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CODE 60808
ACADEMIC YEAR 2021/2022
CREDITS
SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINARY SECTOR BIO/09
LANGUAGE Italian
TEACHING LOCATION
  • GENOVA
SEMESTER 2° Semester
PREREQUISITES
Propedeuticità in ingresso
Per sostenere l'esame di questo insegnamento è necessario aver sostenuto i seguenti esami:
  • Pharmacy 8452 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • HUMAN ANATOMY (PHAR)(MD) 55415 2020
  • PLANT BIOLOGY AND ANIMAL BIOLOGY (I.C.)(PHAR)(MD) 55418 2020
  • PHYSICS (PHAR)(MD) 55422 2020
  • ELEMENTS OF MATHEMATIC 95338 2020
Propedeuticità in uscita
Questo insegnamento è propedeutico per gli insegnamenti:
  • Pharmaceutical chemistry and technology 8451 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • PHARMACOLOGY AND PHARMACOTHERAPY (PCT) 67563
  • Pharmacy 8452 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • PHARMACOGNOSY AND PHARMACOVIGILANCE 80328
  • Pharmacy 8452 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • GENERAL PHARMACOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY 80324
  • Pharmacy 8452 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • PHARMACOLOGY AND PHARMACOTERAPY 80327
  • Pharmacy 8452 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • IMMUNOLOGY 64184
  • Pharmacy 8452 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • GENERAL PATHOLOGY 64187
TEACHING MATERIALS AULAWEB

OVERVIEW

The course intends to provide basic knowledge about the functioning of cells and the human organism. These notions are propaedeutic to the understanding of the interactions between the organism and drugs or other physical and chemical agents endowed with biological activity, i.e. able to modify the functional status of the human organism.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Providing basic knowledge about the mechanisms governing cell functions: cell-cell communication, nervous impulse transmission, synaptic transmission, sensory receptors, and muscle contraction. Illustrating the functions of the body organs and systems: cardiovascular function, immune system, respiration, excretion-osmoregulation, nutrition-bioenergetics, endocrine system, and reproduction.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course intends to make students able to apply the acquired knowledge to the analysis of questions, the solution of problems, and to illustrate the topics of the syllabus.

PREREQUISITES

Basic knowledge of Mathematics, Physics, Organic Chemistry, Anatomy, and Biochemistry

TEACHING METHODS

Class lessons with exercise and teaching materials on the University’s AulaWeb platform.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

General principles

• Definition of Physiology.

• Features of living beings.

• Chemical composition of living matter.

• Homeostasis and exercise physiology.

Cells

• Cell membrane. Diffusion, osmosis. Membrane transport.

• Cell communication. Signal molecules, cell receptors. Signal transduction pathways.

• Diffusion and equilibrium potentials. Donnan equilibrium, pump-and-leak model, RVD, RVI.

• Membrane currents and EF measurements. Action potential.

• Intracellular calcium signaling and homeostasis.

• Synapses.

Sistems

• Central nervous system. Brain, mesencephalon, cerebellum. Effector systems.

• Sensory system, skin receptors. Eye, photoreceptors and neural retina. Ear and vestibular system, taste, smell.

• Endocrine system, hypothalamic–pituitary axis, pineal gland, thyroid. Parathyroid gland, calcium balance, adrenal glands. Glicogen metabolism. Gonads.

• Muscular system, striated muscle fiber, muscle contraction. Types of muscle fibers.

• Body’s liquids, blood composition. Hemostasis, lymphatic system. Immune system.

• Cardiovascular system, electric activity, contraction. Cardiac cycle. Vessels, flux, pressure, capillaries. Veins, pressure regulation.

• Respiratory system and dynamics. Lung volumes, gas exchange, oxygen transport. Control of respiration, CO2 transport, ventilation/perfusion ratio.

• Kidney, filtration and reabsorption. Urine concentration, salt water balance. Acid-base homeostasis, alkalosis, acidosis.

• Digestive system, salivary glands, stomach. Liver, pancreas. Gastrointestinal motility and absorption.

• Male reproductive system. Female reproductive system, menstrual cycle. Fertilization, pregnancy.

• Energy balance.

 

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cell physiology: • V. Taglietti, C. Casella. Fisiologia e Biofisica delle Cellule, EdiSES. Napoli .

Organism physiology (one of the following):

• AA VV. Fisiologia Umana, Fondamenti. Edi Ermes.

• D.U. Silverthorn. Fisiologia. Pearson .

• W.J. Germann, C. L. Stanfield. Fisiologia. EdiSES. Napoli.

• L. Sherwood. Fisiologia Umana. Zanichelli.

Supplementary materials on the AulaWeb platform.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

BRUNO PIETRO BURLANDO (President)

ILARIA DEMORI

GIORGIO GRASSELLI

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Combined multiple-answer quiz and oral exam.

If sanitary rules impose distance activities, exams are completely oral. 

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Combined written and oral exam assessing the student's ability of using the acquired knowledge to analyze and respond to questions, solve problems, and illustrate the topics of the syllabus.

Exam schedule

Data appello Orario Luogo Degree type Note
22/06/2022 09:00 GENOVA Orale
06/07/2022 09:00 GENOVA Orale
20/07/2022 09:00 GENOVA Orale
02/09/2022 09:00 GENOVA Orale
16/09/2022 09:00 GENOVA Orale
25/01/2023 09:00 GENOVA Orale
15/02/2023 09:00 GENOVA Orale