Unit MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BASES OF LIFE

BIOCHEMISTRY

Code	GP003953
CFU	2
Teacher	Mirco Dindo
Teachers	Mirco Dindo
Hours	30 ore - Mirco Dindo
Learning activities	Base
Area	Scienze biomediche
Academic discipline	BIO/10
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction	Italian
Contents	Chemical bonds. Solutions. Functional groups of organic molecules. Molecules of biological interest. Metabolic pathways. Krebs cycle. Respiratory chain. Oxidative phosphorylation. Metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and aminoacids.
Reference texts	Biochimica e Biologia per le professioni sanitarie - Roberti, Alunni-Bistocchi, Antognelli, Talesa - McGraw-Hill Le basi della biochimica-Champe-Ferrier-Zanichelli Chimica e biochimica-Samaja-Paroni-Piccin Chimica e Biochimica- Bertoldi- Colombo-Magni-Marin-Palestini-EdiSES Nelson-Cox Introduzione alla Biochimica di Lehninger-Zanichelli
Educational objectives	The main aim of this course is to provide students with the knowledge of basic properties of biological systems and of the mechanisms controlling cellular homeostasis. Main knowledge acquired will be: - properties of water and is importance as cell solvent; - chemical components of cell; - properties of solutions, physiological solutions, buffers; -thermodynamics and kinetics - functional groups of organic molecules and their reactivity; - energy transfer in biochemical transformations; - structure and function of molecules involved in cell metabolism; -main metabolic transformations; - hormonal regulation of metabolism in feeding and fasting. The main competence will be: - to evaluate the nature and properties of reagents and solutions usually employed in professional practice; - to understand the general metabolic behavior in physiopathological conditions
Prerequisites	For an effective understanding of the topics of Biochemistry, the basic knowledge at high school level of Chemistry and Biology is required. In particular, general knowledge of cell structure, atomic structure, simple inorganic and organic molecules structure, are mandatory.
Teaching methods	The course is organized in lectures on all the subjects. Students are stimulated to interact with the teacher during the lectures.
Other information	Seat: Polo didattico S. Andrea delle fratte-Centro didattico Consulting: Studio, edificio D 4° piano, via Gambuli, S. Andrea delle Fratte
Learning verification modality	The exam consists of a written test possibly followed by an oral examination relative to the three modules of the integrated course. The written test, comprising basic questions covering all the topics, aims to assess the minimum basic preparation to face the oral examination. The oral exam aims to assess the level of knowledge of the subjects of the integrated course, and the ability to make connections and to integrate knowledge, also in relation to the nursing professional activity. The oral exam will also test the student communication skills.
Extended program	PRINCIPLES OF GENERAL CHEMISTRY. Hints on tomic structure and periodic table of the elements. The chemical bond: omopolar and eteropolar covalent bond, donor-acceptor bond, electrostatic bonds, hydrogen bond. Hints on the states of the matter. Properties of liquids, vapour pressure. Solutions: concentration units. Osmotic pressure and osmolarity. Physiologic solution. Stechiometry and equilibrium. Strong and weak electrolytes. Acids and bases. The ionic product of water, pH. pH of acid, base, and salt solutions; buffer solutions. Thermodynamics. Chemical kinetics, catalysis. ORGANIC COMPOUNDS. Oxidation state of carbon in the organic compounds. Hybridization of carbon and functional groups of organic molecules. Hydrocarbons, alcohols, aldehyds and ketons, amines, carboxylic acids, esters, amides. ELEMENTS OF GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY. Carbohydrates. Structure and properties of monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. The glycosidic bond. Carbohydrates of physiologic significance: glucose, fructose, ribose, saccharose, lactose, starch, cellulose, glycogen. Lipids. Structure and properties of fatty acids, acylglycerols, phospholipids, glycolipids, and cholesterol. Aminoacids. Peptidic bond. Proteins: structural organization, classification, functions. Denaturation of proteins. Fibrous proteins: keratin and collagen. Structure and functions of hemoglobin and myoglobin, oxygen transport, allosteric modulators. Physiologic and pathologic hemoglobins. Reaction rate. Enzymes as biological catalysts. Effect of substrate concentration, pH, and temperature. Hints on enzyme activity regulation. Clinical importance of enzymes in serum. Hints on vitamins and coenzymes (NAD, FAD). ELEMENTS OF DYNAMIC BIOCHEMISTRY. Overview of metabolic pathways: anabolism, catabolism, linear and cyclic pathways. ATP: structure and role in the metabolism. The metabolism of carbohydrates. Digestion and absorption of sugars. Glycolysis, metabolism of glycogen, and gluconeogenesis. The hormonal control of blood glucose (insulin and glucagon). The Krebs cycle. The respiratory chain and oxidative phosphorylation. The metabolism of fats. Digestion, absorption, and storage of dietary lipids. Lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation. Biosynthesis of fatty acids and triacylglycerols. Hormonal control of lipolysis and lipogenesis (insulin and glucagon). Lipid transport and plasma lipoproteins. The ketone bodies. The metabolism of proteins and aminoacids. Protein digestion and aminoacid absorption. Transamination and deamination reactions. Ureogenesis. The metabolic fate of aminoacid carbon skeleton.

