IRO Egas Moniz - Cell and Molecular Biology

Cell and Molecular Biology

Biologia Celular e Molecular

Curse code:9554102

Isabel Maria Correa Calvente de Barahona

Learning outcomes of the curricular unit:

The aim of this curricular unit is the acquisition of fundamental concepts regarding the functioning of living systems, studying in detail the simplest living system, the cell and their interactions with the environment.
Students knowledge acquired previously will be developed, i.e. students should be able to explain at the molecular level the functioning of the cell and to understand different regulatory mechanisms which are indispensable for the proper functioning of living beings.
Knowledge in molecular biology is essential for understanding different diseases, that will be discussed and analysed, and it is also important for the food industry.

Syllabus:

Lectures:

PRINCIPLES OF CELL ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTION
Characteristics of living systems.
Concept of cell.
General characterization of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
Molecular constitution of cells.
Biological membranes.
General functioning of cells.
Viruses.
MOLECULAR GENETICS
Concept of gene.
Chromatin and chromosomes.
Mechanisms of gene expression and its regulation.
Genetic code.
Molecular mechanism of translation.
Cell cycle, Mitosis and Meiosis mechanisms.
DNA replication and repair.
TRANSPORT MECHANISMS OF MOLECULES THROUGH BIOLOGICAL MEMBRANES
Passage of small molecules and macromolecules through membranes.
Secretion pathway.
Protein traffic for different organelles.
GENERAL AND SPECIFIC CELLULAR MOVEMENT OF NERVE AND MUSCLE CELLS
Cytoskeleton.
Polarity and kinetic of cytoskeleton fibers.
Mechanism of muscle contraction.
Cilia and flagella movement.
Intracellular transport using Microfilaments and Microtubules.
Function of microtubules during mitosis.
Intermediate Filaments.

Theoretical / practical classes:

Presentation of the programme and the evaluation methodology. Chemical composition of cells. Lipids, proteins, Polysaccharides and Nucleic Acids.

General functions of the cells.

Fluorescence, Optical and Electronic Microscopes.

DNA Classes.

Transcription in prokaryotic cells.

Regulation of transcription in eukaryotic cells.

Passage of molecules through membranes.

Secretion pathway and vesicular traffic.

Importance of microfilaments for muscle contraction.

Importance of microtubules in Mitosis and axonal transport.

Lab practical classes:

Theoretical and practical fundamentals of compound optical microscope. Observation of slides containing sample preparations with hematoxylin-eosin staining.

Preparations and observation of the phenomenon of osmosis.

Colorations in optical microscopy.

Notion of GMOs.

Suggested Bibliography:

Lodish H, Berk A, Kaiser CA, Krieger M, Bretscher A, Ploegh H, Amon A, Martin KCWH (2016) Molecular Cell Biology, 8th ed., Freeman and Company, New York. ISBN-13: 978-1464183393
Cooper GM & Hausman RE (2013) The Cell, a Molecular Approach, 6th ed., Sinauer Associates, Inc., USA. ISBN: 978-1-60535-155-1
Alberts B, Johnson A, Lewis J, Morgan D, Raff M (2014) ) Molecular Biology of the Cell. 6th ed. Garland Publishing, Inc. London. ISBN-13: 978-0815344322
Alberts B, Roberts K, Lewis J, Hopkin K, Jonhson A, Walter P, Raff M & Bray D (2003) Essential cell biology: an introduction to the molecular biology of the cell. 2nd ed. Garland Publishing, Inc. New York & London. ISBN-13: 9780815334804
Azevedo C & Sunkel C (2012) Biologia Celular e Molecular. 5th ed. Lidel, edições técnicas. Lisboa. ISBN 978-972-757-692-0

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