General Pathology
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course of General Pathology aims to provide the tools to understand the molecular mechanisms of human diseases for a rational identification of therapeutic targets. In addition, the course will provide the bases for understanding the mechanisms of inflammation and immune defenses, innate and acquired, implemented by the host against pathogens or tissue damage.
The course includes a series of lectures related to the pathogenesis of the most common organ-specific diseases, including details on terms and abbreviations used in medical terminology, to provide the student with a background knowledge for future work.
The course includes a series of lectures related to the pathogenesis of the most common organ-specific diseases, including details on terms and abbreviations used in medical terminology, to provide the student with a background knowledge for future work.
Expected learning outcomes
The students will be able to define the molecular mechanisms of human diseases and the basis of immunity and inflammation. They will be able to recognize the causes (aetiology) and the mechanisms (pathogenesis) of diseases, and to understand and use common medical words and meanings. Moreover, the students will develop methods to investigate any disease and to critically analyze scientific publications on the field.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Linea AK
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Cellular and tissue homeostasis: health conditions, signs and symptoms of diseases. Extrinsic causes of disease: physical, chemical, environmental agents, pathogenic microorganisms. Intrinsic causes of disease: genetic, developmental disorders, autoimmunity.
Cellular stress response: acute and chronic reversible damage; adaptive tissue responses (atrophy, hyperplasia, metaplasia, dysplasia). Irreversible damage: cell death (necrosis, apoptosis); autophagy. Accumulation disorders: steatosis, amyloidosis
Acute inflammation
Vascular events, adhesion molecules, chemotaxis. Cellular and plasma mediators: the complement system, vasoactive amines, arachidonic acid metabolites, nitric oxide, chemokines, pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines.
Cell involved in inflammation: monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, mastocytes, characteristics and functions. Opsonization and phagocytosis. Macrophage receptors for phagocytosis and activation (TLR), PAMPS, DAMPS, pathogen killing (lysosomal enzymes, respiratory burst, oxygen and nitrogen radicals)
Systemic inflammatory responses: fever, acute phase proteins, leukocytosis.
Resolution of the inflammatory process. Characteristics of wound healing. Scar formation and fibrosis. Angiogenesis
Chronic inflammation: formation of chronic exudate, granuloma, tissue fibrosis.
Immunology and Immunopathology
Features of innate and acquired immunity.
Definition of antigen. Origin and characteristics of T and B lymphocytes. Structure of the antigen recognition molecules: T Cell Receptor (TCR), B Cell Receptor (BCR); Major histocompatibility complex molecules.
Humoral immunity: B lymphocytes and antibodies, structure and functions. Primary and secondary antibody response. Monoclonal antibodies: production and therapeutic applications.
Cell-mediated immunity: helper and cytotoxic T cells, antigen presentation. Cell cooperation in immune response, cytokines. Immunological tolerance.
Autoimmunity and autoimmune diseases. Hypersensitivity reactions (Type I, II, III and IV). Vaccines.
Oncology
Tumor Epidemiology. Nomenclature, classification, functional and morphological features of benign and malignant tumors. Invasiveness and characteristics of the metastatic process. Carcinogenesis: general principles. Protooncogenes, oncogene and oncosuppressor genes. Chemical carcinogenesis. Pathogens related tumors. Familial and hereditary cancers. Tumor prevention and screening.
Genetic diseases
Autosomal dominant or recessive or etherocromosomal-related diseases. Chromosomal abnormalities.
Pathophysiology of blood
Anemias.
Pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases
Atherosclerosis: formation, growth, and development of atherosclerotic plaque. Risk factors for atherosclerosis: hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, metabolic syndrome. Consequences of atherosclerosis: ictus, infarct, aneurysm, thrombosis.
Pathophysiology of the gastrointestinal tract
Gastric diseases: gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers.
Hepatic diseases: hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure, biliary tract diseases
Pathophysiology of the endocrine system
Pathophysiology of endocrine pancreas: diabetes mellitus
Neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease
Cellular stress response: acute and chronic reversible damage; adaptive tissue responses (atrophy, hyperplasia, metaplasia, dysplasia). Irreversible damage: cell death (necrosis, apoptosis); autophagy. Accumulation disorders: steatosis, amyloidosis
Acute inflammation
Vascular events, adhesion molecules, chemotaxis. Cellular and plasma mediators: the complement system, vasoactive amines, arachidonic acid metabolites, nitric oxide, chemokines, pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines.
Cell involved in inflammation: monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, mastocytes, characteristics and functions. Opsonization and phagocytosis. Macrophage receptors for phagocytosis and activation (TLR), PAMPS, DAMPS, pathogen killing (lysosomal enzymes, respiratory burst, oxygen and nitrogen radicals)
Systemic inflammatory responses: fever, acute phase proteins, leukocytosis.
