Silvia FRANCESCHELLI | APPLIED BIOLOGY AND BASICS OF PHYSIOLOGY

cod. FR12300002

APPLIED BIOLOGY AND BASICS OF PHYSIOLOGY

	FR12300002
	DIPARTIMENTO DI FARMACIA
	EQF6
	VETERINARY PHARMACEUTICS AND NUTRACEUTICS
	2025/2026

PERCORSO COMUNE

	OBBLIGATORIO
	YEAR OF COURSE 1
	YEAR OF DIDACTIC SYSTEM 2025
	AUTUMN SEMESTER

TEACHING UNITS

	SSD	CFU	HOURS	ACTIVITY	TYPE OF ACTIVITY
	BIO/13	9	72	LESSONS	BASIC COMPULSORY SUBJECTS

PROFESSORS

	SILVIA FRANCESCHELLI T Curriculum
	MICHELA PECORARO Curriculum

	Objectives
	THE COURSE AIMS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE BASIC MECHANISMS INVOLVED IN THE EXPRESSION, DUPLICATION AND TRANSMISSION OF GENETIC INFORMATION; IN CELL DEVELOPMENT, DIFFERENTIATION, PROLIFERATION; BIOGENESIS OF ORGANELLES AND CELLULAR STRUCTURES, THEIR FUNCTION AND REGULATION; INTERACTION BETWEEN CELLS, BIOLOGICAL BASIS OF EVOLUTION; TO PROVIDE BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OF LIVESTOCK AND COMPANION ANIMALS, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR UNDERSTANDING ANIMAL PHARMACEUTICALS AND NUTRACEUTICALS AT THE END OF THE COURSE THE STUDENT WILL KNOW: 1) ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTION OF THE EUKARYOTIC CELL 2) MOLECULAR BASIS OF THE MAIN CELLULAR FUNCTIONS AND REGULATORY SYSTEMS 3) FUNCTION OF THE DIFFERENT CELLULAR ORGANELLES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS 4) KNOW THE PHYSIOLOGY OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR, DIGESTIVE, URINARY, NERVOUS, ENDOCRINE AND IMMUNE SYSTEMS OF FARM AND COMPANION ANIMALS THE STUDENT, APPLYING THE SKILLS ACQUIRED, MUST BE ABLE TO: 1) UNDERSTAND CLASSICAL AND ADVANCED CONCEPTS OF CELL BIOLOGY 2) IDENTIFY THE MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BASIS OF PATHOLOGIES 3) ADDRESS AND SOLVE PROBLEMS RELATED TO CELL BIOLOGY 4) UNDERSTAND THE FUNCTIONING AND THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT ORGANS AND ANIMAL TISSUES

THE COURSE AIMS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE BASIC MECHANISMS INVOLVED IN THE EXPRESSION, DUPLICATION AND TRANSMISSION OF GENETIC INFORMATION; IN CELL DEVELOPMENT, DIFFERENTIATION, PROLIFERATION; BIOGENESIS OF ORGANELLES AND CELLULAR STRUCTURES, THEIR FUNCTION AND REGULATION; INTERACTION BETWEEN CELLS, BIOLOGICAL BASIS OF EVOLUTION; TO PROVIDE BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OF LIVESTOCK AND COMPANION ANIMALS, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR UNDERSTANDING ANIMAL PHARMACEUTICALS AND NUTRACEUTICALS
AT THE END OF THE COURSE THE STUDENT WILL KNOW:
1) ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTION OF THE EUKARYOTIC CELL
2) MOLECULAR BASIS OF THE MAIN CELLULAR FUNCTIONS AND REGULATORY SYSTEMS
3) FUNCTION OF THE DIFFERENT CELLULAR ORGANELLES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS
4) KNOW THE PHYSIOLOGY OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR, DIGESTIVE, URINARY,
NERVOUS, ENDOCRINE AND IMMUNE SYSTEMS OF FARM AND COMPANION
ANIMALS
THE STUDENT, APPLYING THE SKILLS ACQUIRED, MUST BE ABLE TO:
1) UNDERSTAND CLASSICAL AND ADVANCED CONCEPTS OF CELL BIOLOGY
2) IDENTIFY THE MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BASIS OF PATHOLOGIES
3) ADDRESS AND SOLVE PROBLEMS RELATED TO CELL BIOLOGY
4) UNDERSTAND THE FUNCTIONING AND THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT
ORGANS AND ANIMAL TISSUES

	Prerequisites
	BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF GENERAL AND INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS AND MATHEMATICS PROVIDED BY HIGH SCHOOLS.

