Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine
Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine

Pathology

The Department of Pathology offers a broad spectrum of pathology services to industry, research institutions and universities doing research, development and testing of pharmaceuticals and chemicals in animals. The scientific staff working in this Department are certified veterinary pathologists who have many years of experience in toxicologic pathology of the respiratory tract, tumor histopathology, immunohistochemical characterization, and investigation of age-dependent lesions. They competently evaluate toxicity and carcinogenicity studies as well as cell proliferation assays. Furthermore, electron microscopic investigations can be performed by using transmission and scanning electron microscopes. All studies are conducted in compliance with the GLP guidelines. In addition, the Department performs peer reviews and organizes pathology working groups and panel sessions, for which a multi-headed microscope for 21 observers, equipped with an additional video system, is available.

 

Overview of our services

  • Histopathological examination of organs and tissues from toxicity and carcinogenicity studies, data acquisition and analysis by using the Provantis pathology program, statistics (SAS), and preparation of reports 
  • Histopathological evaluation of carcinogenicity and toxicity studies in rodents and dogs 
  • Morphological examinations to determine the toxicological potential of nanoparticles (light microscopic and ultrastructural)
  • Histopathological evaluation of transgenic mice 
  • Morphometrical evaluation of tissues, organs, and human bronchial biopsies 
  • Evaluation of assays regarding cell proliferation, apoptosis, and oxidative damage 
  • Histopathological evaluation for the pathology databases RITA (Registry of Industrial Toxicology Animal-data) and CEPA (Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis). These databases are operated in collaboration with the Working Group on Databases and Information Systems
  • Electron microscopic examinations (TEM, SEM)

Methods

  • Trimming of organs and tissues from toxicity and carcinogenicity studies according to the internal standard operating procedure or the client's wishes
  • Paraffin and plastic embedding of tissues and biopsies
  • Routine and special fixation and histochemical staining methods  
  • Immunohistochemical techniques for marking tumors, hormones, intermediate filaments, inflammatory cells, and oxidative damage (including markers of cell proliferation and cell cycle, demonstration of apoptosis, demonstration of hormone receptors and neuroendocrine peptides, and demonstration of changes in the cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix)  
  • Microphotography and photo documentation
  • Morphometry and image analysis
  • Evaluation and immunohistochemical examination of human bronchial biopsies (quantification of inflammatory cell markers and goblet cells)  
  • Electron microscopy (TEM and SEM), EDX, and immune electron microscopy (analysis by using a CCD camera and a morphometry program)

Projects

  • Histological evaluation of toxicity and carcinogenicity studies 
  • Histological evaluation of the respiratory tract after inhalation/intratracheal instillation of different fiber and particle types 
  • Histological evaluation of the carcinogenic potential of electromagnetic fields in rats and mice 
  • Histological, immunohistochemical, and morphometric analyses of the effects of different types of fibers on peritoneal cells 
  • Multigenerational studies 
  • Determination of cell proliferation in the respiratory tract after inhalation of different types of fibers
  • Immunohistochemical investigation and quantitative analysis of human bronchial biopsies
  • Pathology database RITA (Registry of Industrial Toxicology Animal-data) and cell proliferation database CEPA (Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis) in collaboration with the Working Group on Databases and Information Systems
  • Pathogenetic and immunobiological investigations on the carcinogenicity of particles
  • Genotoxic mechanisms of action of fine and ultrafine particulate matter in the lung
  • Electron microscopy to demonstrate inhaled or instilled nanoparticles in the respiratory tract
  • Electron microscopy to investigate nanoparticle behavior after cellular uptake in different cell culture systems
  • Peer review of carcinogenicity studies 
  • Histopathological investigations within the DFG Collaborative Research Center (SFB 587) "Immune Reactions of the Lung in Infection and Allergy"
  • Cellular and subcellular effects in rat lung epithelial cells after inhalation of fine and nano-scale titanium dioxide particles (doctoral thesis in collaboration with the Hannover University of Veterinary Medicine)
  • Electron microscopy to investigate translocation of fine and nano-scale titanium dioxide particles from the nose to the brain (doctoral thesis in collaboration with the Hannover University of Veterinary Medicine and the Center for Systems Neuroscience (ZSN))

Publications

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Heikkinen P, Ernst H, Huuskonen H, Komulainen H, Kumlin T, Mäki-Paakkanen J, Puranen L, Juutilainen J. No effects of radiofrequency radiation on 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone-induced tumorigenesis in female Wistar rats. In: Radiation research 166 (2006), 2, p. 397-408

Mohr U, Ernst H, Roller M, Pott F. Pulmonary tumor types induced in Wistar rats of the so-called »19-dust study«. In: Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology 58 (2006), 1, p. 13-20