Resolution of the inflammatory process. Characteristics of wound healing. Scar formation and fibrosis. Angiogenesis
Chronic inflammation: formation of chronic exudate, granuloma, tissue fibrosis.
Immunology and Immunopathology
Features of innate and acquired immunity.
Definition of antigen. Origin and characteristics of T and B lymphocytes. Structure of the antigen recognition molecules: T Cell Receptor (TCR), B Cell Receptor (BCR); Major histocompatibility complex molecules.
Humoral immunity: B lymphocytes and antibodies, structure and functions. Primary and secondary antibody response. Monoclonal antibodies: production and therapeutic applications.
Cell-mediated immunity: helper and cytotoxic T cells, antigen presentation. Cell cooperation in immune response, cytokines. Immunological tolerance.
Autoimmunity and autoimmune diseases. Hypersensitivity reactions (Type I, II, III and IV). Vaccines.
Oncology
Tumor Epidemiology. Nomenclature, classification, functional and morphological features of benign and malignant tumors. Invasiveness and characteristics of the metastatic process. Carcinogenesis: general principles. Protooncogenes, oncogene and oncosuppressor genes. Chemical carcinogenesis. Pathogens related tumors. Familial and hereditary cancers. Tumor prevention and screening.
Genetic diseases
Autosomal dominant or recessive or etherocromosomal-related diseases. Chromosomal abnormalities.
Pathophysiology of blood
Anemias.
Pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases
Atherosclerosis: formation, growth, and development of atherosclerotic plaque. Risk factors for atherosclerosis: hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, metabolic syndrome. Consequences of atherosclerosis: ictus, infarct, aneurysm, thrombosis.
Pathophysiology of the gastrointestinal tract
Gastric diseases: gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers.
Hepatic diseases: hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure, biliary tract diseases
Pathophysiology of the endocrine system
Pathophysiology of endocrine pancreas: diabetes mellitus
Neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease
Prerequisites for admission
The course of General Pathology is scheduled in the II semester of the II year. There are two mandatory exams: Animal and Plant Biology, Human anatomy and Physiology, to be passed before the General Pathology test. Moreover, it is strongly recommended to pass the exam of Biochemistry before the exam of General Pathology
Teaching methods
The course consists of lectures given by the Professor of the Course and occasionally seminars by external experts on particular subjects. Power point presentations or short videos are usually used and are provided to the students in the MyAriel site of the course.
Teaching Resources
All the material from the lectures and additional literature is provided by the Professor and stored in the MyAriel web site of the course of General Pathology
Bibliography:
Fabio Celotti. Patologia generale e fisiopatologia, II Edizione. EdiSES 2013 con aggiornamenti on line
Kumar, Abbas, Aster. Robbins e Contran - Le basi patologiche delle malattie. EDRA 2021
Raphael Rubin. Patologia generale - Patologia d'organo e molecolare. Piccin 2014
Abul K. Abbas, Andrew H. Lichtman, Shiv Pillai. Le basi dell'immunologia. Fisiopatologia del sistema immunitario. Edra 2017
Bibliography:
Fabio Celotti. Patologia generale e fisiopatologia, II Edizione. EdiSES 2013 con aggiornamenti on line
Kumar, Abbas, Aster. Robbins e Contran - Le basi patologiche delle malattie. EDRA 2021
Raphael Rubin. Patologia generale - Patologia d'organo e molecolare. Piccin 2014
Abul K. Abbas, Andrew H. Lichtman, Shiv Pillai. Le basi dell'immunologia. Fisiopatologia del sistema immunitario. Edra 2017
Assessment methods and Criteria
At the end of the course of General Pathology the students will have the choice to take an oral exam or a written test.
The oral exam usually lasts approximately 20-30 minutes and consists of questions and discussion on different subjects related to the program of the Course.
The written test consists in brief answers to 5 open questions, chosen at random for each student among a list of 100 questions regarding all the subjects of the program. The questions are different in each academic year and are made available to the students at the end of the lessons on the MyAriel web site.
Each student has 15 min/answer; therefore, the total length of the written test is 75 minutes.
A score from 1 to 6 is assigned to each answer; to pass the test, the total score must be equal or greater than 18/30. The student can withdraw before the end of the test and can repeat the exam at the next available date.
The oral exam usually lasts approximately 20-30 minutes and consists of questions and discussion on different subjects related to the program of the Course.
The written test consists in brief answers to 5 open questions, chosen at random for each student among a list of 100 questions regarding all the subjects of the program. The questions are different in each academic year and are made available to the students at the end of the lessons on the MyAriel web site.
Each student has 15 min/answer; therefore, the total length of the written test is 75 minutes.
