Course program
The first part of the course aims to deepen knowledge assumed in the Biology Bachelor on the chemical components of the plasma membrane deepening their organization: membrane lipids and proteins, role and structure of lipid rafts (2 hours) and organization of caveolae (2 h). Cell junctions and adhesions. Cadherins, Selectins, Ig-superfamily (ICAMs and V-CAM). Scaffold proteins (2 h). Tunnelling nanotubes; extracellular matrix composition. Integrins, role in cell-matrix adhesion and signalling (2 h).
Cell compartments and origins of new membranes. Lipid drops and membrane contact sites (4 h). Molecular transports between nucleus and cytoplasm: structure of nucleoporins and of nuclear pore complex, evolutionary origin and Import/export signals (2 h). Mitochondrial protein encoded by mtDNA or by nuclear genome and import pathways, through TOM and TIM complexes. Mitochondrial derived vesicles (3 h). Peroxisomes: origin, functions in animal cells and peroxin role (1 h). ER shaping, role of the ER in protein targeting, folding and quality control, detoxification (4 h). Golgi apparatus: functional models and role of golgin protein in regulating the dynamics and stability of the apparatus. Glycosylation and microtubule nucleation (3 h).
Coating of vesicles involved in intracellular trafficking: clathrin COPI and COPII. Role of Rab and SNARE proteins in vesicle tethering and fusion (3 h). Acid organelles: endosomes and lysosome and lysosomal disease; phagocytosis, and receptor-mediated endocytosis, transcytosis; exosome release. Endocytosis via caveolae. Constitutive and regulated secretory pathways. Synaptic vesicles (4 h). Details on the cytoskeleton: evolutionary origins of cytoskeleton proteins, proteins associated with microfilaments (2 h). Superfamilies of motor proteins (2 h).
General principles of cell communication: surface and intracellular receptors (2 h). Amplification of the signal, and feedback control. G-coupled receptors. Signal transduction and second messengers. Calcium ions and Calcium channels. Enzymes-coupled receptors (RTK, RSGK). Essentials on signalling pathways that depend on regulated proteolysis.
Prerequisites
Bachelor basics in cell biology, biochemistry, molecular biology and histology are assumed knowledge for the course.
Books
Molecular Biology of the Cell (6th edition) by Alberts et al. (2022 English, 2024 Italian) or
Molecular Biology of the Cell (4th edition) by Lodish et al (2022)
Supplemental journal articles and reviews from high impact scientific journals will be provided
Pdf of lectures and integrative material is also available online after lesson (elearning Moodle platform)
For news on textbooks and teaching materials see the web page: https://elearning.uniroma1.it/course/view.php?id=7215
Frequency
Lectures are not mandatory, but attendance is suggested
Exam mode
The final exam includes a written exam and an optional oral examination. The written exam includes 10 open questions. The score is 3 for each correct answer, 0 for each answer not given/wrong. An intermediate score (1-2,5) can be attributed to incomplete answers. The maximum score is 30; the minimum score to pass the written exam is 18. The written exam can be split in two: a first midterm exam at the midpoint in the semester and a second one (final) at the end of the course, that can be validated as a written exam in the first two exam periods (suggested to students that attend the course).
The written exam aims to ascertain the student's ability to apply the acquired knowledge to solve questions of cell biology.
The final grade may be increased (+ 4 maximum) depending on the optional oral examination grade.
Lesson mode
Learning methods include lectures, twice a week (according to a schedule that is publishes at the beginning of the semester) that will give students a comprehensive understanding of the main topics concerned with cell biology and during which experimental approaches applied in recent papers will be discussed. Students will test their knowledge on each topic by solving simple problems and exercises submitted in the classroom through learning resources (Kahoot!).
