Course contents
Part 1. Glucose homeostasis: metabolic response in diabetes. Principles and biochemical assessment of hormone action. The hypothalamo-pituitary system. Hormones from thyroid, adrenal cortex and medulla, gonads. Eicosanoids. Major types of endocrine pathology. Structure and function of collagens, proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans. The plasma proteins and their biomedical importance; free and esterified cholesterol; intestinal absorption of cholesterol; bile acids. Haemostasis; the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin; thrombin; the role of platelets; the intrinsic and extrinsic pathway, anticoagulants; fibrinolysis. Hormone receptors. Intracellular and cell-surface receptors. G-protein coupled receptors and their effectors and second messangers: 1. cAMP/PKA. PLC: DAG, IP3 and calcium; 3. PI3K. Receptor tyrosine kinases: mechanism of activation and regulation. Signaling downstream Insulin. Receptor for cytokines, the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Role of NO and cGMP/PKG in signaling. Interaction and regulation of signaling pathways.
Part 2. Calibration curve. Analytical error: precision, accuracy, sensitivity and specificity. Instrumentation and analytical test: spectrophotometric fluorimetric and luminometric techniques, SDS-PAGE and agarose electrophoresis, immunochemical methods (RIA, ELISA). Plasma proteins, lipoproteins and risk of atherosclerosis. Diagnostic enzymology.