A score from 1 to 6 is assigned to each answer; to pass the test, the total score must be equal or greater than 18/30. The student can withdraw before the end of the test and can repeat the exam at the next available date.
MED/04 - EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 48 hours
Professor:
D'Alessandro Sarah
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
D'Alessandro SarahLinea LZ
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Cellular and tissue homeostasis: health conditions, signs and symptoms of diseases. Extrinsic causes of disease: physical, chemical, environmental agents, pathogenic microorganisms. Intrinsic causes of disease: genetic, developmental disorders, autoimmunity.
Cellular stress response: acute and chronic reversible damage; adaptive tissue responses (atrophy, hyperplasia, metaplasia, dysplasia). Irreversible damage: cell death (necrosis, apoptosis); autophagy. Accumulation disorders: steatosis, amyloidosis
Acute inflammation
Vascular events, adhesion molecules, chemotaxis. Cellular and plasma mediators: the complement system, vasoactive amines, arachidonic acid metabolites, nitric oxide, chemokines, pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines.
Cell involved in inflammation: monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, mastocytes, characteristics and functions. Opsonization and phagocytosis. Macrophage receptors for phagocytosis and activation (TLR), PAMPS, DAMPS, pathogen killing (lysosomal enzymes, respiratory burst, oxygen and nitrogen radicals)
Systemic inflammatory responses: fever, acute phase proteins, leukocytosis.
Resolution of the inflammatory process. Characteristics of wound healing. Scar formation and fibrosis. Angiogenesis
Chronic inflammation: formation of chronic exudate, granuloma, tissue fibrosis.
Immunology and Immunopathology
Features of innate and acquired immunity.
Definition of antigen. Origin and characteristics of T and B lymphocytes. Structure of the antigen recognition molecules: T Cell Receptor (TCR), B Cell Receptor (BCR); Major histocompatibility complex molecules.
Humoral immunity: B lymphocytes and antibodies, structure and functions. Primary and secondary antibody response. Monoclonal antibodies: production and therapeutic applications.
Cell-mediated immunity: helper and cytotoxic T cells, antigen presentation. Cell cooperation in immune response, cytokines. Immunological tolerance.
Autoimmunity and autoimmune diseases. Hypersensitivity reactions (Type I, II, III and IV). Vaccines.
Oncology
Tumor Epidemiology. Nomenclature, classification, functional and morphological features of benign and malignant tumors. Invasiveness and characteristics of the metastatic process. Carcinogenesis: general principles. Protooncogenes, oncogene and oncosuppressor genes. Chemical carcinogenesis. Pathogens related tumors. Familial and hereditary cancers. Tumor prevention and screening.
Genetic diseases
Autosomal dominant or recessive or etherocromosomal-related diseases. Chromosomal abnormalities.
Pathophysiology of blood
Anemias.
Pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases
Atherosclerosis: formation, growth, and development of atherosclerotic plaque. Risk factors for atherosclerosis: hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, metabolic syndrome. Consequences of atherosclerosis: ictus, infarct, aneurysm, thrombosis.
Pathophysiology of the gastrointestinal tract
Gastric diseases: gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers.
Hepatic diseases: hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure, biliary tract diseases
Pathophysiology of the endocrine system
Pathophysiology of endocrine pancreas: diabetes mellitus
Neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease
Cellular stress response: acute and chronic reversible damage; adaptive tissue responses (atrophy, hyperplasia, metaplasia, dysplasia). Irreversible damage: cell death (necrosis, apoptosis); autophagy. Accumulation disorders: steatosis, amyloidosis
Acute inflammation
Vascular events, adhesion molecules, chemotaxis. Cellular and plasma mediators: the complement system, vasoactive amines, arachidonic acid metabolites, nitric oxide, chemokines, pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines.
Cell involved in inflammation: monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, mastocytes, characteristics and functions. Opsonization and phagocytosis. Macrophage receptors for phagocytosis and activation (TLR), PAMPS, DAMPS, pathogen killing (lysosomal enzymes, respiratory burst, oxygen and nitrogen radicals)
Systemic inflammatory responses: fever, acute phase proteins, leukocytosis.
Resolution of the inflammatory process. Characteristics of wound healing. Scar formation and fibrosis. Angiogenesis
Chronic inflammation: formation of chronic exudate, granuloma, tissue fibrosis.
Immunology and Immunopathology
Features of innate and acquired immunity.
Definition of antigen. Origin and characteristics of T and B lymphocytes. Structure of the antigen recognition molecules: T Cell Receptor (TCR), B Cell Receptor (BCR); Major histocompatibility complex molecules.
Humoral immunity: B lymphocytes and antibodies, structure and functions. Primary and secondary antibody response. Monoclonal antibodies: production and therapeutic applications.
