Learning objectives
<br />Sulla base della struttura elettronica dell'atomo derivare le proprieta' delle sostanze elementari, dei composti inorganici, organici e delle macromolecole di interesse biologico. Sapere discutere i meccanismi dell’informazione genetica a livello molecolare. Saper descrivere le caratteristiche, la funzione ed il ruolo metabolico dei maggiori costituenti molecolari della cellula (proteine, acidi nucleici, enzimi e coenzimi, vitamine) e i meccanismi di produzione dell’energia metabolica. Conoscere le principali vie metaboliche, i meccanismi molecolari di regolazione, i principi generali dell’omeostasi energetica e la plasticità cellulare, saper risolvere problemi concernenti l’uso metabolico dei principali alimenti nei tessuti. Conoscere le correlazioni metaboliche di glucidi, lipidi e proteine nell’individuo sano dal punto di vista olostico. Essere in grado di risolvere problemi della regolazione endocrina delle funzioni metaboliche dell’organismo, la coordinazione metabolica e le correlazioni metaboliche fra organi e tessuti in condizioni normali e dopo stimolazione ormonale.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
<br />Properties of matter, change of physical state, pure substance and mixture, physical and chemical transformations, elements and compounds. Atom components; atomic number, mass number, isotopes, ions. Atomic and molecular mass; mole. Atomic structure; electronic configuration of elements. Periodic Table and elements periodic properties.<br />Chemical bonding: ionic, covalent and metallic bonds. Intermolecular forces. <br />Inorganic compounds: hydracid compounds, oxides and peroxides, anhydrides, hydroxides, oxyacids, salts. Formation and balancing of chemical reactions, nomenclature of compounds. Oxydation number, redox reactions and balancing.<br />Water as a solvent. Properties of solutions. Expressing solute concentration in percent fractions w/w, w/v, molarity. Concentrations calculations. Significance of osmotic pressure. <br />Types of energy. Thermodynamics: types of systems, exo- and endothermic reactions, the first low of Thermodynamics, energy conservation. Internal energy, enthalpy and entropy. <br />Chemical kinetics, rates of chemical reactions: molecular collisions theory and activation energy. Factors affecting the chemical reaction rate: kind of reagents, effect of concentrations, temperature, presence of catalyst.<br />Chemical equilibrium. The law of mass action and equilibrium constant. Factors influencing chemical equilibrium; Le Chatelier’s principle.<br />Acidic and basic compounds, acid-base equilibria. Ionic dissociation of water, definition of pH. Strength of acids and bases; calculations of pH values in solutions of strong/weak acids and bases. The effect of a buffer solution. <br />The carbon hybrid orbitals: double and triple covalent bonds. Hydrocarbons: aliphatic and aromatic compounds, nomenclature, properties and reactions.<br />Few concepts of structural and conformational isomery. Functional groups: classification and features. Nomenclature, physical properties, main reactions of alcohols, ethers, aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, amines.<br />Principal carbohydrates: monosaccharides (glucose, fructose), disaccharides, polysaccharides. Lipids: fatty acids, glycerides. Amminoacids and proteins, the peptide bond. Notions of protein structure. Composition and structure of nucleic acids. <br />Molecular bases of the hereditary information. Composition and structure of nucleic acids. DNA synthesis. Telomerases. DNA repair mechanisms and correlations with human pathologies, cell aging and cancer. RNA: structure, function, transcription, maturation. Definition and properties of Genetic Code. Protein synthesis, regulation of gene expression and post-translational modification of proteins. Signal transduction pathways. Apoptosis. Cell differentiation. Cloning.<br />Proteins: structure and function. Hemoglobin and myoglobin. Enzymes: classification, kinetics and general mechanisms of regulation. Coenzymes: structure and function. Vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble. acid cycle. Electron transport chain. Oxidative phosphorylation. Glycolysis: the glycolytic pathway and regulation. Gluconeogenesis. Glycogenolysis and glycogenesis. Pentose phosphate pathway. Oxidation of fatty acids and aminoacids; metabolismof ketone bodies. Glycogen metabolism: synthesis, breakdown and regulation. Metabolism of cholesterol and plasma lipoproteins. Lipolysis andlipogenesis. Metabolism of ammonia. Transport of nitrogen to liver and kidney. Synthesis and degradation of amino acids. Iron and heme metabolism. Purine and pyrimidine nucleotide metabolism. Endocrine metabolism: amines, peptide hormones, steroid hormones. Mechanism of hormone action. Hormonal control of metabolism.<br />
Full programme
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Bibliography
<br />G. Scutari, PRINCIPI DI CHIMICA GENERALE ed ORGANICA, EdiSES s.r.l., Napoli<br />Valitutti, Tifi, Gentile LA CHIMICA IN MODULI , Zanichelli<br />A.L. Lehninger, D.L. Nelson, M.M. Cox, PRINCIPI DI BIOCHIMICA, vol.1-3,, 1995, Zanichelli<br />C.M. Caldarera, BIOCHIMICA SISTEMATICA UMANA, 2003, Clueb<br />T.M. Devlin, Textbook of BIOCHEMISTRY with clinical correlations, 1997, Wiley-Liss<br />R.K. Murray, D.K. Granner, P.A. Mayes, V.W. Rodwell, HARPER BIOCHIMICA, 2000, McGraw-Hill<br />J.C. Kaplan, M. Delpech BIOLOGIA MOLECOLARE E MEDICINA, 1995, G. Gnocchi Editore
Teaching methods
<br />Teaching activity: frontal lessons, interactive activity for small groups, seminars, learning by solving problems <br /> <br />Kind of exam: oral test <br />Teachers:<br />Prof. Amos Casti (Coordinator)<br />Prof. Saverio Bettuzzi<br />Prof. Elena Ferrari
Assessment methods and criteria
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Other information
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