Biology

SIMONE D'ANGELI
SIMONE D'ANGELI

General skills
The teaching covers plant cytology, histology, anatomy, reproduction and systematics. The main objective of the teaching is to allow the students to acquire the fundamental knowledge about the structure and functions of plant cells, tissues and organs. Knowledge and understanding of classification methods. Concept of species, taxonomic ranks and nomenclature. Characters with taxonomic value of plant organisms (Cyanobacteria, Algae, Briophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Angiosperms and Fungi). The teaching requires basic knowledge of chemistry and biochemistry acquired in high school, which is considered ascertained by passing the entrance test. The initial contents of the knowledge on the properties of atoms and molecules acquired during the teaching of General and Inorganic Chemistry (taught in the same semester). The teaching includes lectures and laboratory experiences, dedicated to learning basic histological techniques and the use of the optical microscope for observation of cells and tissues.


Specific objectives

A) Knowledge and understanding
-Knowledge of the structural peculiarities of the plant cell, prokaryotic and eukaryotic, with reference to Cyanobacteria, Algae, Briophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Angiosperms and Fungi
-Knowledge and understanding of the various levels of plant organization: cellular, tissue, organ and organism -
- Knowledge and understanding of the main methods to study plant cytology, histology and organography
- Knowledge and understanding of the classification of flowering plants with a phylogenetic approach

B) Applying knowledge and understanding
- be able to use a specific terminology
- practicing problem solving in Plant Biology
- be able to identify plant cells and tissue types in the histological preparations.
-be able to identify and recognize the main morphological characters and use tools (dichotomous analytical keys) for the recognition of plants
C) Making judgements
- acquire the ability to recognize the interrelations between structure and function at different levels of organization, from the subcellular to the organ level
- learning by questioning
D) Communication skills
- be able to communicate what has been learned during the lectures, the laboratory experiences and during the study
E) Learning skills
- learn the specific terminology of the matter
- logically connect the acquired knowledge
- identify the most relevant topics of the matter

Students will acquire knowledge of the characteristics of the plant cell, with focus to the peculiar organelles and structures. They will also be able to recognize, describe and classify both photoautotrophic organisms (cyanobacteria, algae, plants) and fungi, as well as describe their biological cycles and reproductive mechanisms. Finally, they will be able to recognize and describe micrographs of plant tissues and organ sections of vascular plants and prepare fresh histological sections from stem, leaf and root samples for optical microscope observation.

The teaching requires basic knowledge of chemistry and biochemistry acquired in high school, which is considered ascertained by the university admission test. The initial contents of the teaching are linked to General and Inorganic Chemistry knowledge about the properties of atoms and molecules (taught in the first semester).

GENERAL BOTANY AND PLANT DIVERSITY (8 CFU, 64 hours)

INTRODUCTION. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell. Autotrophy and heterotrophy. Main differences between animal and plant cells.
PLANT CITOLOGY. Biological membranes. Cell wall. Vacuole. Plastids. Peroxisomes. Cytoskeleton. Endomembrane system. Cell cycle, mitosis and meiosis in the plant cell.
HISTOLOGY. Primary and secondary meristematic tissues. Adult tissues: epidermis, parenchyma, collenchyma and sclerenchyma, xylem and phloem, secretory structures.
MORPHOLOGY AND ANATOMY OF PLANT VEGETATIVE ORGANS. Stem. Leaf. Root.
REPRODUCTION. Vegetative reproduction. Flower. Seed. Fruit. Life cycles of fungi, algae, and plants.

Systematics, general characteristics, evolution and reproduction of the taxa under study. Cyanobacteria. Algae. Fungi. Bryophytes. Pteridophytes. Gymnospermae. Angiospermae. Examples of symbiosis between photoautotrophic and heterotrophic organisms.
Main angiosperm families of Italian flora. Nympheaceae. Magnoliaceae. Eudicots: Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Fagaceae, Ranunculaceae, Oleaceae, Rosaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Lamiaceae. Angiosperms Monocots: Liliaceae, Orchideaceae, Poaceae, Arecaceae.

LABORATORY EXPERIENCES (1 CFU, 12 hours)

Observation of plant cells under light microscope: cell wall, plastids, and vacuole. Preparation of root, stem and leaf histological samples and observation under light microscope. Observation of some cyanobacteria, fungi and algae under optical microscope. Use of dichotomous analytical keys for identification of plant species, using a stereomicroscope. Visit to the Botanical Garden of Rome.
The part of General Botany will be held in March and April, while May will be dedicated to the part on plant diversity. The laboratory experiences will be held from April to the end of May.

- Raven biology of plants – 8th edition - R.F. Evert, S.E. Eichhorn – W.H. Freeman and Co. Publishers
- Botany: An introduction to plant biology - 7th edition - J.D. Mauseth - Jones & Bartlett Publishers
- Botanica generale e Diversità Vegetale – V edizione - G. Pasqua, G. Abbate, C. Forni – PICCIN
- Botanica - test di verifica. Pasqua G., Abbate G., Forni C., Iberite M. – PICCIN

- Plant anatomy - A. Fahn - Pergamon Press
- Plant anatomy - R. Crang, S. Lyons-Sobaski, R. Wise - Springer
- Famiglie di Piante Vascolari italiane - P. Marchi, E. Pepe D'Amato, G. Bianchi - Università "La Sapienza" Roma

Learning methods include lectures and laboratory experiences. Lectures will give students a comprehensive understanding of the main topics covered in this teaching. The laboratory experiences are aimed at the preparation and observation of plant samples. Through these laboratories, in addition to the use of the optical microscope, students apply some histochemical techniques and observe cellular, tissue and organ types described during the lessons. Moreover, using a stereomicroscope, they identify the diagnostic characters useful for the recognition of the species.

Mainly traditional lectures, i.e. in the classroom. Lessons will be held remotely only in exceptional cases, in accordance with the official guidelines issued by the University.
Students are invited to use the learning materials available on Moodle Sapienza.

Attendance at classroom lessons and laboratory experiences is not mandatory but strongly recommended.

The exam consists of an oral test in which the candidate has to demonstrate: (1) to have acquired and understood the topics of this teaching; (2) to recognize and describe macroscopic images of the studied organisms, and micrographs of plant tissue and organ sections. The two parts of the exam have approximately the same importance for the final evaluation.

Chemical composition of the vacuolar sap. Which tonoplast transporters allow for the rapid net entry or exit of water into or from the vacuole?
- Describe the ultrastructure of the plant chloroplast. Which plastids can be derived from a chloroplast through plastid interconversion?
- Describe the composition and the different deposition architectures of the secondary cell wall in tracheary elements. Explain the functional importance of cells with lignified walls in vascular plants.
- What traits have contributed to the evolutionary success of angiosperms?
- What are the main differences between pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and angiosperms?
- Describe mycorrhizae and explain their evolutionary and ecological importance.