Learning objectives
To emphasize the complexity of living systems and to analyze the strategies at the basis of the regulation of gene expression as a required introduction to emergent problems in modern biology research overall in the field of Developmental Biology.
Prerequisites
To have knowledge of the contents of the propaedeutic course (for the 1st degree in Physics) “Elements of Biology”
Course unit content
<br />I. Introduction<br /> 1. Cells and cell research. A bird’s eye view<br /> 2. The chemistry of cell<br /> 3. Fundamentals of molecular biology<br />II. Flux of genetic information<br /> 4. The eukaryotic genome<br /> 5. Replication, repair and rearrangement of DNA<br /> 6. Biosynthesis and processing of RNA<br /> 7. Translation. The biosynthesis and processing of Proteins. The genetic code.<br /> 8. Regulation of gene expression<br />III. Cell structure and functions<br /> 9. The nucleus<br /> 10. Proteins translocation. The endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi apparatus, Lysosomes<br /> 11. Bioenergetics and metabolism. Mitochondria, Chloroplasts, Peroxisomes<br /> 12. The cytoskeleton and cell movements<br /> 13. The membrane systems and cell coat<br />IV. Cellular control systems<br /> 14. Cell signals and their transduction<br /> 15. Cell cycle and its control<br />V. Developmental biology<br /> 16. An introduction to Embryology<br /> 17. Gametogenesis, fertilization, cleavage<br /> 18. Body pattern definition in plants and animals<br /> 19. Organogenesis: determination, morphogenesis and differentiation<br /> 20. Growth and post-embryonal development<br /> 21. Development and evolution<br />
Bibliography
<br />G.M.Cooper, La cellula. Un approccio molecolare (The Cell. A Molecular Approach), Zanichelli, Bologna, 1998.<br />B.Alberts, D.Bray, K.Hopkin, A.Johnson, J.Lewis, M.Raff, K.Roberts, P.Walter, L’essenziale di Biologia Molecolare della Cellula (Essential Cell Biology), Zanichelli, Bologna, 2005 (second edition).<br />L.Wolpert, R.Beddington, J.Brockes, T.Jessel, P.Lawrence, E.Meyerowitz, Biologia dello Sviluppo (Developmental Biology), Zanichelli, Bologna, 2000.
Teaching methods
<br />Frontal lectures and seminars on selected arguments.<br /> Examination method: Final oral examination<br /> <br /> <br />