	Contents
	APPLIED BIOLOGY (48 HR, 6 CFU) CHEMICAL BASIS OF LIFE: THE ORGANIC MOLECULES (6 HR) GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CELLS (2 HR) STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE PLASMA MEMBRANE (4 HR) THE SYSTEMS OF CYTOPLASMIC MEMBRANES: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND MEMBRANE TRAFFICKING (4 HR) AEROBIC RESPIRATION AND MITOCHONDRIA (4 HR) CYTOSKELETON AND CELL MOTILITY (4 HR) CELL COMMUNICATION (2 HR) CELL SIGNALING AND SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION (2 HR) DNA, CHROMOSOMES AND GENOMES (2 HR) THE NUCLEUS AND THE CONTROL OF GENE EXPRESSION (4 HR) REPLICATION AND REPAIR OF DNA (2 HR) GENE EXPRESSION: FROM TRANSCRIPTION TO TRANSLATION (6 HR) CELL CICLE AND CELLULAR REPRODUCTION (4 HR) MENDELIAN GENETICS (4 HR) BASICS OF PHYSIOLOGY (24 HR, 3 CFU) INTRODUCTION TO PHYSIOLOGY: HOMEOSTASIS, POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE FEEDBACK (2 HOURS) CELL COMMUNICATION: MEMBRANE POTENTIAL, VOLTAGE-GATED ION CHANNELS, GRADED POTENTIAL, ACTION POTENTIAL (2 HOURS) NERVOUS SYSTEM: NEURON, PROPAGATION OF THE ACTION POTENTIAL ALONG THE AXON, ABSOLUTE AND RELATIVE REFRACTORY PERIOD; NEUROGLIA CELLS; CNS, PNS, AFFERENT (GENERAL AND SPECIFIC SENSITIVITY) AND EFFERENT (SOMATIC AND AUTONOMIC) (4 HOURS) ENDOCRINE SYSTEM: ADENOHYPOPHYSIS, NEUROHYPOPHYSIS, THYROID, PARATHYROIDS, PANCREAS, ADRENAL GLANDS, KIDNEYS, HEART, THYMUS, GONADS AND THEIR HORMONES (4 HOURS) CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM: BLOOD, VESSELS, REGULATION OF BLOOD FLOW AND PRESSURE, HEART, CARDIAC CYCLE, CARDIAC CONDUCTION SYSTEM (4 HR) DIGESTIVE SYSTEM: ORAL CAVITY, ESOPHAGUS, STOMACH, SMALL AND LARGE INTESTINE, EXOCRINE PANCREAS, LIVER (2 HOURS) IMMUNE SYSTEM: INNATE AND ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY (2 HOURS) REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM: MALE (EXTERNAL GENITALIA, RELATED DUCTS AND GLANDS; HORMONAL REGULATION, ERECTION REFLEX, EJACULATION) AND FEMALE (OOGENESIS, FERTILIZATION, LACTATION) (4 HR)

Contents

APPLIED BIOLOGY (48 HR, 6 CFU)
CHEMICAL BASIS OF LIFE: THE ORGANIC MOLECULES (6 HR)
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CELLS (2 HR)
STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE PLASMA MEMBRANE (4 HR)
THE SYSTEMS OF CYTOPLASMIC MEMBRANES: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND MEMBRANE TRAFFICKING (4 HR)
AEROBIC RESPIRATION AND MITOCHONDRIA (4 HR)
CYTOSKELETON AND CELL MOTILITY (4 HR)
CELL COMMUNICATION (2 HR)
CELL SIGNALING AND SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION (2 HR)
DNA, CHROMOSOMES AND GENOMES (2 HR)
THE NUCLEUS AND THE CONTROL OF GENE EXPRESSION (4 HR)
REPLICATION AND REPAIR OF DNA (2 HR)
GENE EXPRESSION: FROM TRANSCRIPTION TO TRANSLATION (6 HR)
CELL CICLE AND CELLULAR REPRODUCTION (4 HR)
MENDELIAN GENETICS (4 HR)

