| Code |
13634
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| Year |
1
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| Semester |
S1
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| ECTS Credits |
6
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| Workload |
PL(30H)/T(30H)
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| Scientific area |
Ciências Biológicas e Biomédicas
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Entry requirements |
Not-applicable.
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Mode of delivery |
Face-to-face
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Work placements |
Not applicable
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Learning outcomes |
This course unit gives to the students an overview of the fundamental unit of life: the cell (structure, function of
the different cellular compartments, cell activation pathways, cell cycle, cell renewal and apoptosis).
At the end of this course unit students must be able to: - Be aware that cells are the morphological and
functional units of living beings. - Describe the main cellular signaling pathways. - Know the mechanisms
through wich cells regulate their cell cycle. - Know and apply the laboratory safety rules. - Manipulate basic
laboratory equipments. - Read and understand scientific documents. - Be creative and capable to adapt to new
professional situations. - Recognize their limitations and be aware of the importance of keeping their skills
update, paying special attention to self-learning based on scientific data available.
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Syllabus |
Theoretical:
1. Introduction to Molecular Cell Biology
1.1 The cell: the morphological and functional unit of living beings
1.2 Endosymbiotic Theory
2. Cell nucleus: structure and functions
3. Structure and function of cellular organelles
4. Cell cytoskeleton: structure and function
5. Cellular signaling pathways
5.1 Membrane Receptors
5.2 Proteins involved in cellular signaling
5.3 Second messengers
6. Cell cycle
6.1 Apoptosis
7. Characterization of cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix
8. Introduction to tissues: structure and function
8.1 Epithelial Tissue
8.2 Connective Tissue
9. Stem cells
10. Cancer cells
Practical:
- Good practices of handling lab equipment’s;
- Extraction of genomic DNA;
- DNA quantification and evaluation of its integrity;
- Cell membrane permeability;
- Cytochrome C: Oxidation-reduction process;
- Observation of mitosis in onion root apices;
- Visualization of cytoskeleton by immunofluorescence
- Visualization of tissues using an optical microscope
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Main Bibliography |
1. Bibliografia principal
- Biologia celular e molecular, Carlos Azevedo, 5ª edição, Lidel, Edições Técnicas, Lisboa, 2012.
- Alberts B., Bray D., Hopkin K. et al, “Fundamentos de Biologia Celular”. 3th Ed. Artmed, 2011.
- Molecular cell biology, lodish et al., 9th edition, New York : Macmillan Learning, 2021.
- Karp's Cell and Molecular Biology: Concepts and Experiments, 8th Edition, john wiley & sons, inc., 2016.
2.Bibliografia complementar
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/
- http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/home/home.do
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Teaching Methodologies and Assessment Criteria |
The professor makes the oral exposure of the different contents using slides in the theoretical lectures. During classes, students are stimulated to discuss the various themes with professor and colleagues. In practical classes students have the opportunity to learn and handle laboratory basic equipments (micropipettes, optical microscope, centrifuges and pH meter), and to carry out different laboratorial techniques widely used in molecular and cell biology investigation.
Evaluation:
- 3 tests (T1, T2 and T3). T3 evaluates the laboratorial practical
- Final mark: (T1 + T2)/2 * 0.7 + T3*0.3
- Regular attendance: 75% theoretical and 100% practical
- To be admitted to the final exam, students must have a final grade of at least 6 values in a scale 0-20
- To get approve, students must have at least 10 values in a scale of 0-20
Exam:
All contents of UC will be evaluated.
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Language |
Portuguese. Tutorial support is available in English.
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