02359 - General Pathology and Physiopathology (LZ-B)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student: - has clear the concepts of disease etiology and pathogenesis. He/she also knows the etiology of disease processes and the pathogenic mechanism of their development. He/she knows the basic defense mechanisms involved in response to pathogens; the morphological alterations that they cause in cells and tissues and their systemic and functional consequences for the organism. He/she- is able to connect molecular, morphological, microbiological, immunological and physiological knowledge, with the etiopathogenesis of disease processes. He/she is able to use the knowledge of pathology and physiopathology for the critical interpretation of experimental and clinical data. He/she is able to understand the reasons of the signs and symptoms of disease and possesses the basis for the evidence based clinical practice.

Course contents

Cell Pathology. Cellular adaptations: hypertrophy, hyperplasia, atrophy, metaplasia. Cell injury and cell death: cell swelling; morphology and molecular aspects of necrosis and apoptosis. Anoikis, autophagy, entosis. Intracellular and extracellular accumulations: steatosis, amyloidosis, pathological calcifications. Familial hypercholesterolemia. Molecular basis of Alzheimer disease and of prion diseases.

Free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mechanisms of formation and effects on tissues. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic protection systems.

Environmental Pathology. Ionizing radiations and UV light. Electricity as a cause of disease. High and low temperatures as a cause of disease. Smoking-related diseases. Disease related with ethanol abuse.

Receptors of innate immunity. Toll-like and Nod-like receptors. Activation of the inflammatory and immune responses by danger signals of exogenous (PAMPS) or endogenous origin (DAMPS).

Biological basis of aging. Role of telomeres and of oxidative metabolism. Progeroid syndromes. Relationship between senescence and cancer. Adult and embryonic stem cells.

Microbiota in health and disease.Relationship with immune system.

Inflammation and repair. Etiology and classification of acute inflammation, mediators of inflammation, formation of exudate, phagocytosis., Chronic and granulomatous inflammation. Pathogenesis of tuberculosis. Tissue repair, wound healing, sclerosis, cirrhosis. Relationship bethween inflammation, aging, cancer and metabolic disorders. Relationship between inflammation and central nervous system.

General Physiopathology: Haemostasis and haemorrhagic disorders; Thrombosis and Embolism; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC); Anaemias: thalassemia, erythroenzymopathy, anaemias caused by deficiency of iron, of folic acid and of B12 vitamin (megaloblastic anaemias); Shock; Hypertension; Atherosclerosis and other Arteriosclerosis; Fever and non-Febrile Hyperthermias, Malignant Hyperthermia; Diabetes mellitus physiopathology. An outline of the hypothalamus-pituitary axis physiopathology, of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, and of adrenal physiopathology. Oedema.

General histopathology. Benign and malignant epithelial cancers. Mesenchymal tumors. Metastasis. Intracellular and extracellular accumulations. Necrosis and infarction. Types of acute inflammation: serous, fibrinous, purulent, necrotic, hemorragic. Chronic inflammations: non-specific and granulomatous. Granulation tissue: sclerosis, cirrhosis. Arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis. Thrombosis.

Readings/Bibliography

Robbins-Cotran, The pathological basis of disease, 9th edition, Elsevier.

Teaching methods

A total of 64 hour of lectures. It is strongly recommended to print the slides, and to use the prints as a track to make notes. The histopathology laboratories will be made with small groups of students. Each drill lesson will be preceded by a preparatory lecture.

Assessment methods

The exam is oral and consists of a part of Histopathology with recognition and discussion of histological preparations and discussions on parts of the program covered in the lectures. The final grade is determined by averaging the marks obtained in individual applications.

Teaching tools

Slides are available from the AMS Campus website.

Office hours

See the website of Fabio Dall'Olio