BASICS OF PHYSIOLOGY (24 HR, 3 CFU)
INTRODUCTION TO PHYSIOLOGY: HOMEOSTASIS, POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE FEEDBACK (2 HOURS)
CELL COMMUNICATION: MEMBRANE POTENTIAL, VOLTAGE-GATED ION CHANNELS, GRADED POTENTIAL, ACTION POTENTIAL (2 HOURS)
NERVOUS SYSTEM: NEURON, PROPAGATION OF THE ACTION POTENTIAL ALONG THE AXON, ABSOLUTE AND RELATIVE REFRACTORY PERIOD; NEUROGLIA CELLS; CNS, PNS, AFFERENT (GENERAL AND SPECIFIC SENSITIVITY) AND EFFERENT (SOMATIC AND AUTONOMIC) (4 HOURS)
ENDOCRINE SYSTEM: ADENOHYPOPHYSIS, NEUROHYPOPHYSIS, THYROID, PARATHYROIDS, PANCREAS, ADRENAL GLANDS, KIDNEYS, HEART, THYMUS, GONADS AND THEIR HORMONES (4 HOURS)
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM: BLOOD, VESSELS, REGULATION OF BLOOD FLOW AND PRESSURE, HEART, CARDIAC CYCLE, CARDIAC CONDUCTION SYSTEM (4 HR)
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM: ORAL CAVITY, ESOPHAGUS, STOMACH, SMALL AND LARGE INTESTINE, EXOCRINE PANCREAS, LIVER (2 HOURS)
IMMUNE SYSTEM: INNATE AND ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY (2 HOURS)
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM: MALE (EXTERNAL GENITALIA, RELATED DUCTS AND GLANDS; HORMONAL REGULATION, ERECTION REFLEX, EJACULATION) AND FEMALE (OOGENESIS, FERTILIZATION, LACTATION) (4 HR)

	Teaching Methods
	THE COURSE OF APPLIED BIOLOGY AND BASICS OF PHYSIOLOGY INCLUDES: LECTURES WITH THE SUPPORT OF MODERN TEACHING SUPPORTS SUCH AS PROJECTIONS BY MEANS OF MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATIONS WITH DEDICATED EDUCATIONAL FILMS; ATTENDANCE TO THE COURSE MUST BE CONSIDERED MANDATORY, ATTENDANCE VERIFICATION WILL BE DONE THROUGH THE USE OF THE EASY BADGE MODULE OF THE EASY ACCADEMY APPLICATION. THE ACCESS TO THE EASY BADGE MODULE AND THE ACQUISITION OF ATTENDANCE WILL BE EXPLAINED TO THE STUDENTS BY THE TEACHERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE COURSESTUDENTS WHO FAIL TO SATISFY THE ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT, WILL BE REQUIRED TO ATTEND A SERIAL OF INFORMAL TUTORIALS ACCORDING TO THE TEACHER'S INSTRUCTION.

Teaching Methods

THE COURSE OF APPLIED BIOLOGY AND BASICS OF PHYSIOLOGY INCLUDES: LECTURES WITH THE SUPPORT OF MODERN TEACHING SUPPORTS SUCH AS PROJECTIONS BY MEANS OF MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATIONS WITH DEDICATED EDUCATIONAL FILMS; ATTENDANCE TO THE COURSE MUST BE CONSIDERED MANDATORY, ATTENDANCE VERIFICATION WILL BE DONE THROUGH THE USE OF THE EASY BADGE MODULE OF THE EASY ACCADEMY APPLICATION. THE ACCESS TO THE EASY BADGE MODULE AND THE ACQUISITION OF ATTENDANCE WILL BE EXPLAINED TO THE STUDENTS BY THE TEACHERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE COURSESTUDENTS WHO FAIL TO SATISFY THE ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT, WILL BE REQUIRED TO ATTEND A SERIAL OF INFORMAL TUTORIALS ACCORDING TO THE TEACHER'S INSTRUCTION.

