AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Structural and functional aspects of eukaryotic cells; cell cycle; cell communication

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Cell Biology is a very wide topic, and several subjects are addressed in several classes. This class aims at deepening into the study of cellular components and processes driving cell organization, specializations and movement; moreover, mechanisms playing a role in gene expression regulation are taken into consideration, mainly focusing on the role played by microRNA in post- transcriptional and post-translational regulation, in addition to experimental techniques in cell biology suitable for the study of such mechanisms in eukaryotic cells.

The study of the cellular processes will be addressed both by a notional point of view, through the description of the different mechanisms in physiological and pathological conditions, both by an experimental point of view, leading the student to acquire the methods for the study of the cellular mechanisms though the description of experimental approached progressively more complex (in vitro protein expression, production of inducible pluripotent stem cells, organoids) .

At the end of the class, the student will be able to outline the following notions:

1.     Protein structure, interactions and post-translational modifications of the cytoskeletal components, of the families of regulatory proteins and of their associated molecular motors.

2.     Functions, mechanism of formation and maintenance of the main cellular structures and specializations involving the cytoskeletal elements.

3.     The main proteins involved in cell and tissue polarization and their interactions

4.     Some examples of highly organized cell types, referring to mechanisms of cellular differentiation and specialization

5.     The protein life though processes involved from its born to elimination, mainly focusing on the role of microRNA and their involvement in the cellular pathways, thus displaying the complexity of intracellular interactions

6.     The cellular response to a malfunctioning protein and the consequence of the failure of these mechanisms, mainly focusing on aggregating proteins and on autophagy defects.

7.     In the end, the student will be able to choose the right approach to study the processes involved in gene expression regulation

TEACHING METHODS

48 hours of frontal lessons provided through using multimedia tools

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

- Hints on definition of cell organization with examples

- Molecular motors: dyneins, chinesins, myosins

-  Actin G and F, nucleation, tread milling, proteins interacting with actin. Stress fibers: components, meaning, interaction with nucleus. Microvilli: involved molecules, enterocytes development, pathologies related to intestinal microvilli, stereocilia of hair cells in the inner ear.

-  Tubulin, microtubules formation, catastrophe and rescue, tubulin interacting proteins, post-translational modifications. Types of axoneme. Centriole: duplication, role in formation of primary cilium, centriole docking. Sensory cilia, motile cilia. Intraflagellar transport. Examples of primary and sensory cilia: nodal cilia, kinocilium, the Sonic Hedgehog pathway, olfactory cilia, primary cilia in light reception: cones and rods. Usher syndrome

-  The planar cell polarity – definition and protein complexes involved

-  Cell signaling through cellular processes – Citonema, tunneling nanotubes, nanotubes based on microtubules, airinemes

-  Intermediate filaments – definition, general structure. The keratins. Nucleus and mechanical sensitivity

-  General hints on regulation of protein levels (gene transcription, messenger stability, post-transcriptional and post-translational regulation): microRNAs description (binding sequences, families, role in physiology and pathology), description of some prediction tools for microRNA target genes

-  Mechanisms of proteins elimination: ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS); description of the enzymatic chain; regulation of the process by microRNAs

-  Mechanisms of proteins elimination: autophagy; description of autophagy steps, role in cellular physiology; regulation of autophagy by microRNA; examples of diseases ascribed to autophagy failure

-  Aggregating proteins (homopolymeric and not homopolymeric) and role of mechanisms of elimination in the associated diseases

-  Experimental approaches for the study of the protein expression regulation: use of plasmids for the analysis of gene transcriptional activity and mRNA stability, analysis of microRNAs effects, UPS and autophagy functioning by the use of activators and inhibitors.

-  Introduction to stem cells, methods for production of induced pluripotent stem cells, applications in several fields of research

- Introduction to the production of organoids and their applications; examples mainly focusing on intestinal organoids

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

All slideshows used during lessons will be available on AulaWeb at the end of the lessons round

Some parts of the course can be found in Alberts - Biologia molecolare della Cellula - Zanichelli

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

SARA FERRANDO (President)

MARIO PESTARINO (President)

TIZIANA BACHETTI

SIMONA CANDIANI

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Please check the following link: http://www.distav.unige.it/ccsbio/orario-lezioni-bms

Class schedule

CELLULAR BIOLOGY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The evaluation consists in an oral test

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Details on the way to study and on the consolidation level required will be provided throughout the lessons.

The oral test will be on the topics addressed during lessons; the aim of the test will be to assess the right understanding of the topics and the ability of the student to apply such knowledge through the description of the planning and execution of a functional experiment.

Exam schedule