APPLIED BIOLOGY AND GENETICS

Code	GP003955
CFU	2
Teacher	Letizia Mezzasoma
Teachers	Letizia Mezzasoma
Hours	30 ore - Letizia Mezzasoma
Learning activities	Base
Area	Scienze biomediche
Academic discipline	BIO/13
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction	Italian
Contents	Characteristics of living organisms. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Structure and function of cell membrane and cellular organelles. Genome organization. Gene expression and its regulation. DNA duplication and reparation. Mutations. Cell cycle and its control. General genetics.
Reference texts	Roberti, GA. Bistocchi, C. Antognelli, VN. Talesa: "Biochimica e Bilogia pr le professioni santarie". McGrawHill. G. Sadava D. Hills DM, Craig Heller H, Berembaum MR. Elementi di biologia e Genetica. Zanichelli.
Educational objectives	Objective of the course is the integrated study of the cell and living organisms, with particular reference to the mechanisms involved in the biogenesis of membranes, organelles and cellular structures, interactions among cells and interactions between cells and extracellular environment, duplication and transmission of genetic information, cell cycle and its control. Human genetics
Prerequisites	In order to understand the contents of the teaching course, it is fundamental to have acquired the basic knowledge of chemistry and biology according to the programs carried out at the High Schools. In particular, for the understanding of the language used in Biology, the student must have a general knowledge of the cellular structure , the structure of atoms, chemical bonds and of simple inorganic and organic molecules.
Teaching methods	Face to face
Other information	The teaching activities, as well as the schedule of lessons and exams will be published on the web site of the Degree Course.
Learning verification modality	The exam will be integrated with the other modules. It will be a written test with multiple choice questions.
Extended program	The biological organization. Characteristics of living organisms. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Virus.Biological macromolecules: proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, carbohydrates. The cell membrane: structure and function with particular reference to transport mechanisms and cellular communication. The nucleus and nucleolus: structure and function. Organization of chromatin, chromosomes. Characteristics of the eukaryotic gene. Gene expression: transcription and its regulation. Editing of primary transcripts. Gene expression: Characteristics of the genetic code and its operation. Translation and its control. Smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum. Golgi apparatus, lysosomes and peroxisomes. Vesicle trafficking and sorting of proteins. The mitochondria and cellular respiration. Cell cycle and its control. Interphase, DNA replication, mitosis. Mutations. Characteristic of neoplastic cell. Reproduction of multicellular organisms: Meiosis and gametogenesis. Definitions and meaning of a gene locus, allele, haploid, diploid genotype, phenotype, homozygous, heterozygous, dominant and recessive. Mendel's laws and their interpretation. Extensions to Mendelian analysis. Normal and pathological human karyotype. ABO and Rh blood type.

PHYSICS

Code	GP003954
CFU	1
Teacher	Marco Italiani
Teachers	Marco Italiani
Hours	15 ore - Marco Italiani
Learning activities	Base
Area	Scienze propedeutiche
Academic discipline	FIS/07
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)