FISIOLOGIA, BIOCHIMICA E MICROBIOLOGIA

8 CFU - 1° Semester

Teaching Staff

MARIA FRANCESCA SERAPIDE - Module HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY - BIO/09 - 3 CFU
CARMELINA DANIELA ANFUSO - Module Biochemistry - BIO/10 - 3 CFU
ADRIANA GAROZZO - Module General and clinical microbiology - MED/07 - 2 CFU

Learning Objectives

HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY
The course aims to provide students with basic knowledge of human Physiology such as the functioning of the various organs and apparatus of the human body. At the end of the course, students will have to prove both to know the basic principles that regulate normal and integrate functions among different human organs, as to have a good proficiency of general and more specific scientific terms.
Biochemistry
General knowledge on the molecular basis of life, from the fundamental chemical properties of the substances, the structure and function of macromolecules involved in life processes, both at the cellular and extracellular level, the metabolic transformations of biomolecules necessary for the human body function. In addition, students will know the significance of the variations of the main metabolic pathways in various physiological and pathological contexts, particularly with regard to diseases of the myocardium and blood vessels.
General and clinical microbiology
The student must learn the biological and pathogenic characteristics of microorganisms that play a role in human pathology, with reference to bacteria, viruses and fungi. He must acquire appropriate knowledge on the relationships between microorganisms and host in normal and pathological conditions, identify the transmission pathways, know the characteristics, the activity, the mechanism of action and resistance of the main antimicrobial drugs and vaccines. The student must also know the main methods for the cultivation and identification of microorganisms.

The course also aims to illustrate the various methods of prevention of microbial infections and the main causes of infection related to specific professional activity.

Course Structure

HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY
Frontal teaching
Biochemistry
Font lessons, with the support of slides and audiovisual tools. At the end of each lesson is given ample space to the comment of the topics covered.
General and clinical microbiology
Traditional lectures, with the support of slides and educational videos of some theoretical-practical teaching topics (the films will be available on the Studium page). Students during one of the last lessons will have the opportunity to view some practical activities carried out in the laboratories of Microbiology.

Detailed Course Content

HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY
Cell membranes Mechanisms of transport and ion channels

Nervous system General organizzation of the central, peripheral and vegetative nervous system. Properties of excitable membranes: potential of membrane and potential of action.

Muscles Organization of skeletal muscles. Excitation-Contraction Coupling, single muscle twitch and tetanus. Smooth muscle: generalities,

Synaptic transmission Neuromuscular and central synapses. Neurotransmtters.

Cardiovascular System Properties of cardiac muscle. Aspecific and specific myocardium. Mechanic and electrical cardiac cycles. Coronary circulation. Vascular system: caracteristics of blood and blood vessels. Physical factors affecting blood flow. Laminar and urbulent blood flow. Laplace's law applied to vessels. Capillary changes. Functions of veins. Control of heart rate and blood pressure.

Respiratory system Upper and lower airways. Mechanism of Breathing. Alveolar ventilation. Surfactant. Spirometry. Basic mechanism of gas exchanges among lungs, blood and tissues. Carriage of the respiratory gas in the blood.

Urinary system Kidney homeostatic functions; kidney mechanisms: glomerular filtration; tubular absorption and secretion. Renal regulation of water, electrolyte and pH balance.

Digestive system: Basic principles on motor,secretory and absorbent activities
Biochemistry
1. PROTEIN
2. CHROMOPROTEINS BINDING OXYGEN
3. PLASMA PROTEINS
4. ENZYMES AND ENZYMATIC CATALYSIS
5. THE CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM
6. THE LIPID METABOLISM
7. THE METABOLISM OF AMINOACIDS
8. VITAMINS
9. MECHANISM OF ACTION OF HORMONES AND METABOLIC INTEGRATIONS
General and clinical microbiology
1. Introduction to medical microbiology: microorganism-host relationships.
2. The organization of the bacterial cell: structure and function of the cellular components
3. Mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis: role of bacteria in disease
4. The antimicrobial chemotherapy: the main characteristic of principal groups of antibiotics and the antibiotic resistance
5. Characteristics of virus and their replication
6. Mechanisms of viral pathogenesis
7. Types of viral infection: acute and persistent infection
8. The antiviral chemotherapy
9. Characteristics of fungi and their metabolism
10. Mechanisms of fungal pathogenesis
11. Antimicrobial vaccines
12. General principles of laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases
13. General principles of sterilization, disinfection, and antisepsis
14. The main human pathogen microorganisms

Textbook Information

HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY
1) “FISIOLOGIA DELL’UOMO” a cura di F. Conti Casa Editrice Edi- Ermes

2) GANONG “FISIOLOGIA MEDICA” Casa Editrice Piccin

3) L.S. COSTANZO "FISIOLOGIA" Casa Editrice Edra

The student can choose any updated book on Human Physiology as long as in the examination he proves to have the knowledge required to pass the test
Biochemistry
1. Introduzione alla Biochimica di Lehninger – D.L. Nelson, M.M. Cox – ZANICHELLI
2. Biochimica medica – Siliprandi, Tettamanti – PICCIN
General and clinical microbiology
EUDES LANCIOTTI - “ Microbiologia clinica” - 4° Edizione - Casa Editrice Ambrosiana.

All students can use didactic material downloadable from the Studium page at the following link: http://studium.unict.it/dokeos/2018/courses/11969/

Open in PDF format Versione in italiano