Unit GENERAL BIOLOGY WITH ELEMENTS OF CYTOLOGY AND HISTOLOGY

GENERAL BIOLOGY

Code	GP000527
CFU	6
Teacher	Sabata Martino
Learning activities	Base
Area	Discipline biologiche
Academic discipline	BIO/13
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)

Canale A

CFU

6

Teacher

Vincenzo Nicola Talesa

Teachers

• Vincenzo Nicola Talesa

Hours

• 42 ore - Vincenzo Nicola Talesa

Canale B

CFU

6

Teacher

Sabata Martino

Teachers

• Sabata Martino

Hours

• 42 ore - Sabata Martino

Language of instruction

Italian

Contents

Biotechnology Competences - Knowledge and understanding of the structure and biological properties of cells,animal and plant tissues; general mechanisms of transmission of hereditary characters;

Reference texts

Molecular cell biology, Bruce Alberts, Alexander Johnson, Julian Lewis, Martin Raff, Keith Roberts, Peter Walter

Educational objectives

The aim is to provide students of basic knowledges of: - structure and function of biological macromolecules: DNA, RNA and proteins; - basic biological functions of the cell.

Prerequisites

Student must have general knowledge of biology, anatomy and chemistry acquired in the school curriculum

Teaching methods

Lectures will be made by using slides and movies. Some lessons will be dedicated to revision of arguments proposed by the students, with the involvement of the students themselves.

Other information

Attività di didattica integrativa:
It is planned a tutorial activity during the course and for students who request help in the preparation of the exam. The dates of receipt students are available in the professor's website.

Learning verification modality

The exam consists of a written test. The written test will serve to ascertain the level of knowledge and understanding of the topics covered during the course and will have a maximum duration of 180 minutes, during which the student will have to answer 90 questions, of which 75 multiple choice and 15 open-ended. Students who have not passed the written test will have the opportunity to analyze the critical points together with the teacher. The exam grade will be given by the average of the grade of the General Biology module and the Cytology and Histology module. During the course, three ongoing tests will be carried out in order to ascertain the level of knowledge and understanding of the topics covered during the course. Each test will have a maximum duration of 60 minutes, during which the student will have to answer 30 questions, of which 25 multiple choice and 5 open-ended. multiple choice. For information on support services for students with disabilities and/or DSA visit the page http://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa

Extended program

General characteristics of the cell.
Prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Animal and plant cells. Viruses and bacteria.
Cellular constituents: amino acids and proteins; nucleic acids; simple and complex lipids; carbohydrates.
Plasma membrane: ultrastructure, chemical composition and functions.
Cytoplasm and vacuolar system.
Cytoskeleton and cell motility. Extracellular matrix

Cellular compartmentalization: Endoplasmic Reticulum. Ribosomes, Golgi apparatus. Sorting of proteins. Vesicular trafficking. Endocytosis, Exocytosis. Lysosomes. Mitochondria: general characteristics and ultrastructure. Energetic metabolism. ATP.
Nucleus and the genome. Structure and function of the nucleus. Nucleolus: structure and function.
Cell cycle. Haploid and diploid cells. Mitosis. Meiosis.

Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile

The course provides basic skills aimed at improving competency in the fields of health and the environment

Canale C

CFU

6

Teacher

Anna Fagotti

Teachers

• Rita Romani (Codocenza)

Hours

• 42 ore (Codocenza) - Rita Romani

Language of instruction

Italian

Contents

Biotechnological Skills – Knowledge and understanding of the biological structure and properties of animal and plant cells and tissues; the general mechanisms of the transmission of hereditary traits.

Reference texts

Biologia molecolare della cellula di Bruce Alberts, Alexander Johnson, Julian Lewis, Martin Raff, Keith Roberts, Peter Walter

Educational objectives

Provide students with the basic knowledge of: The structure and function of biological macromolecules: DNA, RNA, and proteins; The basic biological functions of the cell; Provide them with basic knowledge of the experimental tools underlying the understanding of cellular biology.