	Verification of learning
	ACHIEVEMENT OF THE OBJECTIVES OF APPLIED BIOLOGY AND ELEMENTS OF PHYSIOLOGY IS CERTIFIED BY PASSING TWO WRITTEN TESTS AND TWO ORAL TESTS TO BE TAKEN IN THE SAME ROLL CALL, ALL OF WHICH ARE MARKED IN THIRTIETHS AND EACH TEST IS DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN PASSED WITH A MINIMUM MARK OF 18/30 THE WRITTEN TEST IS PREPARATORY TO THE ORAL TEST ON APPLIED BIOLOGY AND THE ORAL TEST ON ELEMENTS OF PHYSIOLOGY AND CONSISTS, FOR APPLIED BIOLOGY, IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF A QUESTIONNAIRE WITH MULTIPLE-CHOICE AND BLOCKED-CHOICE QUESTIONS. THE QUESTIONNAIRE OF 30 QUESTIONS WILL LAST NO LONGER THAN 40 MINUTES. THEY WILL FOCUS ON TOPICS RELATING TO THE COURSE PROGRAMME AND, IN PARTICULAR, ON THE TOPICS OF APPLIED BIOLOGY AND ARE AIMED AT TESTING THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEMS PROPOSED. THE WRITTEN TEST FOR ELEMENTS OF PHYSIOLOGY CONSISTS OF THREE OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS, LASTING A MAXIMUM OF 30 MINUTES. THEY WILL COVER TOPICS RELATED TO THE COURSE PROGRAMME, AIMED AT TESTING UNDERSTANDING OF THE PHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS IN COMPANION AND FARM ANIMALS, AS WELL AS THE ABILITY TO EXPOUND CONCEPTS USING APPROPRIATE SCIENTIFIC LANGUAGE. THE ORAL TEST CONSISTS OF A DISCUSSION LASTING NO LONGER THAN 30 MINUTES, AIMED AT ASCERTAINING: THE LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE THEORETICAL CONTENTS, LANGUAGE PROPERTY, LOGICAL/DEDUCTIVE AND SYNTHESIS SKILLS, ARGUMENTATION SKILLS. THE FINAL GRADE IS GIVEN BY THE EVALUATION OF EACH INDIVIDUAL TEST (BOTH WITH A PASSING MARK, I.E. A MINIMUM OF 18/30) WITH PARTICULAR WEIGHT BEING GIVEN TO THE ORAL TEST. HONOURS MAY BE AWARDED TO STUDENTS WHO ACHIEVE A MAXIMUM MARK OF 30/30 AND DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY APPLY THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS ACQUIRED. DURING THE COURSE THE ATTENDING STUDENT WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE 2 (NON-COMPULSORY) IN-PROGRESS TESTS FOR APPLIED BIOLOGY AND 1 (NON-COMPULSORY) IN-PROGRESS TEST FOR ELEMENTS OF PHYSIOLOGY. THE TOPICS OF THE IN ITINERE TESTS WILL CONCERN APPLIED BIOLOGY AND ELEMENTS OF PHYSIOLOGY RESPECTIVELY. THE LECTURES DEDICATED TO APPLIED BIOLOGY WILL BE DIVIDED INTO TWO BLOCKS, AND EACH IN ITINERE TEST WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF EACH BLOCK, WHILE THE TEST IN ELEMENTS OF PHYSIOLOGY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THE COURSE. THE DATES FOR THE ABOVE TESTS WILL BE AGREED WITH THE ATTENDING STUDENTS (STUDENTS WITH AT LEAST 75% ATTENDANCE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL TEST) PASSING THE IN ITINERE TESTS (WITH A MINIMUM MARK FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL TEST OF 18/30) EXEMPTS THE STUDENT FROM THE WRITTEN TESTS. THE EXEMPTION IS VALID ONLY FOR THE SESSION FOLLOWING THE TEACHING SESSION.

