CHEMISTRY AND PROPEDEUTIC BIOCHEMISTRY
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Full programme
- Bibliography
- Teaching methods
No one in particular, without forgetting basic Maths (metric measures, unit conversion, proportions).
The examination of the integrated course is unique, as for all integrated courses, and includes the two disciplines that are part of it. Note that:
- the final vote is unique, and represents the average for the assessments obtained in the two disciplines;
- insufficiency in a discipline compromises the outcome of the whole exam, which must be repeated with a new registration.
The exam consists of multiple choice and/or open-ended questions. Additional oral questions/discussion may occur according to the evaluation of the the written text, or upon request by students.
Knowing the chemical basis of biological phenomena, mostly those important in physiology, diseases, and clinical practice, at the level of cells, tissues and total body. Approaching the own language and method of experimental life sciences.
Chemistry
CHEMISTRY: CHEMICAL BONDS.
SOLUTIONS.
ACID-BASE BALANCE.
BIOENERGETICS.
ENZYMES.
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS.
LIPIDS.
NUCLEIC ACIDS.
CARBOHYDRATES.
AMINOACIDS AND PROTEINS.
APPLIED BIOLOGY: The macromolecules of life. Eukariotic and prokariotic cells. Aploid and diploid organisms. Cellular replication: mitosis and meiosis. Examples of cellular cicles. DNA: From the discover to the structure. RNA: THe transcription. The ribosomes and the translation mechanism. Chromatin and chromsome structure. Introduction to the mutations.The genetic basis of the hereditary applied to the genealogical trees
Chemistry
1) CHEMICAL BONDS. Covalent and ionic bonding, molecules and crystals
2) SOLUTIONS. Water properties, solvation and electrolytes, hydrogen bond, concentration of the solutions.
3) ACID-BASE BALANCE. Fundamentals (strength of the acids and the bases pH, pK), buffering, biological buffers, Handerson-Hasselbalch equation
4) BIOENERGETICS (I). Principles of the thermodynamics, free energy and spontaneous reactions, high-energy bonds.
5) BIOENERGETICS (II). Redox potentials, redox pairs of particular biological importance, oxidative phosphorylation.
6) ENZYMES. Reaction rate and chemical equilibrium, catalysts and biological catalysis, specificity and control of enzymatic reactions
7) ORGANIC COMPOUNDS. Functional groups: alcohol, aldehydes, ketones, carboxyl acids, amines. Nomenclature and main characteristics. Main types of isomers. Aromatic compounds.
8) LIPIDS. Fatty acids, triglycerides and phospholipids. Detergents and micelles. NUCLEIC ACIDS. Nitrogenous bases and nucleotides, DNA and RNA
9) CARBOHYDRATES. Monosaccharides, pentoses, hexoses, anomers and epimers; glycosidic bond, di- and polysaccharides
10) AMINOACIDS AND PROTEINS. General structure and properties of the main side chains. Peptide bond and protein structure.
Chemistry
All didactic material presented in the classes as well the one necessary for the preparation of the examination (slides, pantries, exercises) is available in the e-learning platform.
Textbook suggested according to the individual preferences (written in Italian).
M. Samaja, R. Paroni - Chimica e Biochimica per le lauree triennali dell’area biomedica – Piccin editore (simple but complete, suitable for the Biochemistry class too).
Fiecchi A., Galli Kienle M., Scala A, Chimica e propedeutica biochimica - edi ermes editore (synthetic and complete);
Stefani S., Taddei N. - Chimica, Biochimica e Biologia applicata - Zanichelli editore (more details and points of view);
Roberti R., Alunni Bistocchi G., Elementi di Chimica e Biochimica - McGraw Hill editore (very simple and synthetic).
APPLIED BIOLOGY: Chimica, Biochimica e biologia applicata, 2a edizione, 2008, ZANICHELLI.
The class consists of lectures (each one takes 2 hours) covering the entire exam program. Also available on the e-learning platform are exercises, handouts and on-line treatment of the class topics.