84285 - Cell Signaling

Learning outcomes

Differentiate structure, receptors, and mechanism of actions of hormones. Describe pathways of cellular signaling, and their mechanisms of activation, cross-talk and regulation. Discuss how disruptions in cellular signaling may lead to disease, and illustrate with selected examples.

Course contents

Lecture A. 1. General features of cell signal transduction: physical and chemical signals

Lecture A. 2. Cell surface receptors and nuclear receptors

Lecture A. 3. Classification of hormones

Lecture A. 4. Biosynthesis and secretion of insulin

Lecture A. 5. Signaling mechanisms regulated by receptor tyrosine kinases – part 1 (insulin/EGF & the MAPK cascade)

Lecture A. 6. Small G proteins: who, what, where. (Ras signaling and cancer)

Lecture A. 7. Signaling mechanisms regulated by receptor tyrosine kinases – part 2 (insulin & the PI3K branch).

Lecture A. 8. Receptors recruiting protein tyrosine kinases to the plasma membrane (growth hormone signaling; JAK-STAT direct pathway to the nucleus). Receptor guanylyl cyclases.

Lecture A. 9. Heterotrimeric G protein-coupled receptors – part 1 (adenylyl cyclase, cAMP dependent protein kinase)

Lecture A.10. Heterotrimeric G protein-coupled receptors – part 2 (phospholipids & calcium as second messengers)

Lecture A.11. Keynote Lecture in collaboration with M.M. Cox (Ionizing radiation resistance in experimentally evolved E. coli populations)

Lecture A.12. cAMP response element-binding protein – CREB: its involvement in circadian rhythm

Lecture A.13. Cytochrome P-450 and biosynthesis of steroid hormones – part 1

Lecture A.14. Cytochrome P-450 and biosynthesis of steroid hormones – part 2

Lecture A.15. Nuclear receptors: the ligand-activated transcription factor paradigm (hints about cell signaling by steroid hormones, vitamin D and thyroid hormones; dietary lipids and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors - PPARs)

Lecture A.16. Death signaling: cell stress and mitochondria.

Readings/Bibliography

• David L. Nelson, Michael M. Cox

          Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry,

          Seventh Edition ©2017

       ISBN-10: 1-4641-2611-9; ISBN-13: 978-1-4641-2611-6

       or the equivalent International 7th Edition by W. H. Freeman-

       Macmillan learning ISBN: 978-1-319-10824-3

• Supplemental resources available for download from the E-learning dashboard of the course "Insegnamenti online" [link]

Teaching methods

The course of Cell Signaling is mainly taught by means of regular lectures.

Attendance to this learning activity is mandatory; the minimum attendance requirement to be admitted to the final exam is 66% of lessons. Since this learning activity is part of an Integrated Course (I.C. #84284-Signaling pathways in health and disease), the 66% attendance requirement refers to the total amount of I.C. lessons (14 CFUs=112 total hours). Students who fail to meet the minimum attendance requirement (i.e. 74 hours) will not be admitted to the final exam of this I.C., and will have to attend relevant classes again during the next academic year.

Professors may authorise excused absences upon receipt of proper justifying documentation, in case of illness or serious reasons. Excused absences do not count against a student’s attendance record to determine their minimum attendance requirement.

Some teaching material related to the topics that have been presented during class time is available for download from the E-learning dashboard of the course "Insegnamenti online" (cf. below) so that the students gain further insights on particular issues and make their learning an active process. Our general policy for those handouts is that they are not a literal script of the lectures, but reflect key features and tricky points that may require further explanation.

Assessment methods

Students who regularly attended the course of Cell Signaling will be evaluated through a four-hour FINAL EXAM, a cumulative written test with both multiple-choice and open-ended response formats that include topics from all the teaching modules of the integrated course of Signaling Pathways in Health and Disease: Cell Signaling, Metabolic Biochemistry and Physiology (module_1 and module_2). Final Grade Fractions: Cell Signaling, 9/32 pts; Metabolic Biochemistry 14/32 pts; Physiology, 9/32 pts. MAX GRADE: 30 cum laude.

Candidates who are awarded a provisional mark >=28 in the written test may benefit from a discretionary oral examination in the closest call (see AlmaEsami for details) and will be further examined by the teachers of all the modules of the integrated course.
Under no circumstances shall the outcome of a discretionary oral examination be used to lower a grade that has been provisionally awarded in the written test.
Provisional marks in the written test will become candidates’ confirmed marks if she/he declines to attend a discretionary oral examination.

Teaching tools

Lecture slides and insights by E-learning outside of class time
(i.e. "Insegnamenti online", institutional platform for teaching support service [link]).
 

Office hours

See the website of Maria Luisa Genova