PLANT BIOLOGY+ANIMAL BIOLOGY
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2016/2017
- Teacher
- GIANNI SACCHETTI
- Credits
- 12
- Didactic period
- Primo Semestre
Training objectives
- Knowledge: concept of superior and inferior plant organism. Plant anatomy, histology and cytology as tools for knowing and comprehending the Plant Kingdom and as source to be inspired for new pharmaceutically important bio-molecules. Knowledge of medicinal plants.
Operative: capacity to recognize the main groups of plant of pharmaceutical importance basing up their organography, anatomy and histology; to able to use an analytical key for recognize an officinal plant, at least as far as family.
Prerequisites
- Basic knowledge about the biology: the cell
Course programme
- Plant Biology:
Autotrophic and eterotrophic organisms. Cytology: prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell. Plant cell as laboratory for production pharmaceutically important chemicals: biological (primary and secondary metabolism) and pharmaceutical aspects: primary and secondary metabolism; metabolic energy production and saving, photosynthesis and reserve compounds. Histology: meristematic tissues, adult or definitive tissues. Anatomy and histology of rotts, stems (primary and secondary structure) and leale. Anatomy of leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds. Hints about reproduction organs. Pharmaceutical importance of plant tissues for recognizing plants, and for production and storing active compounds. Main structures of the plant cell (vacuole, plastids, cell wall) and their biological and pharmaceutical role. Plant classification: main concept about species and main botanical groups. Principles of plant taxonomy. Main botanical groups of food, medicinal and poisonous plants. Chemosystematic: plants as source of carbohydrates, terpenoids, essential oils, phenolic compounds, nitrogen compounds, sulphurate compounds. Importance of the secondary plant metabolism as source of molecular diversity for pharmaceutical compounds, natural or semi-synthetic.
Animal Biology:
The following topics will be treated: animal cell (macromolecules, cell membrane and organelles, nucleus, mitosis and meiosis), different types of reproduction in animal kingdom, evolution of animals, the concept of animal biodiversity, Darwin, evolutio of human. The main protozoan and metazoan parasites of human and domestic animals, pathogenecity of parasites. Life cycle of Trichomonas vaginalis, Toxoplasma gondii, Plasmodium (malaria), Taenia saginata, T. solium, Arthropods of public health importance. Products from animal for health, food and for wellness. Didactic methods
- Didactic methods are mainly based on front lectures, as important tool for synthesis and development of the formative targets. This tool is focused on slides analyzed during lectures and on related books and publications advised to the student to lead the formative course. For the particular kind of the subject and of the formative targets, the lectures are set as an interactive and discussed dialogue student-teacher.
Learning assessment procedures
- The oral examination is divided in two sections (one for Plant Biology and one for Animal Biology) that generally will take place in the same day. The final mark is the mean of the two marks obtained in the two sections. To pass the exam it is necessary to get at least 18 point out of 33. If the mark of one of the two sections is below 18, it is necessary to repeat all the exam’s sections.
The oral examination in Plant Biology will verify the knowledge of the three main modules of the course programme:
Module 1. It is focused to verify the student’s knowledge about the structure (morphology, chemical characteristics); classification, function and variability. Questions will be asked about primary and secondary metabolism; photosynthesis; starch, main provisions substances and related cytological structures; metabolism related to energy production and saving in plant cells. The Student should also answer questions about systematic organization and identification of the main botanical groups. Questions should also be asked about the pharmaceutical importance of the knowledge characterizing the Module.
To pass this part of the exam it is required to get at least 6 points out of 11.
Module 2. It is focused on verifying the student’s knowledge about plant histology also as a consequence of what known about Module 1, demonstrating his/her comprehension level of the general context of the exam (for e.g. histological importance of the plant cell wall modifications, etc.). The student should answer questions about plant tissues, related to their classification, structure (with references also to chemical characteristics where relevant), morphology, function. Questions should also be asked about the pharmaceutical importance of the knowledge characterizing the Module.
To pass this part of the exam it is required to get at least 6 points out of 11.
Module 3. It is focused on verifying the student’s knowledge about plant anatomy, also as a consequence of what known about Modules 1 and 2, demonstrating his/her comprehension level of the general context of the exam (for e.g. plant tissues disposition and organization in an organ section, etc.). The student should also answer questions about organ macroscopic structure and modifications; classification, histological organization and organ function. The student should also demonstrate his/her knowledge about the primary and secondary structure of higher plants with their micro- and macroscopic morphological characteristics. Questions should also be asked about the pharmaceutical importance of the knowledge characterizing the Modules 1, 2 and 3.
To pass this part of the exam it is required to get at least 6 points out of 11.
The oral examination in Animal Biology will verify the knowledge of the three main parts of the course programme:
- Cytology: questions will be asked on biological molecules, prokaryote and eukaryote cells, structures and functions of the organelles of the animal cell, cell cycle, mitosis, meiosis, basic concepts and laws of genetics, chromosomal anomalies.
To pass this part it is required to get at least 6 points out of 11.
- Evolution of life and Animals: questions will be asked on origin and evolution of life, classification of living organisms, the Animal Kingdom (systematic, reproduction, development, main phyla, filogenetic tree), Darwin and the evolution process, some insights to human evolution.
To pass this part it is required to get at least 6 points out of 11.
- Parasitology: questions will be asked on symbiosis, the definition of parasitism, different type of parasites and hosts, damages of the parasite to the host, resistance to antiparasitic drugs, life cycle of several human parasites, arthropods and animals important for public health.
To pass this part it is required to get at least 6 points out of 11. Reference texts
- Testo per Biologia Vegetale:
Titolo: BIOLOGIA FARMACEUTICA
Biologia vegetale, Botanica farmaceutica, Fitochimica
Autori: A. Bruni
Editore: Pearson
Testi per Biologia Animale:
Titolo: Biologia (quarta edizione)
Volume 1: La cellula
Volume 3: L'evoluzione e la biodiversità
Autori: Sadava - Hillis - Heller - Berenbaum
Editore: ZANICHELLI (2014)
Titolo: Parassitologia Generale e Umana
Autore: I. De Carneri
Casa Editrice Ambrosiana