Prerequisites

The student must possess the basic knowledge of biology, anatomy, and chemistry acquired in secondary school

Teaching methods

Lectures in the classroom with slide and video projections. Some lessons will be dedicated to review and in-depth study of topics, including those suggested by the students, with their active involvement. Practical lessons will be held in the laboratory and will focus on the basic techniques of cell culture

Other information

Mentoring activities are planned throughout the course and afterward for students who request it, to help them prepare for the exam. The office hours for students are available on the professor's personal website.

Learning verification modality

The exam consists of a written test, followed by an oral exam. The written test will assess the level of knowledge and understanding of the topics covered during the course and will last a maximum of two hours. During this time, the student will need to answer thirty multiple-choice questions and two open-ended questions requiring brief responses. The oral exam will follow and will be accessible to students who have passed the written test with a score of 18/30 or higher. The oral exam will aim to clarify any issues arising from the written test and to assess the student’s communication skills, including language proficiency and the ability to organize their presentation autonomously on the topics covered in the written test or discussed during lectures. The final grade will be determined by the results of both the written and oral tests. Students who have not passed the written test will have the opportunity to review the issues with the professor on the day of the oral exam. For information on support services for students with disabilities and/or learning disabilities, visit the page http://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa"

Extended program

General characteristics of the cell. Prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Animal and plant cells. Viruses and bacteria. Cellular components: amino acids and proteins; nucleic acids; simple and complex lipids; carbohydrates. Plasma membrane: ultrastructure, chemical composition, and functions. Fundamental cytoplasm and vacuolar system. Cytoskeleton and cellular motility. Extracellular matrix. Cellular compartmentalization: Endoplasmic Reticulum. Golgi Apparatus. Ribosomes. Protein sorting. Vesicular trafficking. Endocytosis, Exocytosis. Lysosomes. Mitochondria: general characteristics and ultrastructure. Energy metabolism. ATP. Nucleus and genome. Structure and function of the nucleus. Nucleolus: structure and function. Genetic code. Cell cycle. Haploid and diploid cells. Mitosis. Meiosis

HISTOLOGY AND EMBRIOLOGY

Code	GP000528
CFU	6
Teacher	Sabata Martino
Learning activities	Base
Area	Discipline biologiche
Academic discipline	BIO/06
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)

Canale A

CFU

6

Teacher

Vincenzo Nicola Talesa

Teachers

• Anna Fagotti (Codocenza)

Hours

• 42 ore (Codocenza) - Anna Fagotti

Language of instruction

Italian

Contents

HISTOLOGY
Structure, ultrastructure and function of epithelial, connective, muscular and nervous tissues.
EMBRYOLOGY
Human embryonic development. Cellular differentiation, histogenesis and organogenesis

Reference texts

HISTOLOGY:
-MONESI- Istologia- PICCIN (7°Ediz) or
--Elementi di istologia e cenni di embriologia A cura di A. Filippini - Piccin-Nuova Libraria 

EMBRIOLOGY:
-DE FELICI- Embriologia Umana- PICCIN

Other resources:
1)ROSS e PAWLINA - Istologia - 3° Ediz. CASA EDITRICE AMBROSIANA
2) MARALDI_TACCHETTI et al. Istologia Medica- EDI-ERMES

Educational objectives

The Module of Histology and Embryology examine basic knowledge concerning the structure and function of normal cells, tissues and organs. The course also describe the processes of gametogenesis, fertilization and the early stages of embryogenesis providing the basis for understanding the mechanisms of vertebrate embryonic development. The main aims of the Modulo are: a) to provide a basic understanding of the structure and function of a range of human cells, tissues and organ systems; b) to provide knowledge required for use of light and transmission microscopes; c) to provide basic knowledge concerning the principal steps of embryonic development and the general mechanisms of transmission of hereditary characters;; d) to improve students’ written and oral communicative skills, through the use of correct scientific terminology. With the integrated study of Histology and Embriology, the learning goal for the student is to understand the basic mechanisms of cell differentiation, histogenesis and embryogenesis. The main competence acquired will concern the ability of the student to identify cells and tissues, and to discuss the functional aspects directly associated to specific morphological organization. Through the study of embryonic development, the student will acquire the knowledge to describe the modifications of primitive embryonic layers, until to the outline of originating organs.

