Unit ANIMAL BIOLOGY AND PRINCIPLES OF GENETIC
- Course
- Pharmacy
- Study-unit Code
- A003559
- Curriculum
- In all curricula
- Teacher
- Maria Laura Belladonna
- Teachers
-
- Maria Laura Belladonna
- Hours
- 48 ore - Maria Laura Belladonna
- CFU
- 6
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2024
- Offered
- 2024/25
- Learning activities
- Base
- Area
- Discipline biologiche
- Academic discipline
- BIO/13
- Type of study-unit
- Obbligatorio (Required)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
- Language of instruction
- Italian
- Contents
- The eukaryotic cell: structural and molecular organization and functions. Genetic information and its expression. The cell cycle and its control. The sexual reproduction. Principles of general genetics and elements of human genetics.
- Reference texts
- "Campbell – Biologia e genetica" - Ed. Pearson – 12th edition - ISBN-13 ¿ : ¿ 978-8891905567
- Educational objectives
- The main objective of the course is to provide the student with basic knowledge of animal cell biology, through the study of the structure and functions of cellular components, the mechanisms of cell replication, genetic inheritance, and gene expression. Main expected learning outcomes: acquisition by students of adequate knowledge of cellular organization and functions of the animal cell; understanding of the relationships between different cellular processes, ability to use the knowledge acquired to profitably understand subsequent teachings, ability to express the knowledge acquired in clear and appropriate language.
- Prerequisites
- To effectively understand the topics covered in the course, it is essential for the student to possess the general notions of chemistry that are normally acquired in high school. Furthermore, attending the General and Inorganic Chemistry course at the same time helps.
- Teaching methods
- Face-to-face lessons with PowerPoint presentations. A pdf copy of each presentation will be available for the students on Unistudium Learning Platform.
- Other information
- The teacher receives students by appointment, which can be requested by e-mail.
For information on support services for students with disabilities and/or Specific Learning disorders, visit the page http://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa - Learning verification modality
- The exam includes a written test and an oral test. The written test will consist of a multiple-choice test lasting no more than 30 minutes, with basic questions on all the topics of the exam program, and will have the aim of evaluating the minimum basic preparation necessary to take the oral test. The oral test will consist of a discussion lasting no more than 30 minutes, aimed at ascertaining the level of knowledge, the understanding achieved by the student, and the ability to connect and integrate knowledge. In addition, the oral test will assess the student's skills in communicating and exposing with appropriate language the topics of cell biology. The exam will be held at the end of the course on the dates indicated in the exam calendar. The evaluation will be out of thirty (minimum: 18/30; maximum: 30/30 with honours).
SLD students will be able to divide the exam program into two parts to be agreed upon with the teacher and take the exam for the two parts on distinct but consecutive exam dates. - Extended program
- Cellular organization of living organisms. Chemical components of the cell: water and macromolecules (proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides and lipids).
Principles of bioenergetics. ATP and energy coupling. Enzymes (structure, enzymatic catalysis, regulation of enzymatic activity).
Cell membranes (structure and functions, integral, peripheral and lipid-anchored proteins, lipids and membrane fluidity, membrane asymmetry); membrane carbohydrates (glycocalyx and recognition between cells). Movement of substances across the membrane: osmosis, simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, active transport.
Fundamentals on chemotrophic energy metabolism (glycolysis, fermentation, cellular respiration and ATP synthesis).
Fundamentals on prokaryotic cells. Structural and functional components of eukaryotic cells: the nucleus (structure and function, nuclear envelope, pore complex, nucleolus); ribosomes (structure and function); the endomembrane system (structure and function of rough endoplasmic reticulum, smooth endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi complex); lysosomes (structure and function, phagocytosis and autophagy); endocytosis and exocytosis; mitochondria (structure and function); peroxisomes (structure and function); cytoskeleton (structure and functions of microtubules, microfilaments, and intermediate filaments); notes on microtubule- and microfilament-based motility (vesicular transport and muscle contraction); the extracellular matrix and cell junctions.
Chromatin and DNA replication. DNA damage and repair mechanisms. Telomeres.
Genes and the genome of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The directional flow of genetic information.
Gene expression: genetic code, transcription, maturation of primary transcripts, messenger RNA, transfer RNA, ribosomal RNA, translation of genetic information, protein synthesis, mutations and translation, post-translational maturation, modifications of newly synthesized proteins in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum, glycosylation, targeting and sorting of proteins, secretory and cytoplasmic pathways, quality control, degradation mediated by proteasomes.
Regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes at the gene, transcriptional, post-transcriptional (siRNA and miRNA), translational (miRNA), and post-translational (proteasome and functional modifications) levels.
Biological role of cellular communication and characteristics of signaling systems. Types of signals (autocrine, paracrine, endocrine, neuronal). Electrical signals (brief notes on membrane potential, electrical excitability and action potential) and chemical signals. Signal reception and transduction. Examples of signal transduction of ion channel receptors, G protein-coupled receptors, receptors with enzymatic activity, and intracellular receptors. The signaling pathways of apoptosis.
Cell cycle (interphase, DNA duplication, mitosis) and its control (role of cyclin-dependent kinases). Apoptosis. Neoplastic transformation: characteristics of the neoplastic cell, molecular basis of cancer, etiology of tumors, genetics of cancer (proto-oncogenes, oncogenes, tumor suppressors).
Reproduction in sexual life cycles: meiosis, genetic variability, gametogenesis and fertilization. Chromosomes and karyotype. Gene, chromosomal and genomic mutations. Principles of stem cells and cellular differentiation.
Principles of general genetics: genotype and phenotype, haploidy and diploidy, dominance and recessiveness, homozygosity and heterozygosity, gene locus, allele; Mendel's laws; extensions of Mendelian analysis (incomplete dominance, codominance, multiple alleles). AB0 blood group system. Elements of human genetics: normal and pathological human karyotype (aneuploidies); autosomes, X and Y chromosomes; Barr body; Mendelian inheritance in humans (family trees, autosomal dominant and recessive inheritance, X-linked dominant and recessive inheritance, Y-linked inheritance, mitochondrial inheritance). - Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile
- Health and wellness; life on earth.