AG Chemosensory Systems
Group members
Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Martin Witt
M. sc. Nicole Power Guerra
PhD students
Sema Kaya: “The olfactory system in animal models of Multiple Sclerosis”
Lina-Marielle Krysewski:"The VNO in Huntington´s disease"
Julia Schnermann (in co-operation with Prof. Frederike Hanke, Institute for Biosciences, Neuroethology): “Distribution of photoreceptor cells in the retina of harbor seals”
Master student
Former club members
Carlos Junior Hempel: Carlos successfully defended his Master Thesis (“Electron Microscopic phenotype of the Pituitary Gland and Adrenal Gland in a Mouse Model of Niemann Pick Disease Type C1”) with the mark 1.7. Congratulations!!!
Anja Meyer: “Die Plastizität des olfaktorischen Systems in einem Mausmodell von Morbus Niemann-Pick Typ C1” (verteidigt am 15.9.2020; magna cum laude)
Diana Heimes: “Volumetrische Evaluation zentraler olfaktorischer Areale in einem mausbasierten Tiermodell für Morbus Niemann-Pick Typ C1” (verteidigt am 15.9.2020; magna cum laude)
Lorenzo Brozzetti, , Lab member from October 2018-April 2019, in co-operation with PD Dr. Marcus Frank, EMZ, UMR, and Prof. Gianluigi Zanusso, University of Verona: “Neurodegeneration associated-proteins in human olfactory epithelium: immunocytochemical and biomolecular study in healthy subjects and patients with synucleinopathies” (defended his PhD thesis successfully at the Univ. of Verona on May 10, 2020)
Irina Jozikova (Master) (in co-operation with Prof. Frederike Hanke, Institute for Biosciences, Neuroethology): “Histological analysis of retina of mammals” (defended her master thesis successfully on May 10, 2020)
Scientific profile
Functional Morphology of Chemosensory Systems
Our group is currently working on the impact of general neurodegeneration on olfactory acuity. We use several animal models that mimic defects occurring in human diseases such as Idiopathic Parkinson´s Syndrome, Huntington´s disease, Multiple Sclerosis or Niemann-Pick disease. Most outcomes are based on immunohistochemical and electron microscopical techniques.
Further interests:
- Covid-19 and olfaction
- Distribution pattern of human olfactory epithelium
- Regenerative potential of the human olfactory system
- Human olfactory bulb and central olfactory pathways
- Morphology and immunohistochemistry of the human vomeronasal organ
- Functional morphology of taste buds
- Histocompatibility of anterior eye chamber stents (glaucoma research)
New Releases
- Bohn S, Stahnke T, Sperlich K, Linke SJ, Farrokhi S, Klemm M, Allgeier S, Köhler B, Reichert KM, Witt M, Stachs O, Guthoff RF. In vivo Histology of the Cornea - from the "Rostock Cornea Module" to the "Rostock Electronic Slit Lamp" - a Clinical "Proof of Concept" Study. Klin Monbl Augenheilkd. 2020 Dec;237(12):1442-1454. doi: 10.1055/a-1297-4717. Epub 2020 Nov 23. PubMed PMID: 33231276.
- Witt M. Anatomy and Development of the Human Gustatory and Olfactory Systems. In: Fritzsch, B. (editor-in-chief) The Senses: A Comprehensive Reference, 2nd Edition, 2021, Academic Press (Elsevier), pp. 85-118,
ISBN: 978-0-12-805409-3 - Kirschenbaum D, Imbach LL, Ulrich S, Rushing EJ, Keller E, Reimann RR, Frauenknecht KBM, Lichtblau M, Witt M, Hummel T, Steiger P, Aguzzi A, Frontzek K. Inflammatory olfactory neuropathy in two patients with COVID-19. Lancet. 2020 Jul 18;396(10245):166. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31525-7. Epub 2020 Jul 10. PubMed PMID: 32659210; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7351381.
- Heimes D, Witt M. Morphologie des Riechsystems. Forum HNO. 2020 August; 22:185.
- Gläser A, Hammerl F, Gräler MH, Coldewey SM, Völkner C, Frech MJ, Yang F, Luo J, Tönnies E, von Bohlen Und Halbach O, Brandt N, Heimes D, Neßlauer AM, Korenke GC, Owczarek-Lipska M, Neidhardt J, Rolfs A, Wree A, Witt M, Bräuer AU. Identification of Brain-Specific Treatment Effects in NPC1 Disease by Focusing on Cellular and Molecular Changes of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Metabolism. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Jun 24;21(12). doi: 10.3390/ijms21124502. PubMed PMID: 32599915; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7352403.
- Feng X, Yang F, Rabenstein M, Wang Z, Frech MJ, Wree A, Bräuer AU, Witt M, Gläser A, Hermann A, Rolfs A, Luo J. Stimulation of mGluR1/5 Improves Defective Internalization of AMPA Receptors in NPC1 Mutant Mouse. Cereb Cortex. 2020 Mar 14;30(3):1465-1480. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhz179. PubMed PMID: 31599924.
- Dörig P, Gunder N, Witt M, Welge-Lüssen A, Hummel T. [Future therapeutic strategies for olfactory disorders: electrical stimulation, stem cell therapy, and transplantation of olfactory epithelium-an overview]. HNO. 2021 May 14;. doi: 10.1007/s00106-021-01060-x. [Epub ahead of print] Review. PubMed PMID: 33988723; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8120256.
- Holzmann C, Witt M, Rolfs A, Antipova V, Wree A. Gender-Specific Effects of Two Treatment Strategies in a Mouse Model of Niemann-Pick Disease Type C1. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Mar 3;22(5). doi: 10.3390/ijms22052539. PubMed PMID: 33802605; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7962008.
“Full reference list”: here
Methods
• Immunohistochemistry
• Electron microscopy
Cooperation
• Marcus Frank, PhD, Electron microscopic center
• Frederike Hanke, PhD, Marine Science Center, Rostock
• Anja Bräuer, PhD, Anatomy, Molecular Neurobiology, Carl von Ossietzky-Universität Oldenburg
• Thomas Hummel, MD, PhD, Dresden University of Technology Medical School
• Jörg Strotmann, PhD; Physiology, University of Hohenheim
Contact
Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h. c. Martin Witt
Tel.: +49 (0)381 - 494 8409
Raum: 3.23
E-Mail: martin.witt{bei}med.uni-rostock.de