Prerequisites

In order to be able to understand the course with highest profit, student must have general knowledge of biology, anatomy and chemistry acquired in the school curriculum

Teaching methods

The course is organized as follows:
-Theoretical lessons with audiovisual material;
-Observation of light and electron microscopy pictures.

Other information

Lectures: September-December 2025, Monday and Thursday (4,30:00PM-6,30:00PM). Polo di Biotecnologie, Via del Giochetto - Course attendance is optional but strongly advised. - The timetable and venue for the lectures, the calendar of exam sessions and of written test will be published on the University website, in the online page of Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology. - Students can enroll for the final exam exclusively using the procedures provided by the ESSE3 system.

Learning verification modality

The verification of learning of the Histology and Embryology Module consists of a written test and an oral test. The written test consists of closed and/or open-ended questions to be answered in 1.5 minutes. The evaluation consists of 1 point for each correct answer and 0 points for each incorrect or unanswered answer. Sufficiency, by dividing the grade obtained into thirtieths, is obtained by reaching a grade of 18/30. The student who intends to improve the grade of the written test may possibly do so through an additional oral test. The latter includes at least three questions on the topics of the module program (approximate time 25/30 minutes) and the evaluation will be expressed in thirtieths. The oral test is aimed at ascertaining, in addition to the level of knowledge and understanding, also the student's ability to communicate with the correct language skills. The tests as a whole are aimed at verifying the acquisition of logical and cognitive skills and verifying the abilities achieved. In particular, the student must demonstrate that he has acquired autonomy in recognizing the histological characteristics of tissues. The final measurement of the exam is given by the results obtained in the written and oral tests, by the average between the two marks reported in the two tests and is expressed in thirtieths. The final grade relating to the General Biology course with Elements of Cytology and Embryology will be given by the average of the grade of the General Biology module and that of Histology and Embryology. For information on support tools for students with disabilities and/or DSA visit the Unipg page: https://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa

Extended program

HISTOLOGY Methods for cytological and histological analyses. The microscope. Stem cells. Cellular differentiation. Ephitelial tissue: Surface epithelium, Exocrine and endocrine glandular epithelium. Connective tissue proper. Specialized connective tissues: cartilage, bone and bone development , blood. Muscle tissues. Nervous tissue.
EMBRYOLOGY Human mbryonic development. Spermatogenesis. Oogenesis. Fecundation and the zygote. Cleavage. Gastrulation. Neurulation. Derivatives of the three germ layers. Embryo appendages.

Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile

Health and wellness

Canale B

CFU

6

Teacher

Vincenzo Nicola Talesa

Teachers

• Anna Fagotti (Codocenza)

Hours

• 42 ore (Codocenza) - Anna Fagotti

Language of instruction

Italian

Contents

HISTOLOGY
Structure, ultrastructure and function of epithelial, connective, muscular and nervous tissues.
EMBRYOLOGY
Human embryonic development. Cellular differentiation, histogenesis and organogenesis

Reference texts

HISTOLOGY:
-MONESI- Istologia- PICCIN (7°Ediz) or
--Elementi di istologia e cenni di embriologia A cura di A. Filippini - Piccin-Nuova Libraria 

EMBRIOLOGY:
-DE FELICI- Embriologia Umana- PICCIN

Other resources:
1)ROSS e PAWLINA - Istologia - 3° Ediz. CASA EDITRICE AMBROSIANA
2) MARALDI_TACCHETTI et al. Istologia Medica- EDI-ERMES