Creutzenberg O, Ziemann C, Hansen T, Ernst H, Jackson P, Brown R. Quartz-containing ceramic dusts: in vivo study on inflammatory effects of two factory samples in lungs after intratracheal instillation in a 28-day study with rats. In: The Toxicologist 102 (2008), 1, p. 105, abstract 514

Kolling A, Ernst H, Rittinghausen S, Heinrich U, Pott F. Comparison of primary lung tumor incidences in the rat evaluated by the standard microscopy method and by multiple step sections. In: Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology Online First 60 (2008), No.4-5, p. 281-288

Schmiedl A, Lempa T, Hoymann HG, Rittinghausen S, Popa D, Tschernig T, Fehrenbach H, Pabst R, Hoeper MM, Hohlfeld JM. Elastase-induced lung emphysema in rats is not reduced by hematopoietic growth factors when applied preventionally. In: Virchows Archiv 425 (2008), No.6, S.675-688

Ziemann C, Hansen T, Ernst H, Jackson P, Brown R, Creutzenberg O. In vitro and in vivo screening of the cytotoxic, pro-inflammatory and genotoxic potential of quartz-containing ceramic dusts. In: Naunyn-Schmiedebergs Archives of Pharmacology 377 (2008), Suppl.1, p. 72, Abstract 355

Renne R, Brix A, Harkema, J, Herbert R, Kittel B, Lewis D, March T, Nagano K, Pino M, Rittinghausen S, Rosenbruch M, Tellier P, Wohrmann T. Proliferative and nonproliferative lesions of the rat and mouse respiratory tract. In: Toxicological Pathology 37 (2009)

Vahle J, Bradley A, Harada T, Herbert R, Kaufmann W, Kellner R, Mann P, Pyrah I, Rittinghausen S, Tanaka T. The international nomenclature project: an update. In: Toxicological Pathology 37 (2009)

Bellmann B, Creutzenberg O, Ernst H, Muhle H. Rat inhalation test with particles from biomass combustion and biomass co-firing exhaust. In: Journal of Physics: Conference Series [Elektronische Ressource] 151 (2009), 012067, 5 p.

Creutzenberg O, Ziemann C, Hansen T, Ernst H, Jackson P, Cartlidge D, Brown, R. In vivo study with quartz-containing ceramic dusts: Inflammatory effects of two factory samples in lungs after intratracheal instillation in a 28-day study with rats. In: Journal of Physics: Conference Series [Elektronische Ressource] 151 (2009), 012031, 5 p.

Nolte T, Rittinghausen S, Kellner R, Karbe E, Kittel B, Rinke M, Deschl U. RITA-Registry of Industrial Toxicology Animal data: The application of historical control data for Leydig cell tumors in rats. In: Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology (2010), 9. Juni (Online-Veröffentlichung vor Druck) 

Kolling A, Ernst H, Rittinghausen S, Heinrich U. Relationship of pulmonary toxicity and carcinogenicity of fine and ultrafine granular dusts in a rat bioassay. In: Inhalation Toxicology 23 (2011), Nr. 9, S. 544-554

Nolte T, Rittinghausen S, Kellner R, Karbe E, Kittel B, Rinke M, Deschl U. RITA - Registry of Industrial Toxicology Animal data: The application of historical control data for Leydig cell tumors in rats. In: Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology 63 (2011), Nr. 7-8, S. 645-656

Kuper CF, Ernst H, Oostrum LCM, van; Rittinghausen S, Penninks AH, Ganderup NC, Wolterbeek APM. Nasal passages of Göttingen minipigs from the neonatal period to young adult. In: Toxicologic Pathology 40 (2012), Nr. 4, S. 656-666

Eydner M, Jacobsen B, Thomann M, Rittinghausen S, Fehr M, Baumgärtner W. Spontaneously occurring multicentric basal cell carcinoma and keratoacanthomas in a multimammate mouse (Mastomys spp.). In: Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation 24 (2012), Nr. 4, S. 696-701

Rittinghausen S; Bellmann B; Creutzenberg O, Ernst H, Kolling A, Mangelsdorf I, Kellner R, Beneke S, Ziemann C. Evaluation of immunohistochemical markers to detect the genotoxic mode of action of fine and ultrafine dusts in rat lungs. In: Toxicology 303 (2013), S. 177-186

Gerhauser I, Wohlsein P, Ernst H, Germann PG, Baumgärtner W. Vacuolation and mineralisation as dominant age-related findings in hamster brains. In: Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology 65 (2013), Nr. 4, S. 375-381

McInnes EF, Ernst H, Germann PG. Spontaneous neoplastic lesions in control syrian hamsters in 6-, 12-, and 24-month short-term and carcinogenicity studies. In: Toxicologic Pathology 41 (2013), Nr. 1, S. 86-97

Contact

Dirk Schaudien Ph.D.

Contact Press / Media

Dirk Schaudien Ph.D.

Head of Department of Pathology and Clinical Chemistry

Phone +49 511 5350-324