Ateneo - UPO

The course deals with the basic mechanisms of diseases, including the role of immune response

Course materials provided by the instructor; selected chapers from Pontieri “Patologia generale e fisiopatologia generale" - Edizione:VII 2026 - Editor:Piccin; (Patogenesi); Pardi, Fiore (Basi genetiche e molecolari delle malattie) - Editor Piccin; Montcharmont et al. Patologia Generale Editor Idelson Gnocchi; Immunologia in percorso breve, Edi.Ermes Murphy, Immunobiologia di Janeway. Piccin

The course aims to make the students able to understand the mechanisms of tissue damage, inflammation, immune responses, cancer development, and pathophysiology along with the basic notion in medical terminology

The students should have basic knowledge of Physics, Biology, Anatomy, Biochemistry, Medical Genetic, Histology and Physiology

Lectures and discussion; the student is actively involved in the historical framework and evolution of knowledge on pathogenetic mechanisms. The student is provided with supplementary didactic material of the reference texts.

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 Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

ral exam assessing the basic notions of general pathology and physiopathology and the capacity to deal with the basic mechanisms of diseases.The vote takes into account the knowledge and understanding of the teaching contents and the ability to frame and critically discuss all the factors involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. The final grade is agreed between the teachers of the modules taking into account the overall assessment of the student's preparation and critical re-elaboration skills.

Etiology and pathogenesis of disease. Fundamental causes of disease: endogenous and exogenous factors. Genetic factors predisposing to diseases of different etiologies. Multifactorial diseases. Mechanisms of injury induced by chemical agents. Endogenous and exogenous factors influencing the harmful effects of chemical agents. Enzymes involved in the metabolism and detoxification of chemical substances. Concepts of acute and chronic toxicity. Mechanisms of chemical-induced tissue injury. Free radicals as a cause of disease. Pathological conditions resulting from mechanical, thermal, and electrical energy transfer. Diseases induced by ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Cellular and tissue adaptations in response to stress. Etiology and pathogenesis of hypertrophy, hyperplasia, atrophy, and metaplasia. Reversible cell injury. Irreversible cell injury: necrosis and apoptosis. The inflammatory process: characteristics and phases of inflammation; inflammatory mediators; regulation of inflammatory responses; leukocyte diapedesis and phagocytosis; characteristics of inflammatory infiltrates. Resolution of inflammation. Systemic inflammatory responses and fever. Chronic inflammatory reactions.
Incidence, prevalence, and distribution of the major human cancers. Criteria for benignity and malignancy: biological, cytomorphological, behavioral, and clinical features distinguishing benign from malignant neoplasms. Anatomical localization, histological classification, and histogenetic origin of the major human tumors. Tumor staging and grading: principles and criteria for tumor staging and histological grading. Biological characteristics of neoplastic cells. Morphological, biochemical, and behavioral atypia of neoplastic cells, including cytological abnormalities affecting cellular structures and organelles; fundamental histological atypia of neoplastic tissues; biochemical alterations in tumor cells; and behavioral abnormalities, including defects in cell recognition, intercellular adhesion, motility, and cell–extracellular matrix interactions. Alterations of the cell cycle in cancer cells and mechanisms underlying the loss of control of cellular differentiation and proliferation. Mechanisms of resistance to apoptosis. Metabolic alterations in cancer. Proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Altered expression of proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Molecular events involved in neoplastic transformation. Genetic alterations associated with cancer, including karyotypic abnormalities and chromosomal aberrations. The process of carcinogenesis and its stages. Monoclonal and polyclonal origin of tumors. Cancer stem cells. Multistep carcinogenesis: initiation, promotion, and progression. Molecular mechanisms underlying the different stages of carcinogenesis. Neoplastic progression: biological features, tumor heterogeneity, genetic instability, and factors driving tumor progression. Selective events influencing tumor progression. Immune responses to cancer. Growth patterns of neoplastic tissues; tumor–extracellular matrix interactions; tumor invasiveness. Tumor angiogenesis. The metastatic process: stages and routes of metastasis. Etiological factors in human cancer. Genetic predisposition to cancer. Hereditary disorders associated with increased cancer risk and inherited genomic alterations in selected human neoplasms. Carcinogenesis induced by physical agents, chemical carcinogens, and oncogenic viruses. Cancer risk factors associated with lifestyle and occupational exposure. Local and systemic manifestations of cancer, including cancer cachexia and paraneoplastic syndromes.
Physiopathology of hemostasis: mechanisms of platelet activation and aggregation. The clotting cascade. Mechanisms of controlling hemostasis. Alterations of platelet functions and of the clotting process. Thrombosis. The repair process and tissue healing. Fibrosis and sclerosis. Beta-fibrils and diseases: Amyloidosis, prioninduced diseases, neurofibrillary diseases. Physiopathology of aging. Tissue alterations in aging. Mechanisms of aging. Physiopathology of blood perfusion: Ischemia, hyperemia, reperfusion syndrome. The shock Physiopathology of lipid metabolism: The mechanism of lipid transport. Lipoprotein alterations. Atherosclerotic disease. Mechanism of atherosclerotic plaque formation and evolution. Physiopathology of nutrition: Protein-calories malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies. Obesity. Physiopathology of glucose metabolism: mechanisms of insulin resistance. Diabetes Physiopathology of acid/base regulation: acidosis and alkalosis Physiopathology of iron. Regulation of body iron adsorption and distribution. Iron deficiency and overload. Physiopathology of hydro-electrolytic homeostasis. Hydro-electrolytic alterations. The edema. General features of the immune system, innate and adaptative immunity, the cells of the immune system. Organs of the immune system. Antigens and antibodies, Structure and functions of the different antibody classes. Antigens recognized by B-lymphocytes, The aptens, Structure and functions of BCR. The complement system. Monoclonal antibodies and their applications. The T-cell receptors and the MHC system. The HLA system. Pathways of antigen presentation. Signals co-activating T-cells CD28, CTLA-4 and PD-1. The antigen presenting cells. Ig gene rearrangement and B cell antigen maturation. T-lymphocyte maturation in the tymous Effector and regulator T-cells. The cytokines. Sygnals regulating T- cells. Helper cytotoxic T- cells. Th1, Th2, Th17, Treg, CTL, NK, NKT, Tγδ. The mechanisms of immune-elusion of infective agents and tumors. Vaccines. Acquired and congenital immunedeficiencies. Type I, II, III, IV hypersensitivity reactions. Pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Transplant immunity.

Knowledge and understanding of the mechanisms responsible for tissue injury, inflammation, immunity and neoplastic growth; understanding of the main pathophysiological processes in human diseases. Applying knowledge and understanding to the pathophysiological processes responsible for human diseases.