Cell-mediated immunity: helper and cytotoxic T cells, antigen presentation. Cell cooperation in immune response, cytokines. Immunological tolerance.
Autoimmunity and autoimmune diseases. Hypersensitivity reactions (Type I, II, III and IV). Vaccines.
Oncology
Tumor Epidemiology. Nomenclature, classification, functional and morphological features of benign and malignant tumors. Invasiveness and characteristics of the metastatic process. Carcinogenesis: general principles. Protooncogenes, oncogene and oncosuppressor genes. Chemical carcinogenesis. Pathogens related tumors. Familial and hereditary cancers. Tumor prevention and screening.
Genetic diseases
Autosomal dominant or recessive or etherocromosomal-related diseases. Chromosomal abnormalities.
Pathophysiology of blood
Anemias.
Pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases
Atherosclerosis: formation, growth, and development of atherosclerotic plaque. Risk factors for atherosclerosis: hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, metabolic syndrome. Consequences of atherosclerosis: ictus, infarct, aneurysm, thrombosis.
Pathophysiology of the gastrointestinal tract
Gastric diseases: gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers.
Hepatic diseases: hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure, biliary tract diseases
Pathophysiology of the endocrine system
Pathophysiology of endocrine pancreas: diabetes mellitus
Neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease
Prerequisites for admission
The course of General Pathology is scheduled in the II semester of the II year. There are two mandatory exams: Animal and Plant Biology, Human anatomy and Physiology, to be passed before the General Pathology test. Moreover, it is strongly recommended to pass the exam of Biochemistry before the exam of General Pathology
Teaching methods
The course consists of lectures given by the Professor of the Course and occasionally seminars by external experts on particular subjects. Power point presentations or short videos are usually used and are provided to the students in the MyAriel site of the course.
Teaching Resources
All the material from the lectures and additional literature is provided by the Professor and stored in the MyAriel web site of the course of General Pathology
Bibliography:
Fabio Celotti,
Patologia generale e fisiopatologia
II (2013) or III (2023) Edition, EdiSES.
Pontieri GM
Elementi di Patologia generale & Fisiopatologia generale, IV Ed
Piccin 2018
Kumar, Abbas, Aster
Robbins e Contran. Le basi patologiche delle malattie
EDRA 2021
Raphael Rubin
Patologia generale. Patologia d'organo e molecolare
Piccin Giugno 2014
Abul K. Abbas, Andrew H. Lichtman, Shiv Pillai.
Le basi dell'immunologia. Fisiopatologia del sistema immunitario.
Edra, 2017
Bibliography:
Fabio Celotti,
Patologia generale e fisiopatologia
II (2013) or III (2023) Edition, EdiSES.
Pontieri GM
Elementi di Patologia generale & Fisiopatologia generale, IV Ed
Piccin 2018
Kumar, Abbas, Aster
Robbins e Contran. Le basi patologiche delle malattie
EDRA 2021
Raphael Rubin
Patologia generale. Patologia d'organo e molecolare
Piccin Giugno 2014
Abul K. Abbas, Andrew H. Lichtman, Shiv Pillai.
Le basi dell'immunologia. Fisiopatologia del sistema immunitario.
Edra, 2017
Assessment methods and Criteria
At the end of the course of General Pathology the students will have the choice to take an oral exam or a written test.
The oral exam usually lasts approximatively 20-30 minutes and consists of questions and discussion on different subjects related to the program of the Course.
The written test consists in brief answers to 5 open questions, chosen at random for each student among a list of 100 questions regarding all the subjects of the program. The questions are different in each academic year and are made available to the students at the end of the lessons on the MyAriel web site.
Each student has 15 min/answer; therefore, the total length of the written test is 75 minutes.
A score from 1 to 6 is assigned to each answer; to pass the test, the total score must be equal or greater than 18/30. The student can withdraw before the end of the test and can repeat the exam at the next available date.
The oral exam usually lasts approximatively 20-30 minutes and consists of questions and discussion on different subjects related to the program of the Course.
The written test consists in brief answers to 5 open questions, chosen at random for each student among a list of 100 questions regarding all the subjects of the program. The questions are different in each academic year and are made available to the students at the end of the lessons on the MyAriel web site.
Each student has 15 min/answer; therefore, the total length of the written test is 75 minutes.
A score from 1 to 6 is assigned to each answer; to pass the test, the total score must be equal or greater than 18/30. The student can withdraw before the end of the test and can repeat the exam at the next available date.
MED/04 - EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 48 hours
Professor:
Basilico Nicoletta
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
Basilico NicolettaProfessor(s)
Reception:
to be defined
via Carlo Pascal, 36 - 20133 MILANO