OVERVIEW

The course aims at providing students with basic knowledge of the molecular mechanisms supporting the principal cell functions, starting from their morphology and internal organization.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Aim of this course is to provide the students with the knowledge of the basic principles of Cell Biology and Genetics as well as the ability to understand and analyze biological problems. Students will be requested to get acquainted with cell morphology and functions at the structural, ultrastructural and molecular levels

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will be requested to get acquainted with eukaryotic cell morphology and functions at structural, ultrastructural and molecular level.

TEACHING METHODS

Frontal lessons

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Structure and molecular organization of plasma membrane: the mosaic fluid model; membrane lipids and their properties; extrinsic and intrinsic proteins; composition and functions of the glycocalyx. Transport of small molecules across the plasma membrane.

Transport vesicles. Processes of vesicle formation and detachment: Clathrin protein, Adaptin proteins, COP proteins, Dynamin protein. Specificity of transport and vesicle fusion processes: Rab protein, v-SNARE and t-SNARE. Transport of macromolecules across the plasma membrane. Constitutive and regulated exocytosis. The endocytosis: pinocytosis, endocytosis mediated by receptor, phagocytosis, phagocytosis of self cells. Transcytosis, Exosomes.

Composition of the cytosol. The smooth endoplasmic reticulum: structure, role in lipid metabolism, in detoxification processes, in glycogenolysis and calcium accumulation.

Ultrastructural organization and function of granular endoplasmic reticulum. Free ribosomes and ribosomes associated with membranes. Main stages in the translation process. Post-translational modifications of proteins, glycosylation, role of molecular chaperones.

Golgi complex: ultrastructure, biosynthetic processes, post-translational modifications of proteins (mainly glycosylation) and sorting of molecules synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum.

Early and late endosomes. Lysosomes: biogenesis, morphology, hydrolytic enzymes. Autophagy. Secretory lysosomes. Secretory lysosomes and genetic diseases. Secretory lysosomes and immune cells.

Mechanisms for the degradation of cytoplasmic proteins: the ubiquitin-proteasome system.

The peroxisome: structure and functions. Mention of diseases associated with dysfunction of peroxisomes

Mitochondria: morphology, distribution and replication. MAM, mitochondria-associated membranes. Mitochondrial protein import. Mitochondrial genome. Mention of association between mutations in the mitochondrial genome and diseases. Localization and function of mitochondrial enzyme complexes: the main aspects of the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. Role  of mitochondria in apoptosis, steroid hormones and heme group synthesis.

Thermogenic role in brown adipose tissue. Endosymbiotic theory.

The cytoskeleton. Microtubules, microfilaments and intermediate filaments: molecular organization and distribution in the cell. Protein associated to microtubules (chinesine and dynein) and to microfilaments (actin binding proteins). The centrosome. The cilia: structure and function.

Cell nucleus, nuclear envelope and nuclear pore complex. Nucleocytoplasmic transport. Chromatin and nuclear matrix. Euchromatin and heterochromatin. The nucleolus: structure and molecular organization; the synthesis of rRNA and assembly of ribosomal subunits.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alberts et al.; "L'essenziale di biologia molecolare della cellula"; Zanichelli Editori.

Zaccheo e Pestarino; "Citologia, istologia e anatomia microscopica"; Pearson

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

ROBERTA CASTRICONI (President)

PAOLA GHIORZO (President)

EMANUELA MARCENARO (President)

SIMONA SIVORI (President)

RODOLFO QUARTO (President and Coordinator of Integrated Course)

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

Exam schedule