Biological Sciences (Physiology, General biochemistry and clinical biochemistry, Applied Biology)

1) Cell Physiology
· transports
· diffusion - osmotic pressure
· resting membrane potential- equilibrium potentials
· graduated potentials
2) Action Potential
· Genesys of the action potential
· Absolute and relative refractory period
· Action potential conduction-myelin sheath
3) Synapse
· chemical and electric synapse
· mechanisms of synaptic release
· synaptic modulation

4) Central nervous system general organization
· somatosensorial system
· somatosensorial receptors
· sensorial pathways
5) Skeletal muscles
· molecolar description-actin and myosin crossbridge cycling
· sliding filament- role of calcium iones
· motor pathways
· neuromuscolar fuses
6) Respiratory apparatus
· respiratory mechanics
· Gas exchange and transport
· Hemoglobin
7) Cardiovascular system
· cardiac cycle
· electrophysiology of cardiac cells
· regulation of heart pumping
· arterial pressure regulation
8) renal system
· glomerular filtration
· tubular reabsorption and transports
· ADH and aldosteron mechanisms
9) digestive apparatus- anatomical description
· chewing, salivation, swallowing
· gastric functions, secretions, actions
· control of gastric functions
· nutrients digestion absorption and transports
· hints of liver and pancreas functionality
10) methabolism
· basal methabolism
· anabolism and catabolism
· body temperature control
· fever
11) endocrinology
· hypothalamus and hypophysis
· growth hormone
· thyroid hormones
· adrenal glands: stress

1. Introduction. The matter. The structure of the atom: atomic and mass number, atomic mass, molecular mass, mole, atomic theory, orbitals, electron configuration, periodic table. Chemical bonding: electronic stability, ions, strong/weak bonds, types of bonding (ionic, covalent).
2. Chemical reactions: stoichiometry, reversibility, chemical equilibrium, spontaneity, oxidation-reduction reactions. Water: distribution in the body, structure of water, hydrogen bonding. Solutions: apolar and polar substances, concentration, molarity. Acid-base balance: ionization of water, pH, acids/bases/neutrals compounds, the strength of an acid/base, buffer solutions, buffer systems (bicarbonate, phosphate, protein), metabolic and respiratory acidosis/alkalosis.
3. Elements of organic chemistry. Hydrocarbons: alkanes, cycloalkanes, alkenes and alkynes, aromatics. Isomerism: constitutional and stereoisomerism. Functional groups: alcohols, thiols, aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic acids, amines. Amino acids: classification, zwitterions, titration curve and isoelectric point.
4. Structural biochemistry: biomolecules. Peptides and proteins: peptide bonding, protein structure. Carbohydrates: monosaccharides, glycosidic bonding, anomers, polysaccharides. Lipids: chemical structures, fatty acids, fatty acid esters, phospholipids, sphingolipids and cholesterol. Nucleotides and nucleic acids: structure of DNA.
5. Enzymes: structure, classification, specificity, mechanism of action, activation energy, coenzymes, factors affecting enzyme activity. Hints of enzyme kinetics and enzymes in diagnostics. Hemoglobin and oxygen transport.
6. Concept of metabolism. Bioenergetics: ATP, Free energy. Energy production in mitochondria: structure of the mitochondrion, role and structure of coenzymes, electron transport system, electrochemical gradient, oxidative phosphorylation, ATP synthase. Digestion and absorption of nutrients: the digestive system, digestive enzymes, digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins.
7. Carbohydrate metabolism. Glycolysis, fermentation and lactate production, pentose phosphate pathway and tricarboxylic acid cycle.
8. Glycogen metabolism. Synthesis and degradation of glycogen. Gluconeogenesis. Hormonal regulation of glycemia: insulin and glucagon.
9. Lipid metabolism. Biosynthesis of fatty acids. Beta oxidation. Ketone bodies. The transport of circulating lipids.
10. Metabolism of nitrogen compounds. Metabolism of amino acids (transamination, oxidative deamination), and urea cycle.

Clinical Biochemistry: introduction, purposes, definitions
-Levels of laboratory intervention. Concepts of diagnostic testing and its purposes (screening, diagnostic investigation, disease monitoring)
-The pre-analytic phase and its sources of variability
-Preparation of the patient
-Sampling, treatment, transport and storage of biological samples: blood, urine, faeces, rachidian cephalous fluid (liquor), fluid spills in serous cavities, synovial fluid, amniotic fluid, seminal fluid, gastric juice, sweat.
-Criteria for acceptability of a biological sample
Concept of total variability
-Biological variability and influencing factors
-Analytical variability
-Types of errors. Reliability of a dosing method
Reference values
-concept of reference interval
-concept of decision values
-concept of critical difference
Deepening of some monographic topics chosen by the teacher (for example: monitoring of diabetes, lipid structure, kidney function, biochemistry of coagulation, saliva, heart markers, plasma proteins, bone markers, markers base acid balance...etc)

1. Fundamental characteristics of living matter:
-properties of living matter
- cells and organisms
- cell theory
- hierarchy of biological organization
2. Structure and cellular organization:
- eukaryotic cell
- main evolutionary theories: invagination, and endosymbiosis
- advantages and evidence in favor of these theories
- monocellular and multicellular organisms
- compartmentalization of eukaryotic cells
3. Chemical composition of living matter:
- inorganic and organic compounds
- biological macromolecules
- biological importance of water
- structure and function of nucleic acids
4. Flow of information in living matter:
- the central dogma of biology
- demonstration that DNA is the hereditary material
- Meselson and Stahl experiment
- DNA duplication,
- general information on the structure of the eukaryotic gene: introns and exons
- chromatin organization
5. Transcription and translation
- notes on the mechanisms of transcription and maturation of mRNAs
- structure of the ribosome
- tRNA structure
- genetic code
- translation
6. Cell cycle
- reproduction of eukaryotic cells, mitosis, meisosis,
- crossing-over and genetic variability
7. Notes on the regulation of gene expression