Animal Biology

The course is designed to provide students with the basic knowledge of Animal Biology. First of all, students will learn the concept of cell diversity (prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells), of organisms and their level of organization. They will also learn the concepts of biodiversity, origin and evolution of life. The Course will then be specifically focused on eukaryotic cells. Students will acquire knowldge on: structure and function of the cell; structure of biological membranes; organization and function of subcellular organelles; cell metabolism; the flow of the genetic information into the cell (gene, eukaryotic genome, DNA replication, transcription, translation, control of gene expression and epigenetic mechanisms). Additional objectives of the Course will be to provide students with the knowledge of the mechanisms of cell proliferation and cell cycle checkpoints; mitosis; ell stemness; cell death; cell-to-cell communication; asexual and sexual reproduction; mitosis, meiosis and gametogenesis; the principles of heredity (Mendelian heredity) and details of some genetic diseses. At the end of the Course, seminars will be given on the molecular basis of some pathologies (cancer) in order to underline the relationship between basic science and clinical applications. This Course will provide students with the basic scientific knowledge necessary to face the Courses of the following years, based on biological concepts (physiology, biochemistry, pathology, pharmacology, etc.), in line with the professional profile and employment opportunities provided by the entire training.

At the end of the course, students should prove that they have acquired and understood the knowledge of the main biological features of animal cells (eukaryotic cells). Specifically, they should have acquired a solid knowledge on: cell membranes, cytoplasmic organelles, metabolism, flow of the genetic information from DNA to proteins, cell life/death programs, cell-cell interactions, asexual/sexual reproduction, transmission and expression of hereditary traits (Mendelian law of inheritance).
When they have completed the course, students should have acquired an accurate and specific biological language allowing them to communicate the most relevant and recent topics in the field of biology of the animal cells. This achievement is necessary for the acquirement of a further and deeper knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of pathologies and, consequently, the mechanims of action of drugs, in line with their professional profiles.