HISTOLOGY AND EMBRYOLOGY
Academic year and teacher
If you can't find the course description that you're looking for in the above list,
please see the following instructions >>
- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2018/2019
- Teacher
- MONICA DE MATTEI
- Credits
- 7
- Didactic period
- Secondo Semestre
- SSD
- BIO/17
Training objectives
- HISTOLOGY
To understand the basis of the structural, ultrastructural and molecular organization of the cell.
To know the body distribution of tissues, the main morphological and functional characteristics of tissues and their cellular organization. To know the main histological techniques.
Being able to correlate the cellular activity and tissue organization to tissue main functional activities.
To acquire and use histological and embryological terminology as a basis for the critical interpretation of the morphological knowledge.
To demonstrate the ability of observation and identification of the tissues by the common techniques of microscopic observation.
To understand the essential processes by which tissue architecture is constructed during development.
EMBRIOLOGY
Acquisition of basic knowledge of the processes leading to embryonic development: from cellular proliferation to differentiation and morphogenesis. To provide students with an understanding of human development, as well as the basic molecular concepts related to molecular induction and cell differentiation. Prerequisites
- Basic knowledge of chemistry and biology
Course programme
- HISTOLOGY
Methods and means of investigation for the observation of cells, tissues and organs. General internal organization of the cell. Stem cells and differentiation. Membrane structure and general mechanisms of transport. Intracellular compartments: smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, nucleus and nucleolus. Distribution of protein and vesicle trafficking. Exocytosis and endocytosis. Mitochondria: morphological features and their functional role. General principles of communication between cells. Cytoskeleton: molecular organization and functions. Morphofunctional features of epithelia. Classification of epithelial tissue. Cell junction, types of junction, localization and function. General properties of exocrine and endocrine glands. Classification of exocrine glands. Morphofunctional features of connective tissue proper, cartilage, bone. The extracellular matrix of connective tissues: molecular composition and functions. Histogenesis of cartilage. Membranous and endochondral ossification. Elements of histophysiology of cartilage and bone. Blood: the blood cell types, number and functions. The basic stages of hematopoiesis. Morphofunctional features of skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle. Molecular basis of contraction. The neuromuscular junction. Morphofunctional characteristic features of nervous tissue. Neurons and glial cells. Electrical and chemical synapse.
EMBRIOLOGY
Prefertilization events. Oogenesis. Spermatogenesis. Fertilization.
Week 1 of human development: blastocyst formation, implantation.
Week 2 of human development: development of the embryoblast, development of the trophoblast, development of the extraembryonic mesoderm.
Embryonic and adult stem cells.
Week 3 of human development: the notochord, the intraembryonic coelom, neurulation.
Week 4 of human development: folding of embryo, somitogenesis, subdivision of mesoderm.
The development of placenta. The formation of umbilical cord. The functions of the placenta.
The foetal development: summary of the main events during the pregnancy. Didactic methods
- The integrated course provides 75 teaching hours divided into 48 hours of frontal lectures and 27 hours of on-line assisted teaching .
The hours of on-line teaching of moodle platform certification service consist in the depth study of some topics presented during the frontal lessons and indicated by the teacher at the beginning of the course.
The teaching activity is also integrated by 25 hours of practical activity which consists of histological observations under an optical microscope provided to groups of students. Learning assessment procedures
- The assessment of the achievement of the objectives of the course will include three different examinations:
1. a practice test recognition of histological slides by an optical microscope;
2. an oral examination by 3-5 questions of histology regarding the content of the course (duration about 15-20 minutes);
3. a written test of embryology: 30 multiple choice questions (4 answers for each question). Correct answer is worth one point, wrong or no answer is 0 point. Duration of the test: 35 minutes.
A positive evaluation at the practice test will be necessary to proceed with the oral examination of histology.
Globally, it will be determined whether the student has achieved the goal of knowledge and understanding of the content of the course. Exposure properties and the use of the correct scientific terminology will be also evaluated. The final grade will be given by the weighted average of the three exams. The three tests constituting the entire exam must be passed within the time frame of two consecutive sessions. Beyond this term, all the tests must be repeated. The final outcome will depend also on the practice sessions. Reference texts
- HISTOLOGY
Monesi, Istologia, Piccin Ed.
J.B. Kerr, Atlante di Istologia funzionale, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana
Atlante di istologia. Con correlazioni funzionali e cliniche. Dongmei Cui. Piccin Ed.
EMBRIOLOGY
Barbieri M., Carinci P., Embriologia, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana
