Lecturer: Alessandra Albertini   Valeria Merico  

Course name: Principles of Biology and Genetics
Course code: 503185
Degree course: Bioingegneria
Disciplinary field of science: BIO/06,BIO/18
The course relates to:
University credits: ECTS 6
Course website: n.d.

Specific course objectives

The course consists of two modules, both conducted in the first half year. The module of General Biology precedes that of Human Genetics.

Course programme

The module aims to provide the basic principles of human genetics.

Module of Cell Biology
The objective of this module is to provide the basis of structure and function of cells. The course focused on the characteristics of cells and the key roles that the cell-cell interactions play in animal tissues.

• Structure of the eukaryotic cell: relation between form and function.
• Plasma membrane.
• Structure and function of cellular organelles: the vacuolar apparatus (nuclear envelope, rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes), mitochondria, cytoskeleton.
• Role of the plasma membrane in the recognition between cells and the intercellular adhesion and cell-extracellular matrix;
• Role of the cytoskeleton in cell dynamics, interaction with the membrane and with the extracellular matrix;
• Extracellular matrix: function and role in the organization and tissue proliferation, migration, and cell differentiation.

Module Human Genetics
Basic formal principles of genetics, the molecular organization of the genes in relation to the organization of the genome, the origin of genetic variability, the control of gene expression, the genetic control of processes of cell differentiation and animal development, the main techniques of molecular analysis of genes and genomes, principles of genetic engineering.

• Mendelism: the basic principles of heredity and extensions of Mendelism.
• The chromosomal basis of Mendelism. Human karyotype, changes in the chromosome number and structure.
• Association, crossing over and chromosome maps in eukaryotes and humans.
• DNA mutation, recombination and repair.
• Techniques of molecular genetics. Genomics. Applications of molecular genetics and genomics. Defining the concept of the gene with particular reference to human genes.
• Regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. Genetic control of the cell cycle: the genetic basis of cancer. Genetic control of differentiation and animal development.

Course entry requirements

Course structure and teaching

Lectures (hours/year in lecture theatre): 46
Practical class (hours/year in lecture theatre): 0
Practicals / Workshops (hours/year in lecture theatre): 0

Suggested reading materials

Estratto da: Mason K.A., Losos J.B., Singer S.R.: Biologia. Biologia cellulare. Piccin Editore.

Michael R. Cummings.. Human Heredity: Principles and Issues, 10th Edition. 2013, Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning.

Alberts et al.. . L'essenziale di Biologia Molecolare della Cellula,. II edizione. Zanichelli, 2005..

Adamo et al. Istologia di Monesi. Piccin Editore.

Testing and exams

Written test and (optional) oral.