Primary objective of the course is to provide students with useful elements to the knowledge of the organization of the cell, with particular reference to the animal cell. To do so will be considered the main  methods of investigation that allow the study of the cell, to understand how large molecules are structurally and functionally associate in the formation of individual components which in turn are combined giving rise to different cell structures.

Moreover, being this course one of  the first biological courses that the student meets, a second objective is to reach a good level of accuracy in using the biology specific scientific language.

Structure of  animal cell

1. Plasma membrane 1.1 Structural and functional organization 1.2 Membrane transit  

2. Cytoplasm 2.1Cytosol 2.2 Ribosomes  2.3 Endoplasmic reticulum  2.4 Golgi Apparatus  2.5 Lysosomes 2.6 Endocytosis, exocytosis, transcytosis 2.7 Perissosomes 2.8 Mitochondria and energy metabolism 

3. Cytoskeleton 3.1 Microfilaments 3.2 Microtubules 3.3 Intermediate Filaments

4. Adhesion and cellular communication 4.1 Signaling between cells 4.2 Cell-cell adhesion  and cell-matrix adhesion

5. Nucleus  5.1 Nuclear envelope, nucleoplasm and nucleoskeleton   5.3 Chromatin and chromosomes

Methods of cell and tissue study

1. Biochemical and molecular analysis: 1.1 Notes to homogenization, centrifugation, chromatography, electrophoresis, western blotting. 1.2 Chemical composition of living matter 1.2.1 Inorganic components 1.2.2 Organic components

2. Morphological analysis
2.1 Foundamentals of microscopy. 2.2 Transmission optical microscope. 2.2.1 Different types of optical microscope. 2.2.2 Fluorescence microscope 2.2.3 Confocal microscope 2.3 Techniques of preparations for transmission optical microscope. 2.4 Principles of cytochemistry and immunocytochemistry 2.6 Fundamentals of flow cytometry.2.7 Transmission electron microscope and scansion electron microscope.2.8 Techniques for preparation for electron microscope.

D1- KNOWLEDGE AND CAPACITY OF UNDERSTANDING: At the end of the course the student will have to prove the acquisition of  basic knowledge related to the  animal cell structure  and those relating to the  methods for the study of this cell, with particular reference to  the methods for morphological analysis.

D2-ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING: At the end of the course the students  will have acquired abilities to independently use the acquired knowledge the  to reason on problems that the discipline proposes.

D3-COMMUNICATION SKILLS: The student must demonstrate that possesses and knows how to use the correct scientific language and terminology that the discipline offers.

D4-CAPACITY OF LEARNING: the student must prove able to examine and understand scientific texts.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

The teaching material and specific communications from the lecturer can be found, together with other supporting activities, inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Frontal lessons with presentation of diagrams and images in Power-Point mode.

Laboratory exercises

Course books

Bonfanti et al., Citoistologia e Istologia. Idelson-Gnocchi Editore

Assessment

Oral exam

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.