Educational objectives

The Module of Histology and Embryology examine basic knowledge concerning the structure and function of normal cells, tissues and organs. The course also describe the processes of gametogenesis, fertilization and the early stages of embryogenesis providing the basis for understanding the mechanisms of vertebrate embryonic development. The main aims of the Modulo are: a) to provide a basic understanding of the structure and function of a range of human cells, tissues and organ systems; b) to provide knowledge required for use of light and transmission microscopes; c) to provide basic knowledge concerning the principal steps of embryonic development and the general mechanisms of transmission of hereditary characters;; d) to improve students’ written and oral communicative skills, through the use of correct scientific terminology. With the integrated study of Histology and Embriology, the learning goal for the student is to understand the basic mechanisms of cell differentiation, histogenesis and embryogenesis. The main competence acquired will concern the ability of the student to identify cells and tissues, and to discuss the functional aspects directly associated to specific morphological organization. Through the study of embryonic development, the student will acquire the knowledge to describe the modifications of primitive embryonic layers, until to the outline of originating organs.

Prerequisites

In order to be able to understand the course with highest profit, student must have general knowledge of biology, anatomy and chemistry acquired in the school curriculum

Teaching methods

The course is organized as follows:
-Theoretical lessons with audiovisual material;
-Observation of light and electron microscopy pictures.

Other information

Lectures: September-December 2025, Monday and Thursday (4,30:00PM-6,30:00PM). Polo di Biotecnologie, Via del Giochetto - Course attendance is optional but strongly advised. - The timetable and venue for the lectures, the calendar of exam sessions and of written test will be published on the University website, in the online page of Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology. - Students can enroll for the final exam exclusively using the procedures provided by the ESSE3 system.

Learning verification modality

The verification of learning of the Histology and Embryology Module consists of a written test and an oral test. The written test consists of closed and/or open-ended questions to be answered in 1.5 minutes. The evaluation consists of 1 point for each correct answer and 0 points for each incorrect or unanswered answer. Sufficiency, by dividing the grade obtained into thirtieths, is obtained by reaching a grade of 18/30. The student who intends to improve the grade of the written test may possibly do so through an additional oral test. The latter includes at least three questions on the topics of the module program (approximate time 25/30 minutes) and the evaluation will be expressed in thirtieths. The oral test is aimed at ascertaining, in addition to the level of knowledge and understanding, also the student's ability to communicate with the correct language skills. The tests as a whole are aimed at verifying the acquisition of logical and cognitive skills and verifying the abilities achieved. In particular, the student must demonstrate that he has acquired autonomy in recognizing the histological characteristics of tissues. The final measurement of the exam is given by the results obtained in the written and oral tests, by the average between the two marks reported in the two tests and is expressed in thirtieths. The final grade relating to the General Biology course with Elements of Cytology and Embryology will be given by the average of the grade of the General Biology module and that of Histology and Embryology. For information on support tools for students with disabilities and/or DSA visit the Unipg page: https://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa

Extended program

HISTOLOGY Methods for cytological and histological analyses. The microscope. Stem cells. Cellular differentiation. Ephitelial tissue: Surface epithelium, Exocrine and endocrine glandular epithelium. Connective tissue proper. Specialized connective tissues: cartilage, bone and bone development , blood. Muscle tissues. Nervous tissue.
EMBRYOLOGY Human mbryonic development. Spermatogenesis. Oogenesis. Fecundation and the zygote. Cleavage. Gastrulation. Neurulation. Derivatives of the three germ layers. Embryo appendages.

Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile

Health and wellness

Canale C

CFU

6

Teacher

Vincenzo Nicola Talesa

Teachers

• Anna Fagotti (Codocenza)

Hours

• 42 ore (Codocenza) - Anna Fagotti

Language of instruction

Italian

Contents

HISTOLOGY
Structure, ultrastructure and function of epithelial, connective, muscular and nervous tissues.
EMBRYOLOGY
Human embryonic development. Cellular differentiation, histogenesis and organogenesis

Reference texts

HISTOLOGY:
-MONESI- Istologia- PICCIN (7°Ediz) or
--Elementi di istologia e cenni di embriologia A cura di A. Filippini - Piccin-Nuova Libraria 

EMBRIOLOGY:
-DE FELICI- Embriologia Umana- PICCIN

Other resources:
1)ROSS e PAWLINA - Istologia - 3° Ediz. CASA EDITRICE AMBROSIANA
2) MARALDI_TACCHETTI et al. Istologia Medica- EDI-ERMES

Educational objectives

The Module of Histology and Embryology examine basic knowledge concerning the structure and function of normal cells, tissues and organs. The course also describe the processes of gametogenesis, fertilization and the early stages of embryogenesis providing the basis for understanding the mechanisms of vertebrate embryonic development. The main aims of the Modulo are: a) to provide a basic understanding of the structure and function of a range of human cells, tissues and organ systems; b) to provide knowledge required for use of light and transmission microscopes; c) to provide basic knowledge concerning the principal steps of embryonic development and the general mechanisms of transmission of hereditary characters;; d) to improve students’ written and oral communicative skills, through the use of correct scientific terminology. With the integrated study of Histology and Embriology, the learning goal for the student is to understand the basic mechanisms of cell differentiation, histogenesis and embryogenesis. The main competence acquired will concern the ability of the student to identify cells and tissues, and to discuss the functional aspects directly associated to specific morphological organization. Through the study of embryonic development, the student will acquire the knowledge to describe the modifications of primitive embryonic layers, until to the outline of originating organs.

Prerequisites

In order to be able to understand the course with highest profit, student must have general knowledge of biology, anatomy and chemistry acquired in the school curriculum

Teaching methods

The course is organized as follows:
-Theoretical lessons with audiovisual material;
-Observation of light and electron microscopy pictures.

Other information

Lectures: September-December 2025, Monday and Thursday (4,30:00PM-6,30:00PM). Polo di Biotecnologie, Via del Giochetto - Course attendance is optional but strongly advised. - The timetable and venue for the lectures, the calendar of exam sessions and of written test will be published on the University website, in the online page of Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology. - Students can enroll for the final exam exclusively using the procedures provided by the ESSE3 system.

Learning verification modality

The verification of learning of the Histology and Embryology Module consists of a written test and an oral test. The written test consists of closed and/or open-ended questions to be answered in 1.5 minutes. The evaluation consists of 1 point for each correct answer and 0 points for each incorrect or unanswered answer. Sufficiency, by dividing the grade obtained into thirtieths, is obtained by reaching a grade of 18/30. The student who intends to improve the grade of the written test may possibly do so through an additional oral test. The latter includes at least three questions on the topics of the module program (approximate time 25/30 minutes) and the evaluation will be expressed in thirtieths. The oral test is aimed at ascertaining, in addition to the level of knowledge and understanding, also the student's ability to communicate with the correct language skills. The tests as a whole are aimed at verifying the acquisition of logical and cognitive skills and verifying the abilities achieved. In particular, the student must demonstrate that he has acquired autonomy in recognizing the histological characteristics of tissues. The final measurement of the exam is given by the results obtained in the written and oral tests, by the average between the two marks reported in the two tests and is expressed in thirtieths. The final grade relating to the General Biology course with Elements of Cytology and Embryology will be given by the average of the grade of the General Biology module and that of Histology and Embryology. For information on support tools for students with disabilities and/or DSA visit the Unipg page: https://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa

Extended program

HISTOLOGY Methods for cytological and histological analyses. The microscope. Stem cells. Cellular differentiation. Ephitelial tissue: Surface epithelium, Exocrine and endocrine glandular epithelium. Connective tissue proper. Specialized connective tissues: cartilage, bone and bone development , blood. Muscle tissues. Nervous tissue.
EMBRYOLOGY Human mbryonic development. Spermatogenesis. Oogenesis. Fecundation and the zygote. Cleavage. Gastrulation. Neurulation. Derivatives of the three germ layers. Embryo appendages.

Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile

Health and wellness