CELLULAR NEUROBIOLOGY

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Course ID

SVB0069

Teacher

Prof. Patrizia Bovolin

Degree course

Cellular and Molecular Biology

Year

1st year

Teaching period

First semester

Type

Distinctive

Credits/Recognition

Course disciplinary sector (SSD)

BIO/06 - anatomia comparata e citologia

Delivery

Formal authority

Language

English

Attendance

Lessons optional and laboratories mandatory

Type of examination

Oral

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Course objectives

This course aims to provide students with an advanced knowledge of cell and molecular biology of neurons, glia and other neural cell types

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The students will familiarize with techniques and research strategies employed in cellular neurobiology
They will improve their comprehension of scientific articles and develop their skills in choosing, reporting and discussing data from the neurobiology scientific literature

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This course includes 40 hours of in‐class lectures and seminars, discussions times and short movies
Some seminars on special topics will be delivered by invited speakers
The teacher will select four-five articles per topic, among all the ones proposed by the students, for end-of-the-course student ppt presentations

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Bibliographic search activity (obligatory): For each main topic presented by the teacher in lecture form, all the students will make a bibliographic search on PubMed/Google Scholar to find one research article, which should be interesting and pertinent to the topic
Short article presentation (optional): Students will give a short ppt presentation before the end of the course on one of the articles previously selected through the Biobliographic Search activity. This presentation may provide additional points to the grade of the final exam, provided this will be passed in the first exam session (January-February 2016)
Final exam: This exam will be a written test of 20-25 questions with different formats: word definitions; multiple choice quizzes; open questions; short reading-comprehension exercises based on literature material
Scores: 15% of the final grade will be based on the Bibliographic Search activity. The remaining 85% will be covered by the final exam. The maximum grade will be 32/30. “ 30 cum laude” will be assigned to grades 31 and 32. All additional points obtained with the PPT presentation will be added to the final exam of the first exam session (January-February 2016).
Upon request, students can take an integrative oral examination

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Ependymal, choroidal and endothelial cells: BBB, B-CSF-B, the problem of delivery of exogenous molecules to the brain
The neuron: - origin and function of neuronal multiplicity - subcellular organization of the neuron - origin, maintenance and functional aspects of neuronal polarity - neuronal cytoskeleton, molecular motors and axonal transport - dendritic spines, transport and targeting of dendritic mRNA, local synthesis of proteins - trafficking of axonal and dendritic proteins – the neurogenetics of Intellectual Disability disorders
Cellular communication in the nervous system: - the neuron as a secretory cell and the organization of the presynaptic terminal - the postsynaptic density, neuromuscular junction versus central synapses - general classification of neurotransmitter receptors, structure and function of GABA and glutamate receptors - molecular composition and dynamic regulation of gabaergic and glutamatergic synapses – the endocannabinoid system - adhesion molecules, synaptic maintenance and synaptic plasticity - non-synaptic communication – targeting neurons for Optogenetics - the Zebrafish model in Neurobiology
Glial cells: - classification, morphology and classical roles – Astrocytes: morphological & functional features, reactive gliosis, gliotransmission - Myelinating cells: origin, precursor cells, myelination regulation and pathological aspects - Microglia: physiological and pathological roles.

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