Cell biology and histology

obligatory courses

This lecture is addressed to the students of the Faculty of Physics. The student entering the course should posses a basic knowledge concerning the structure and function of cells and tissues.

The aim of this course of lectures is to acquaint the students of the Faculty of Physics with the basis of knowledge of modern cell biology and histology.

This course consists of two parts. One is devoted to the cell biology and the other to histology. The aim of the part devoted to cell biology is to acquaint students with the basis of contemporary knowledge concerning the structure and biochemistry of eukaryotic cell. The lecture gives also the basic knowledge concerning the problems of embryonic development, stem cells (embryonal and induced) and carcinogenesis.

Programme:

- Cell theory and chemistry of the cell

- The origin of cell, comparison of prokayotic and eukaryotic cell

The RNA world; Szostak's theory, the origin of eukaryotic cell

Comparison of procaryotic and eukaryotic cell

- Plasma membrane and its functions

The lipid bilayer; phospholipids and membrane mobility; endoplasmic reticulum, the model of liquid mosaic; cell signaling

- The Mitochondrion

Structure and function; oxidative phosphorylation

- Chloroplasts and photosynthesis

- The Cytoskeleton

microtubules, microfilaments, intermediate filaments, molecular motors and the transport of particles

- The Nucleus

the origin of cell nucleus; stucture; nuclear envelope; nuclear pore complex; active and passive transport into the nucleus; NLS

The Nucleolus: structure and function. Formation of pre-ribosomes

The Chromatin

Chromatin structurep; nucleosomes; chromatin remodeling; post translational modifications of core histones; histone code; euchromatin and heterochromatin

- DNA replication

The palce of DNA replication in the cell cycle; DNA structure; replication as a semiconservative process; the chemistry of DNA synthesis; origins of DNA relication (ori); formation of pre-replicative complexes; initiation of replication; DNA polymerases; the replication forks; DNA repair

- Transcription and translation

RNA structure; RNA polymerases (I, II, III); initiation of trasncription in eukaryotic cells; from DNA to RNA; RNA cappinig and splicing; RNA export

Translation

from rNA to the polypetide; initiation of translation; STOP codons; protein folding and degradation, proteasom

- Cell Cycle

Cell cycle phases; regulation of cell cycle; the main cyclins and cyclin dependent kinases (Cdk); regulation of Cdks activity; check points; mitogens; growth factors; survival factors

Apoptosis - programmed cell death

Cell division (mitosis)

- Meiosis, germ cells and embryonic cells

Mitosis and Meiosis - the comparison; diploid and haploid generations in plants and animals; coniugation of bivalents; synaptonemal complex; crossing-over; genetic diversity

Primordial germ cells; the testis and the ovary; oogenesis and spermatogenesis; meiotic maturation; fertilization and the first cell cycle; cleavage; gastrulation and formation of ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm; regulatory abilities of early mammalian embryo

- Stem cells

embryonic stem cells; induced stem cells; therapeutic cloning; cell therapies

The aim of the lecture is to introduce students to general human histology.

The program includes topics on:

1) microscopy and histological techniques

2) general morphological and functional characteristics of tissues, in particular:

- epithelium

- fat tissue

- connective tissue

- cartilage and bone

- muscle

- nerve tissue

- blood

3) organ morphology

Alberts B. i wsp. (1999) "Podstawy biologii komórki. Wprowadzenie do biologii molekularnej" Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN

Alberts B. et al., (2002, 4th edition) or (2008, 5th edition) "Molecular Biology of the Cell" Garland Science, Taylor &Francis Group, LLC

Alberts B. i wsp. (2009)"Podstawy biologii komórki" cz I i II Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN

Kilarski W. (2005 or 2012) "Strukturalne podstawy biologii komórki" Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN

Sawicki W., Malejczyk J. Histologia. Wydawnictwo Lekarskie PZWL

The basic knowledge concerning modern cell biology and histology. The students know the cell structure and chemistry and are able to distinguishe prokaryotic cell from eukaryotic cell. They know how the first cells arose. They have knowledge about basic biochemical processes occuring in living cells, like DNA and RNA synthesis, translation and degradation of proteins. The students know how the cells communicate between themselves and with the environmet. They understand how the cell cycle is organized and regulated. They have the basic knowledge concerning formation of germ cells and early embryonic development of vertebrates, as well as formation of embryonic and induced stem cells. Students know how tissues and organs are built and what role they play in the body. They can identify tissues and organs based on microscopic preparations. They also has basic knowledge of the histopathological changes. After completing the lecture students can read and understand popular science texts related to histology.

test exam