Learning objectives
To integrate notions on membrane excitability and on cellular contraction with a biophysical and molecular approach.
Prerequisites
Good knowledge of: cellular biology, biochemistry, general physiology, physics, and mathematics
Course unit content
Molecular mechanisms of cellular functions: membrane excitability and cellular contraction
Full programme
1. Passive electrical properties of the cell membrane
2. Membrane ion channels
3. Current-voltage relationship for an excitable membrane
4. Experimental techniques for electrophysiological recordings from biological membranes (current clamp and voltage clamp)
5. How to measure passive electrical properties of a cell membrane
6. The patch-clamp technique
7. The membrane current: from single channel to whole cell
8. Hodgkin and Huxley’s theory of ion channels gating
9. How to reconstruct the rapid depolarizing sodium current from voltage clamp data
10. Membrane excitability and action potential
11. Electrotonic interaction and gap junctions: structure and gating
12. Cardiac excitability: an example from cell to bedside
13. The cardiac action potential and the underlying ion currents
14. The action potential of cardiac cells: working and conducting myocardium
15. Molecular mechanism of cardiac refractoriness
16. Molecular mechanisms of the autonomic regulation of the heart
17. Excitation-contraction coupling in the heart
18. Cardiac calcium-induced calcium-release
19. Intracellular calcium dynamics
Bibliography
Principles of Phyusiology. Berne and Levy. 3rd Edition.
Teaching methods
Oral lessons with slides projection
Assessment methods and criteria
Finale oral examination
Other information
- - -