Ateneo - UPO

Basic properties and components of living organisms (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and nucleic acids). DNA organization, replication and repair. Principles of transcription and translation of the genetic information. Cell structure and function. Cell communication. Animal and plant cell comparison.

Molecular Biology of the Cell, Alberts, Zanichelli.
Essential Molecular Biology of the Cell, Alberts, Zanichelli.
Cell and Molecular Biology, Karp, Edises.
Biology of Plants, Raven, Zanichelli.
Plant Biology, Pupillo, Zanichelli.

The Biology course aims to provide students with a solid and integrated foundation in the principles of biology, serving as an essential basis for understanding the physiological and pathological processes that will be addressed in subsequent courses in the biomedical sciences.

Students are expected to have prior knowledge of mathematics, chemistry, and biology consistent with the educational preparation provided by secondary schools in accordance with the Italian National Guidelines for Upper Secondary Schools (Licei) and the Guidelines for Technical Institutes.

Classroom lectures will be held during October to January. Some topics will be deepenedwith videos in English and Italian and classroom exercises.

The slides of the lectures and additional material are available on the website “Didattica in Rete”: https://www.dir.uniupo.it/ Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage:https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities

The examination is computer-based. Questions cover the topics included in the course syllabus and consist of a statement or question followed by two to five possible answers. Each correct answer is awarded a positive score, while no penalty is applied for incorrect answers.
Two examination sessions are scheduled in each examination period, held in February, June–July, and September. The instructor reserves the right to assess students' knowledge through an oral examination on a random sampling basis.

• Biological macromolecules: nucleic acids DNA and RNA, amino acids and proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. • DNA: the double helix structure. Levels of organization of DNA inside the cell: nuclear chromatin and chromosome structure. DNA replication. Mechanisms of control of the fidelity of copying the genetic message. Mutations: importance in the pathology and evolution. • Molecular definition of gene. • The transcription and maturation of RNAs. • The lac operon as a paradigmatic example of gene regulation in prokaryotes. • The modulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. • The genetic code and its characteristics. • The protein synthesis. • The chromosomal and molecular bases of inheritance. The concept of the allele. Genotype, phenotype and their interactions. • The chromosomal maps and the most widespread human genetic diseases. • Plasma membrane: organization of the phospholipid bilayer, proteins and sugars. • The mechanisms of transport of small molecules: permeability of the bilayer, channel proteins and carrier proteins, active and passive transport. • Rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus: membrane and secreted protein synthesis, signal sequences, glycosylation and maturation of proteins in the Golgi. Exocytosis and endocytosis. • Smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Lysosomes and peroxisomes . • Mitochondria. • General principles of cell communication. Properties of receptors and intracellular generation of messages. The extracellular matrix: glucosamminoglycans, proteoglycans, structural proteins and adhesive proteins. • The cytoskeleton: actin and myosin microfilaments, intermediate filaments and microtubules The phases of the cell cycle and mitosis. The cell cycle control. Comparison of plant and animal organisms. • General features of plant cells: size, shape, organization, wall, plastids, vacuole. • Wall: wall formation, chemical composition of the wall, primary and secondary wall cell wall modifications. Importance of the wall in the control of osmotic pressure (see also the vacuole). • Plastids: plastids in the meristematic cell, differentiation, forms and interconversion between the plastids, hypothesis on the origin of plastids. The plastids in the adult cell: chloroplasts, leucoplasts, chromoplasts. • Vacuole: the vacuole in the meristematic cell, differentiation, the vacuole in the adult cell. Importance of the vacuole in the control of osmotic pressure. Solid and liquid includes of the vacuole. • Growth and development of plant cells. Characteristics of the meristematic cell and of adult cell. • The plant tissues. • Photosynthesis: dark phase and light phase. • Plant hormones: auxin, cytokinins, gibberellins, ethylene and abscisic acid. • Responses of plants to external stimuli, light and temperature

By the end of the course, students will be able to:
-Knowledge and Understanding
Describe the structure and function of the major biological macromolecules and understand the molecular basis of living matter.
Understand cellular organization and compartmentalization, intracellular trafficking, and the interactions between cells and their external environment.
Explain the molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating the expression and transmission of genetic and epigenetic information, and identify their implications in hereditary diseases.
Explain the fundamentals of cell communication and signal transduction, with particular emphasis on the regulation of cell proliferation and cell death, as well as the processes governing mitosis and meiosis in germ cells.
-Applying Knowledge and Understanding
Apply fundamental biological knowledge to understand normal and pathological cellular processes relevant to medicine.
Interpret experimental data related to cell structure and function, the regulation of gene expression, and intracellular and intercellular signaling mechanisms.
Use the acquired knowledge and methodological approaches as a foundation for future studies in the biomedical sciences.
-Making Judgements
Critically evaluate scientific information.
Form well-informed opinions.
Make independent judgments and decisions.
-Communication Skills
Communicate their knowledge and information clearly and effectively.
-Learning Skills
Engage in independent and lifelong learning.
Continuously update and expand their knowledge and professional competencies.