CYTOLOGY AND HISTOLOGY
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2022/2023
- Teacher
- LUISA GIARI
- Credits
- 6
- Didactic period
- Primo Semestre
- SSD
- BIO/06
Training objectives
- The course will provide to the students
- understanding the centrality of the cell in biology of animal organisms
- an overview of the morphological variety of animal cells and tissues useful to understand the animal diversity and to face studies and research in various scientific fields and with different applications
notions in cytology, histology and embryology necessary to perform studies and research on animal models;
- capacity to recognize the animal structures at different levels of biological organization and to relate them to specific functions and adaptation
- skills on the main methods and instruments skills for the study of cells and tissues
Knowledge – the student will know:
- Chemical composition, structure and ultrastructure of animal cell
- Cell morphological diversity: Cell specializations
- Histological organization: classification, morphology and functions of animal tissues
- General structure of organs of Vertebrates
- Instruments and techniques for morphological studies
Ability – the student will be able to:
- use the proper terminology of cytology, histology and microscopic anatomy
- recognize and describe the different types of animal cells, tissues and organs
- evaluate similarities and differences between cell and tissue types
- observe and comment a histological sample or its photographic image
- choose the best instruments and techniques to prepare and observe a histological sample Prerequisites
- No specific prerequisites are expected. Basic knowledge of biology from secondary school could be useful.
Course programme
- The course consists of lectures (40 hours) and laboratory sessions (8 hours).
After an introduction to the course, the lectures will cover the following blocks of topics:
CYTOLOGY -
Levels of biological organization and importance of the cell study.
Chemical composition of cells: water, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Description of animal cell, compartimentation and endomembrane system.
Structure and function of:
- Nucleus and ribosomes: flux of information from genes to proteins
- Endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, Endosomes, Lysosomes: vesicular trafficking
- Peroxisomes
- Mitochondria: origin (endosymbiosis theory), shape, localization, overview of cellular respiration in brief
- Cytoskeleton, centrosome, mitotic spindle
- Cell membrane: composition, asymmetry, transports
Cell morphological diversity. Cell polarity. Cell specializations: microvilli, glycocalyx, stereocilia, cilia, flagella, cell junctions. Cytoplasmic inclusions.
HISTOLOGY -
General features and classification of animal tissues and organs.
Morphology, composition and functions of the following tissue types:
- epithelial tissues: covering and lining epithelia and glandular epithelia. Endocrine and exocrine glands.
- connective tissues: loose, dense, elastic, adipose, cartilage, bone, blood (with short notions on hemostasis, hematopoiesis, immune response)
- muscle tissue: skeletal, cardiac, smooth; myofibrils and muscle contraction
- nervous tissue: neurons, synapses, neuroglial cells; nerve structure
Short notions on the general organization of organs.
METHODS TO STUDY CELLS AND TISSUES -
Main instruments and techniques for morphological studies. Light and electron microscopes. Tissue preparation: dissection, fixation, embedding, cut (microtome and cut planes), histological staining, observation of slide sections. Cito-histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Flow cytometry
During laboratory activities the student will use microscopes to observe sections and recognize cells, tissues and staining techniques and will see the main instruments and step to prepare samples for light and electron microscopy. Didactic methods
- Front lectures (40 hours) using slides, images and videos. Laboratory sessions (8 hours divided in several groups and dates) with the use of the light microscope, the guided observation of histological sections and the vision, direct or through films, of materials, instruments and procedures for the preparation of the histological samples.
Learning assessment procedures
- A written test will verify the knowledge of the contents the course and the ability to recognize cells and tissues through images. The exam consists of 31 multiple-choice questions on all the topics. The evaluation is expressed in thirtieths. Each correct answer has a value of 1. To pass the exam, the students need to answer correctly at least 18 questions (minimum score 18/30). To obtain the maximum score (30 cum laude) the students need to answer correctly to all the 31 questions. The exam duration will be 30 minutes.
Reference texts
- Citologia, Istologia e Anatomia microscopica
Zaccheo D. e Pestarino M.
Pearson
Citologia e Istologia
Dalle Donne I.
Edises
For in-depth study and to recognize the histological sections:
Atlante di Istologia e Anatomia microscopica
Ross, Pawlina, Barnasch
Casa Editrice Ambrosiana
