic Drainage in the Mouse | S. Olvera-Maneu |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | Coffee break | |
| 11:30 – 12:30 | Spontaneous Pathology in Long Term (Aged) Mouse Studies (neoplastic lesions) | D. Corbetta |
| 12:30 –13:30 | Mouse Models of Human Cancer | F. Benavides |
| 13: 30 – 14:30 | Lunch break | |
| Session on TERMINOLOGY, ONTOLOGY and DATABASES | ||
| 14:30 – 15:30 | Bridging Mouse and Human Anatomies: a knowledge and terminology-based approach for disease model phenotyping | J. Ruberte |
| 15:30 – 16.30 | Connecting Phenotypes Across Species Using LLM Embeddings | J. McLaughlin |
| 16:30 – 17:30 | What’s in a Name? From Confusion to Clarity in Anatomical Terms | W. Van den Broeck |
| 17.30 | PANEL DISCUSSION | |
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List of speakers
| Speaker | Institution | ||
| Benavides, Fernando | |||
| Bosch, Assumpció | |||
| Corbetta, Davide | |||
| Da Silva-Buttkus, Patricia | |||
| Herault, Yann | |||
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| McLaughlin, James | |||
| Olvera-Maneu, Sergi | |||
| Ramos, David | |||
| Ruivo, Pedro Reis | |||
| Ruberte, Jesús | |||
| Sedlacek, Radek | |||
| Van den Broeck, Wim | |||
| Wendling, Olivia | |||
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Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
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| Classroom lectures | 82 | 3.28 | CM01, CM02, KM01, KM02, KM03, KM05, KM06, SM01 |
| Laboratory sessions | 24.5 | 0.98 | KM03, KM06, SM01, SM02 |
| Autonomous learning | 138.5 | 5.54 | CM01, CM02 |
The main role of the teacher is to support the student, not only by providing information but also by guiding and supervising the learning process. The module is structured around the following activities:
- Classroom classes: Where the student acquires scientific knowledge of the module. The student must complete this knowledge with the personal and autonomous study of the topics presented. Attendance at the classrooms is mandatory and will be controlled.
- Practical sessions: They approach theoretical models to reality and reinforce the knowledge acquired in master classes. At the beginning of the course, the students will receive a practical guide describing the contents studied in each session. In practical sessions, students individually, under supervision, will perform mouse dissections, isolated bones study and identification of histological digital slides. Through observation of these specimens, the student will acquire a three-dimensional concept of the mouse morphology, required to understand, for example, the movement of joints, the muscular biomechanics, the distribution of vessels and nerves, or the juxtaposition of adjacent anatomical structures. The student will also develop manual dexterity and skills, such as curiosity and observation. Attendance at the practical sessions is mandatory and will be controlled.
- The materials used in the subject will be available on the UAB virtual campus.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
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| Practical oral examination | 40 | 1 | 0.04 | CM01, CM02, KM03, KM04, KM06, SM01, SM02 |
| Multiple choice written examination | 50 | 2 | 0.08 | KM01, KM02, KM03, KM05, KM06, SM01 |
| Individual continuos controls of practical work | 10 | 2 | 0.08 | CM01, CM02 |
The evaluation will be performed continuously along the module based on questions to the students during the classroom and practical work sessions, this will worth the 10% of the final module grade. At the end of the module two final controls will be established. A practical oral examination on real specimens (bones, dissections, and histological digital slides) used during the teaching. Qualifications obtained at the oral examination will be worth 40% of the final grade. A minimum grade of 4.5 points out of 10 will be required to have the right to take the theoretical examination, which consists in a multiple-choice question test. The theoretical examination will worth 50% of the final grade. The minimum grade to pass the module is 5.
Bibliography
- Cook MJ (1965). The Anatomy of the Laboratory Mouse. Academic Press. Freely available at: www.informatics.jax.org/cookbook
- Smith RS, John SWM, Nishina PM, Sundberg JP (2000). Systematic Evaluation of the Mouse Eye. Anatomy, Pathology, and Biomethods. CRC Press
- Iwaki T, Yamashita H, Hayakawa T (2001). A color Atlas of Sectional Anatomy of the Mouse. Braintree Scientific Inc
- Popesko P, Rajtová V, Horák J (2002). Colour Atlas of Anatomy of Small Laboratory Animals. Volume two: Rat, Mouse, and Hamster. Saunders Company
- Paxinos G and Franklin KBJ (2008). The Mouse Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates. Compact Third Edition. Academic Press
- Constantinescu GM (2011). Comparative Anatomy of the Mouse and the Rat. CRC Press
- Watson C, Paxinos G, Puelles L (2011). The Mouse Nervous System. Academic Press
- Scudamore CL (2014) A Practical Guide to the Histology of the Mouse. Willey Blackwell
- Ruberte J, Carretero A, Navarro M (2017). Morphological Mouse Phenotyping. Anatomy, Histology and Imaging. Academic Press
- Treuting PM, Dintzis SM, Montine KS (2018). Comparative Anatomy and Histology. A Mouse, Rat, and Human Atlas. Academic Press
- Sundberg JP, Vogel P, Ward JM (2022) Pathology of Genetically Engineered and other Mutant Mice. Wiley Blackwell
Software
Not applicable
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
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| (TEm) Theory (master) | 1 | English | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (PLABm) Practical laboratories (master) | 1 | English | first semester | morning-mixed |