To show the organization of the course that includes this module, follow this link:  Course organization

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student is expected to address the following subjects:

• Etiopathogenesis of cell damage
• Causes of alteration of cell function (chemical, physical and biological)
• Etiopathogenesis of disease. Concept of homeostasis and its regulation
• Acute and chronic inflammation
• Immune system: cell components, their function and interaction
• Homeostasis of the immune response, transfusion and transplants
• Molecular and cellular basis of neoplastic transformation

Program

Introduction to pathology
• Cell homeostasis and alterations at the cell and organism levels
• The concept of biochemical lesion and subcellular localization
• Alteration of cell homeostasis: adaptation, necrosis, apoptosis, restoration of cell damage
• Examples of cell adaptation: alterations of cells status and differentiation

Causes of disease and mechanisms of cell damage
• General classification of the causes of disease: genetic (example: cystic fibrosis), environmental, multifactorial (example: atherosclerosis), chemical (example: alcohol), radiation, free radicals
• Mechanisms of healing

Oedema: pathogenesis and classification



Introduction to immunology and immunological damage

• Innate and acquired immunity: description of leukocytes involved and general mechanisms
• General features: antigen presentation, lymphocyte subclasses, complement
• MHC ad transplants
• Blood groups
• Mechanisms of immuological damage: anafilaxis, complement activation, role of antibodies and Fc receptor, cell-dependent cytotoxicity

Inflammation
• Role of blood vessels in inflammation
• Cells involved in inflammation
• Classification of inflammatory response based on prevalent features: erithematous, serous, fibrinous, purulent, necrotic-haemorragic
• Differences among acute and chronic inflammation
• Cytokines and their role in the regulation of the inflammatory response



Neoplasia

• Differences among benign and malign neoplasms
• Properties of neoplastic cells: growth, invasion and differentiation
• General classification: epithelial, mesenchimal, neuroectodermal and germinal, hemopoietc cells neoplasms
• Natural history of neoplasia: precancerous lesions, carcinoma in situ, metastasis. Preferential localization. TNM score.
• Molecular basis of neoplastic transformation: oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Mechanisms of activation/inhibition.
• Cancer etiology: physical, chemical and biological
• Mechanism of damage: compression, paraneoplastic syndromes, cachexia
• Cancer biomarkers and their clinical relevance

Examination Methods

Quiz: multiple choices. Oral test at request or if deemed appropriate by the commission.