Learning objectives
The purpose of the course is to gain knowledge of the etio-pathogenetic mechanisms of diseases as well as notions of semeiotics and medical terminology. These informations are necessary for a complete comprehension of drugs effects and useful for the future profession.
Course unit content
Etiology
Environmental Pathology. Radiation injury by ionizing and nonionizing radiation. Chemical injury. Nutrition and disease: nutritional deficiencies, vitamin deficiencies, obesity, food and cancer.
Intrinsic causes of disease. The molecular mechanisms of mutations and DNA repair. Transmission patterns of single-gene disorders. Disorders with multifactorial inheritance. Cytogenetic disorders.
Cellular Pathology
Cellular alterations of growth and differentiation. Hyperplasia, hypertrophy, atrophy, metaplasia, dysplasia. Cellular aging. free radical pathology. Oxidative stress. Necrosis and apoptosis.
Oncology
Neoplasia. Definitions and nomenclature. Benign and malignant neoplasms. Grading and staging of tumors. Molecular basis of cancer. Oncogenic DNA and RNA virus. Protooncogenes, oncogenes and oncoproteins. Tumor suppressor genes. Survival and pro-apoptoticc genes. DNA repair genes. Molecular basis of multistep carcinogenesis. Angiogenesis. Tumor progression. Invasion and metastasis. Chemical carcinogenesis: initiation and promotion. Carcinogenic chemicals. Radiation carcinogenesis. Microbial carcinogenesis. Genetic predisposition to cancer. Effects of tumours on the host. Nutritional and hormonal effects. Biological basis of anti-neoplastic therapies.
Immunology and immunopathology
Innate immunity. Acquired immunity. Antigens. The structural and functional aspects of Antibodies. T and B lymphocytes and their receptors. The Major Histocompatibility System (MHC). Activation of B and T lymphocytes. Anatomy of the immune response. The production of effectors of the immune response: antibodies, TH1, TH2, TC lymphocytes, cytokines.
Immunity to bacteria, virus and protozoa. Vaccinations. Congenital and acquired Immunodeficiencies. Hypersensitivity. Immunologic tolerance and pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Tumor immunology. Transplantation.
Inflammation
General features of acute inflammation: vascular changes, cellular events and chemical mediators. Types of acute inflammation. Systemic effects. Fever and hyperthermia. Chronic inflammation: types, morphologic features and granuloma. Tissue repair.
Blood physiopathology
Blood and Hematopoiesis. Sickle cell disease. Iron deficiency anemia. Megaloblastic anemias. Thalassemia syndromes. Leukemia and lymphoma
Cardiovascular physiopathology
Hemostasis. Trombosis, embolism, angina and myocardial infarction. Atherosclerosis. Hypertension and hypotension. Edema.
Disorders of the respiratory system
Obstructive pulmonary diseases. Emphysema. Chronic bronchitis. Asthma. Pulmonary infections
Disorders of the gastrointestinal system.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease. Acute and hgastritis. Peptic ulcer disease. Malabsorption syndromes. Celiac disease. Crohn disease.
Biochemical, metabolic and endocrine disorders
Disorders of the metabolism of amino acids. Pathogenesis of type1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Disorders of lipids circulation in the plasma. Familial hypercholesterolemia. Steatosis. Cystic fibrosis. Diseases by extracellular accumulation: amyloidosis, prion diseases. Disorders of the thyroid: hyper and ipo-thyroidism, thyroiditis.
Major depressive disorder.
Bibliography
Robbins e Cotran: Le Basi Patologiche delle Malattie. Elsevier VIII edizione.
Pontieri-Russo-Frati: Patologia Generale.Piccin IV edizione
Abbas A.K. e LIchtman: Le basi dell’ Immunologia. Fisiopatologia del Sistema Immunitario. MASSON Elsevier II edizione.