Verification of learning

ACHIEVEMENT OF THE OBJECTIVES OF APPLIED BIOLOGY AND ELEMENTS OF PHYSIOLOGY IS CERTIFIED BY PASSING TWO WRITTEN TESTS AND TWO ORAL TESTS TO BE TAKEN IN THE SAME ROLL CALL, ALL OF WHICH ARE MARKED IN THIRTIETHS AND EACH TEST IS DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN PASSED WITH A MINIMUM MARK OF 18/30
THE WRITTEN TEST IS PREPARATORY TO THE ORAL TEST ON APPLIED BIOLOGY AND THE ORAL TEST ON ELEMENTS OF PHYSIOLOGY AND CONSISTS, FOR APPLIED BIOLOGY, IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF A QUESTIONNAIRE WITH MULTIPLE-CHOICE AND BLOCKED-CHOICE QUESTIONS. THE QUESTIONNAIRE OF 30 QUESTIONS WILL LAST NO LONGER THAN 40 MINUTES. THEY WILL FOCUS ON TOPICS RELATING TO THE COURSE PROGRAMME AND, IN PARTICULAR, ON THE TOPICS OF APPLIED BIOLOGY AND ARE AIMED AT TESTING THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEMS PROPOSED. THE WRITTEN TEST FOR ELEMENTS OF PHYSIOLOGY CONSISTS OF THREE OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS, LASTING A MAXIMUM OF 30 MINUTES. THEY WILL COVER TOPICS RELATED TO THE COURSE PROGRAMME, AIMED AT TESTING UNDERSTANDING OF THE PHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS IN COMPANION AND FARM ANIMALS, AS WELL AS THE ABILITY TO EXPOUND CONCEPTS USING APPROPRIATE SCIENTIFIC LANGUAGE.
THE ORAL TEST CONSISTS OF A DISCUSSION LASTING NO LONGER THAN 30 MINUTES, AIMED AT ASCERTAINING: THE LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE THEORETICAL CONTENTS, LANGUAGE PROPERTY, LOGICAL/DEDUCTIVE AND SYNTHESIS SKILLS, ARGUMENTATION SKILLS.
THE FINAL GRADE IS GIVEN BY THE EVALUATION OF EACH INDIVIDUAL TEST (BOTH WITH A PASSING MARK, I.E. A MINIMUM OF 18/30) WITH PARTICULAR WEIGHT BEING GIVEN TO THE ORAL TEST. HONOURS MAY BE AWARDED TO STUDENTS WHO ACHIEVE A MAXIMUM MARK OF 30/30 AND DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY APPLY THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS ACQUIRED.
DURING THE COURSE THE ATTENDING STUDENT WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE 2 (NON-COMPULSORY) IN-PROGRESS TESTS FOR APPLIED BIOLOGY AND 1 (NON-COMPULSORY) IN-PROGRESS TEST FOR ELEMENTS OF PHYSIOLOGY. THE TOPICS OF THE IN ITINERE TESTS WILL CONCERN APPLIED BIOLOGY AND ELEMENTS OF PHYSIOLOGY RESPECTIVELY. THE LECTURES DEDICATED TO APPLIED BIOLOGY WILL BE DIVIDED INTO TWO BLOCKS, AND EACH IN ITINERE TEST WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF EACH BLOCK, WHILE THE TEST IN ELEMENTS OF PHYSIOLOGY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THE COURSE. THE DATES FOR THE ABOVE TESTS WILL BE AGREED WITH THE ATTENDING STUDENTS (STUDENTS WITH AT LEAST 75% ATTENDANCE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL TEST)
PASSING THE IN ITINERE TESTS (WITH A MINIMUM MARK FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL TEST OF 18/30) EXEMPTS THE STUDENT FROM THE WRITTEN TESTS. THE EXEMPTION IS VALID ONLY FOR THE SESSION FOLLOWING THE TEACHING SESSION.

	Texts
	APPLIED BIOLOGY: GINELLI E., MALCOVATI M. MOLECOLE, CELLULE E ORGANISMI- EDISES ALBERTS B. ET AL - MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL 7TH EDITION BASICS OF PHYSIOLOGY: SHERWOOD L, KLANDORF H, YANCEY P. PHYSIOLOGY OF ANIMALS-FROM GENES TO ORGANISMS. ZANICHELLI SJAASTAD ØV, SAND O, HOVE K. PHYSIOLOGY OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS. CASA EDITRICE AMBROSIANA RETRIEVED FROM MASON KA, LOSOS JB, SINGER SR. BIOLOGY. STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION IN ANIMALS. PICCIN

Texts

APPLIED BIOLOGY:
GINELLI E., MALCOVATI M. MOLECOLE, CELLULE E ORGANISMI- EDISES
ALBERTS B. ET AL - MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL 7TH EDITION

BASICS OF PHYSIOLOGY:
SHERWOOD L, KLANDORF H, YANCEY P. PHYSIOLOGY OF ANIMALS-FROM GENES TO ORGANISMS. ZANICHELLI
SJAASTAD ØV, SAND O, HOVE K. PHYSIOLOGY OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS. CASA EDITRICE AMBROSIANA
RETRIEVED FROM MASON KA, LOSOS JB, SINGER SR. BIOLOGY. STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION IN ANIMALS. PICCIN

	More Information
	APPLIED BIOLOGY AND BASICS OF PHYSIOLOGY: SILVIA FRANCESCHELLI AND MICHELA PECORARO LECTURES IN ITALIAN LOCATION DEPT. OF PHARMACY

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Silvia FRANCESCHELLI | APPLIED BIOLOGY AND BASICS OF PHYSIOLOGY