Ateneo - UPO

The course aims to provide students with the basic knowledge of signal transduction and main techniques employed to study proteins.
A particular attention will be paid to the general properties of ligands, receptors and intercellular communication; the functioning of G protein-coupled receptors and protein tyrosine kinase receptors; the main signaling pathways downstream membrane receptors; the role played by small G proteins and kinome in signal transduction.

Slides and other didactic material provided by the teacher; online public database resources.
Bruce Alberts, Alexander Johnson, Julian Lewis, David Morgan, Martin Raff, Keith Roberts, Peter Walter. Molecular Biology of the Cell. Sixth Edition, ISBN: 978-0-393-87094-7

Objective of the course is to provide students an overview of biosignaling to allow students to understand the basic mechanisms of cell-cell and cell-environment communication and signal transduction processes involved in cell response to extracellular cues.
This basic knowledge is necessary for facing the curricular courses of pathophysiology and molecular bases of diseases

Students are expected to have a general knowledge of biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and cell biology

Frontal lessons with PowerPoint presentations.
Running problems, quizzes and case resolution at home using the moodle platform.

All the teaching material and information regarding the course will be available on moodle DIR platform (https://www.dir.uniupo.it/)

None

-Fundamentals of biosignaling: principles of signal transduction. Receptors, chemical mediators. Mode of release of signal molecules and the different types of signaling between cells. Characteristics of intracellular signaling pathways.
-Structure and function of signal proteins: modularity of signal proteins, functional domains; production and role of second messengers
-Tyrosine kinase receptors (TKR) and signaling pathways downstream of RTK.
-Modules and components of intracellular signaling pathways. Calcium signaling; G proteins; the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, the MAP-kinase pathway pathway; protein kinase C; cytosolic tyrosine kinases belonging to the SRC family (SFK).
-Analysis of proteins: western blot and ELISA

Knowledge of different types of cell-cell and cell-environment interactions. To understand the distinct biologic functions of different receptors families and signal transduction pathway. To possess the fundamental knowledge on signaling that allows to understand the physiological responses of cells as well as have the basis to face studies concerning the molecular pathogenesis of diseases and personalized medicine.