Biotechnologies in neuroscience (2013/2014)

Course not running

Course code
4S000670
Credits
6
Coordinator
Marina Bentivoglio
Academic sector
BIO/17 - HISTOLOGY
Language of instruction
Italian
Teaching is organised as follows:
Activity Credits Period Academic staff Timetable
teoria 5 II semestre Marina Bentivoglio, Raffaella Mariotti
laboratorio 1 II semestre Marina Bentivoglio

Lesson timetable

Learning outcomes

The course is aimed at knowledge on the use of biotechnology in the field of neuroscience, with special reference to the physiopathology of the nervous system, biomolecular and cellular techniques of neurobiological interest, models of neurological disease, therapeutical approaches

Syllabus

- Principles of structural and functional organization of the nervous tissue
- The neurons: subcellular components and polarization
- Ligand-receptor activity in neurotransmission and cell membrane signal transduction mechanisms
- Synaptic transmission
- Glial cells (astrocytes, microglia, oligodendroglia, Schwann cells) and intercellular crosstalk in the nervous system
- Neuronal cell death: necrosis, apoptosis, autophagy
- Blood-brain barrier: mechanisms of regulation, pathological alterations, biotechnological approaches
- Development of the central nervous system, with special reference to neuronal migration.
- Principles of organization of sensory systems, motor programme, cognitive processing.
- Experimental methods of investigation of cognitive functions
- Physiopathological mechanisms of nervous system disease
- Experimental models of neurological disease, with special reference to neurodegenerative diseases
- Fluorescent proteins, multiphoton microscopy, cellular and subcellular imaging approaches to the study of the nervous system
- Optogenetics: general principles; advanced techniques for the visualization of the nervous tissue
- Stem cells, progenitor cells and nervous tissue
- Reparative mechanisms in the nervous system
- Approaches to the study of gene expression in the central nervous system
- In vitro studies and biotechnological approaches
- Gene therapy
- Cell therapy

Assessment methods and criteria

Oral examination

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