13622 - Plant Biology and Animal Biology

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to give the basic knowledges on the organization of animal and plant organisms, at cellular, tissue and organ level. The course covers different aspects concerning the structure and funcion of the animal and plant cell, the interactions among cells within the organism , the types of cell division, and general aspects of inheritance. The organization of higher plants at cellular and morphological level, and the basic principles which regulate their development is also covered.

Course contents

Animal biology - Biological molecules: aminoacids and proteins, glucides, lipids, DNA, RNA. Prokaryotes and first eukaryotic cells.Eukaryotic  cell membranes: structure (fluid mosaic model), function (permeability and transport, endocytosis and exocytosis). Endoplasmic reticulum. Structure and functions of: Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, mitochondria and peroxisomes. Cytoskeleton: microfilaments, microtubules, intermediate filaments; centrosome and centrioles. Structure of cilia and flagella.Nucleus: chromosome structure. DNA duplication, RNA transcription. Ribosomes and protein synthesis. Genetic code. Cell cycle: mitosis and meiosis. Somatic and germ line. Asexual and sexual reproduction. Gametogenesis and fertilization. Parthenogenesis, ginogenesis, hybridogenesis. Mendelian laws. Codominace, incomplete dominance. Linkage and gene-gene interactions. Sex-linked heredity. Lyon's hypothesis. Chromosome and genome mutations. Human aneuploidies.

Plant biology - The main division of the plant kingdom: procaryotes and eucaryotes. Thallophytes and cormophytes. Autotrophic and heterotrophic metabolism. The main compartments of the plant cell. Vacuole and secondary metabolites. The cell wall: apoplast and symplast. Plastids. The organization of plant tissues: meristems, primary and secondary adult tissues. Phloem and xylem. Herbaceous and arboreous primary stem; crybro-vascular bundles. Stem morphology. Secondary growth of the stem. Secondary wood of Gymnosperms and Dicotyledons. The leaf's anatomic structure. The root's anatomic structure. Primary and secondary root. The secondary root formation.

 

Readings/Bibliography

Biologia animale: 1) Sadava, Heller, Orians, Purves, Hillis 

  ELEMENTI DI BIOLOGIA E GENETICA

  Zanichelli

 

2) Sadava, Heller, Orians, Purves, Hillis 

  BIOLOGIA, i volumi

         - La cellula

         - L'ereditarietà e il genoma

   Zanichelli

 

 

3) Campbell, Reece

   BIOLOGIA 

   Zanichelli

 

Plant Biology: 1) Maugini, Maleci Bini, Mariotti Lippi

Manuale di botanica farmaceutica, VIII Edizione

Piccin

2+3) Sadava, Heller, Orians, Purves, Hillis . Biologia: i volumi

-  La cellula

- La biologia delle piante

 Zanichelli

 

Teaching methods

 

Assessment methods

The final examination consists in a written and an oral part.

Teaching tools

Instruments: PC and video-projector for the front lessons (Power Point).

Office hours

See the website of Fabiana Antognoni

See the website of Ombretta Marescalchi