Teaching code

4S000166

Teacher

Elisabetta Trabetti

Credits

2

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

BIO/13 - EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY

Period

Lezioni PERFUSIONE 1 SEMESTRE dal Oct 2, 2023 al Dec 22, 2023.

Courses Single

Not Authorized

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars 0

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

Program

• Characteristics of the living beings, their hierarchical organization and classification into Kingdoms and Domains. Origin of life on earth and cell theory.
• The properties of water. Comparison between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell and viral agents. The endosymbiotic theory, the evolution from prokaryotes to eukaryotes up to multicellular organisms. Darwinian concept of evolution, neo-Darwinism and scientific evidence of the continuity of life on earth.
• Main structural and functional characteristics of the cell, organelles and cytoskeleton, with particular attention to the roles of the different cell compartments and their interconnections.
• Biological membranes: structure and proposed models; passage of materials across cell membranes: passive transport (facilitated diffusion and simple), osmosis, directly and indirectly active transport, co-transport. Exocytosis and endocytosis. Anchoring, tight and gap cell junctions in animal and plant cells.
• Cell communication: types of cellular communication: endocrine, paracrine, autocrine and iuxtacrine. Different ligand molecules and receptors. Signal amplification and second messengers. Sending and receiving the signal, cellular response.
• Organization of DNA in chromosomes, mitosis and meiosis. DNA and proteins, nucleosomes, heterochromatin, euchromatin, chromosome condensation. The cell cycle and its regulation. Mitosis, meiosis and sexual reproduction
• DNA and its role in heredity. DNA structure and replication.
• Gene expression: transcription, genetic code and translation. Gene definition.
• DNA mutations and mutagenesis
• Hereditary character transmission and Mendel’s laws; definition of phenotype, genotype, locus, gene, dominant and recessive allele, homozygosity and heterozygosity. Segregation and independent assortment. Chromosomal basis of heredity. Independence and association. Crossing-over and recombination. Genetic determination of sex. Dosage compensation in Mammals. Gene interactions. Incomplete dominance, codominance, multiple alleles, epistasis and polygenic inheritance, variable expressivity and penetrance.
• The human genome: karyotype analysis and pedigrees; autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant, X-linked diseases.

Bibliography

Didactic methods

Teaching methods consist of frontal lessons. In addition to the suggested texts, insights might be offered at the e-learning platform of the teaching webpage.
Students can make an appointment directly with the teacher every time they need it throughout the academic year, by email.
Students are advised to choose a book among those indicated at the University Library System’s Bibliography.

Learning assessment procedures

The exam consists of two written tests, one for each module, based on the didactic content of the whole teaching, to be passed in the same exam session.
Students will take the exam only after having fulfilled any training debts relating to the minimum biology knowledge.
In particular, the assessment of Applied Biology test involves a written test, consisting of both multiple-choice and open-ended questions, related to all the topics listed in the syllabus. The same verification method will be applied to students who will follow the course as a single course.

Evaluation criteria

To pass the test, students shall demonstrate to possess the comprehension and the knowledge of teaching topics, skills of reasoning and personal re-elaboration of notions. The ability to present their arguments accurately and synthetically, using the adequate scientific language will also be assessed.
The Biology test is considered passed if the evaluation is at least 18/30.

Exam language

ITALIANO