Learning objectives
This course replaces the course under the Old Regulations, classically called 'Cytology and Histology', innovating and updating it as regards scientific-informative content and its didactic and propaedeutic approach. The course is closely integrated with the General Physiology and Cellular Biochemistry courses and is directly propaedeutic to a series of courses that include Developmental Biology (currently complementary course under the Old Regulations and availance course within the scope of the degree course in Biotechnology), Histology, Biology and Therapeutic Applications of Stem Cells, Cellular and Systemic/General Physiology, Transgenic Animals and all the courses that discuss General Pathology (two-year advanced programme courses).<br />The aim of the course is to impart basic knowledge of the structure and organization of cells in the various tissues of the human and animal body, of the various human and animal cell phenotypes, and also to study in depth elements of fundamental importance for understanding the functions of the cell in its social context. For effective learning of this knowledge, the course mentions and exemplifies disregulation of various intra- and extracellular processes that over the years have contributed to clarifying various aspects of the biochemical and molecular regulation of various processes inside and outside the cell. Finally, the course makes reference to microscopic, histological and immunological methods for the isolation, culture, characterization, monitoring and behavioural analysis of cells in vitro and in vivo. This course replaces the course under the Old Regulations, classically called 'Cytology and Histology', innovating and updating it as regards scientific-informative content and its didactic and propaedeutic approach. The course is closely integrated with the General Physiology and Cellular Biochemistry courses and is directly propaedeutic to a series of courses that include Developmental Biology (currently complementary course under the Old Regulations and availance course within the scope of the degree course in Biotechnology), Histology, Biology and Therapeutic Applications of Stem Cells, Cellular and Systemic/General Physiology, Transgenic Animals and all the courses that discuss General Pathology (two-year advanced programme courses).<br />The aim of the course is to impart basic knowledge of the structure and organization of cells in the various tissues of the human and animal body, of the various human and animal cell phenotypes, and also to study in depth elements of fundamental importance for understanding the functions of the cell in its social context. For effective learning of this knowledge, the course mentions and exemplifies disregulation of various intra- and extracellular processes that over the years have contributed to clarifying various aspects of the biochemical and molecular regulation of various processes inside and outside the cell. Finally, the course makes reference to microscopic, histological and immunological methods for the isolation, culture, characterization, monitoring and behavioural analysis of cells in vitro and in vivo.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
<br />With the aim of studying in depth the knowledge about the main cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate the life and death of the cell and discussing the most up-to-date theories on these aspects (both experimentally proven theories and theories hypothesized on the basis of experimental data), in addition to the reference text, the professor will discuss various emerging concepts of cell biology provided by recent scientific studies. You are therefore strongly advised to attend ALL the lectures, making sure you take detailed notes, and, if you miss a lecture, to ask to see the notes taken by your course mates. Part of the lectures will be carried out "interactively", in other words through presentation and discussion of animations of various cellular processes provided on CD Rom in English. The thematic content of the course is the following: 1) Methodologies, protocols and instruments for studying cells in vitro and, in vivo, the cellular processes they perform in these conditions; 2) Structure and organization of plasma membrane molecules responsible for the cell-cell and cells-extracellular matrix interaction and receptors for various signalling molecules; 3) Structure, dynamics and function of the cytoskeleton 4) Mode of interaction of the cell with its microenvironment and regulation of cell movement; 5) Endocytosis, macropinocytosis and phagocytosis; 5) Regulation of the cell cycle; 6) Cellular response to external factors and intracellular signal transduction; 7) Molecular mechanisms that regulate programmed death, apoptosis and anoikis; 8) Examples of cellular processes that involve numerous interactions of the cell with its microenvironment.
Full programme
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Bibliography
BIOLOGIA MOLECOLARE DELLA CELLULA, Bruce Alberts and co-authors, Quarta Edizione, 2004. Alternatively, to contribute to improving the student's knowledge of English, the corresponding edition in the original language is recommended (publishers: Garland Sciences).<br /><br />The book is a reference and consultation text for the whole three-year course, and also for possible subsequent two-year advanced courses and for first and second level Masters courses. Therefore, the student is strongly encouraged to acquire a personal copy of this book.
Teaching methods
<br />The student is expected to acquire basic knowledge of cell biology, including the related methodologies for technical-scientific studies in the sector, and also basic knowledge of the social organization of cells within the tissues they reside in. The student should also acquire basic knowledge of the cell-cell and cell-microenvironment mode of communication and how the relationship of the cell with other cells and with factors of its microenvironment are essential for correct functioning of the cell, of the tissue in which it resides and for the hemostasis of the organism. <br />The course is passed by means of a written test and an oral test. The written test is COMPULSORY and the oral test can be taken only after the written test has been passed. This test normally has a duration of 2 to 2.5 hours and is based on a number of open answer and/or multiple-choice questions. Barring exceptional cases, the test can be consulted only on the scheduled exam date. The score achieved by each of the students in this written test can be used directly as the mark/grade for the course (top score = 32 points with score above 30 points equal to 30 cum laude/with first-class honours as final mark/grade) or can provide a starting mark/grade that may be improved through a traditional oral test on the scheduled exam date. The test is passed with a score of 18 points.
Assessment methods and criteria
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Other information
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