Cell Biology

10th and 11th grade biology

Theoretical component: presentation of the syllabus with audiovisual means, encouraging interactivity and promoting critical thinking. Case studies discussion.

Theoretical-practical component: bibliographic search, promoting critical abilities, autonomy and scientific communication skills

The student must acquire knowledge:

• To achieve a global perspective of the cell functioning and its implications in evolution, morphogenetics, bioenergetics and for the organization of complex biological systems.
• To understand cellular functioning (especially eukaryotic) and so, of the organism itself.
• To identify the organelles and cell structures, understanding how the structure is linked to the function and how cells keep their functional integrity.
• To recognize the action of drugs in cellular targets.

The student should acquire skills to:

• Identify and explain functional contexts, their implications and possible ways of pharmacological intervention.

The student should acquire the expertise to:

• Mobilize knowledge for the interrelation of cell biology with applications in pharmacy and biomedicine
• Critically analyse and mobilize data acquired from the scientific literature.
• Organize and improve scientific communication skills.

1.  Introduction to the cell study. Biological organization. (1h)

2. Cell: (1h)

Prokaryotic cell versus eukaryotic cell.

Plant cell and animal cell.

Cell organelles: structure and function.

3. Nucleus and nuclear organization. (1h)

4. Plasma membrane: (3h)

Structure and function.

Transmembrane transport, endocytosis and exocytosis.

Membrane receptors and transporters as drug therapy targets.

Specialized drug transport.

Membrane specializations and adhesion molecules.

Membrane potential and action potential.

5. Cellular communication: (2h)

Intercellular signaling pathways and intracellular signal transduction pathways.

6. Cytoskeleton: structure, dynamics and subcellular targets in drug therapy. (1h)

7. Endomembrane system: Endoplasmic Reticulum, Golgi Complex, lysosomes and peroxisomes. (1h)

8. Protein synthesis, sorting and degradation pathways (UPR and ERAD mechanisms). (1h)

9. Mitochondria and bioenergetics. (2h)

    Mitochondria, ageing and tumour proliferation.

10.Cell division and differentiation; stem cells; Cell cycle: (2h)

Cell cycle control.

Apoptosis.

Targets in the pharmacological therapy of cancer.

THEORETICAL-PRACTICAL

Search for relevant scientific papers and critical analysis/discussion.

NAO

Primary Bibliography:

Azevedo C, Sunkel CE (2012). Biologia Celular e Molecular, 5ª edição, LIDEL.

Alberts, B. et al (2017). Fundamentos de Biologia Celular, 4ª edição, Artmed.

Secondary Bibliography:

Alberts, B. et al (2018). Essential Cell Biology, 5nd edition, Garland Science.

Lodish et al. (2015). Biologia Celular e Molecular, 7ªed. panamericana.

Scientific papers.