2019/2020

2021/2022

DM270

MED/04 (GENERAL PATHOLOGY)

DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY "LAZZARO SPALLANZANI"

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

PERCORSO COMUNE

3°

1st semester (01/10/2021 - 14/01/2022)

6

52 lesson hours

Italian

WRITTEN TEST

PERUCCA PAOLA (titolare) - 6 ECTS

General aspects of radiation physics. General Classification of Organic and Inorganic Chemicals. Cell morphology, energy metabolism and cell redox status. Structure and function of the extracellular matrix. Functions of inflammatory and immune cells. Lymphatic-endothelial system functions. Structure of microcirculation and organization of interstitial circulation. Characteristics of the cell cycle and differentiation process. DNA structure and function. Definition of mutation. Arterial wall structure. Lipoproteins metabolism. Functions of platelets, macrophages, smooth muscle cells and lymphocytes.

The main goal of the General Pathology Course is to provide the student with the conceptual and scientific tools for studying and understanding the causes and mechanisms underlying diseases.
The specific objectives are:
1. Describe the main chemical, physical and biological pathogens and their effects (biological damage) on living matter, cells and tissues.
2. Analyze causal agents (etiology) and molecular mechanisms (pathogenesis) of diseases. To illustrate tissue reactions to biological damage that are determinant in pathological processes, with particular reference to the mechanisms of inflammation, healing of wounds, chronicization of pathological processes, and tumors.
3. Acquire the knowledge of scientific language and terms used in biological research for the purpose of obtaining a basic preparation needed for scientific research.

Etiology

Pathogens:
(A) intrinsic to the organism:

- genetic pathology

(B) extrinsic to the organism:

- environmental pathology due to chemical agents (e. g. damage mechanism, absorption and elimination pathways, organism defense mechanisms, exogenous and endogenous poisons)

- environmental pathology due to physical agents (e. g. radiations, high and low temperatures, atmospheric pressure variations);

- nutritional diseases


Cellular lesion

Adaptive responses: hyperplasia, hypertrophy, atrophy, metaplasia
Degenerations
Necrosis
Apoptosis



Inflammation
Causes, Acute Inflammation, Chronic Inflammation, Chemical Mediators, Systemic Aspects, Experimental Models

Healing processes
Regeneration, repair, resolution mechanisms


Tumors
Benign and malignant tumors, molecular bases of neoplastic transformation, invasion, metastasis,
causes, epidemiology, cancerogenesis and mutagenesis.
Relationships between inflammation, immunity and tumors


Complex lesions:
thrombus
atherosclerosis

The course is divided into frontal lessons, classroom microscopic demonstrations and practical histopathology exercises.
The course is in fact associated with a laboratory in which the teacher and tutors will demonstrate the morpho-pathological characteristics of tissues and cells typical of the studied pathologies, through projection of images and histopathological preparations that will then be subjected of individual exercises at the microscope.


The teacher is available for clarification on the topics discussed during the course upon appointment.

Guida allo studio della Patologia generale – V. Vannini e L.A. Stivala (Print Service)
Patologia generale – M. Parola (Edises)
Patologia generale – R. Rubin (Piccin)
Le Basi patologiche delle malattie (Vol. I) – Robbins e Cotran (Elsevier - Masson)
Patologia generale – Pontieri et al. (Piccin)
Patologia generale – Moncharmont et al. (Idelson-Gnocchi)

The slides of the lectures will be available in Kiro site.

Assessment of student knowledge learning is conducted through two tests:
- a written test consisting of extensive questions aimed to verify the understanding of concepts, and of multiple-choise questions aimed to verify the knowledge of the subject
- a microscope test to verify the recognition of histopathological preparations.

Assessment of student knowledge learning is conducted through two tests:
- a written test consisting of extensive questions aimed to verify the understanding of concepts, and of multiple-choise questions aimed to verify the knowledge of the subject
- a microscope test to verify the recognition of histopathological preparations.