Biomembranes
A.A. 2024/2025
Obiettivi formativi
This course aims to provide the student with the foundation of the structure/function of biomembranes to understand how a cell communicates with the extracellular environment. Particular emphasis is placed on understanding the molecular, biochemical and biophysical concepts underlying membrane excitability. Students will receive also examples on the techniques used to study the function/structure of membrane lipids and proteins.
Risultati apprendimento attesi
At the end of the course students will:
1. Be able to describe the structure, organization and biogenesis of biological membranes. Explain how the physico-chemical properties of lipids and proteins contribute to the dynamic nature of biological membranes.
2. Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the main characteristics of membrane proteins and their roles in membrane structure, transport and signaling.
3. Gain a critical understanding of the thermodynamics underlying these mechanisms.
4. Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the arious methods and techniques used to study membranes.
1. Be able to describe the structure, organization and biogenesis of biological membranes. Explain how the physico-chemical properties of lipids and proteins contribute to the dynamic nature of biological membranes.
2. Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the main characteristics of membrane proteins and their roles in membrane structure, transport and signaling.
3. Gain a critical understanding of the thermodynamics underlying these mechanisms.
4. Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the arious methods and techniques used to study membranes.
Periodo: Primo semestre
Modalità di valutazione: Esame
Giudizio di valutazione: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Corso singolo
Questo insegnamento non può essere seguito come corso singolo. Puoi trovare gli insegnamenti disponibili consultando il catalogo corsi singoli.
Programma e organizzazione didattica
Edizione unica
Responsabile
Periodo
Primo semestre
Programma
Several aspects of membrane biophysics. The role of lipid and protein components. Membrane microdomains and lipid-protein interactions.
Structural and functional features of membrane proteins with respect to transmembrane domains and the presence of alpha helix and/or beta sheets. Structure-function relationships. Function determination via structural homology analysis. Functional domains: homo- and heteromultimers.
Membrane specializations: t-tubules, neuromuscolar junctions
Membrane excitability, the membrane as a RC circuit.
The multifunctions of membrane proteins. Channel-type behaviour of transport proteins. Protein translocation between the cell membrane and cytoplasm in different cellular conditions. Methods used for the characterization of membrane proteins.
Examples of membrane transports mediated by carrier proteins, ion channels, V-ATPases, P-ATPases, in animal and plant cells will be discussed.
Papers related to the topics described will be analyzed.
Structural and functional features of membrane proteins with respect to transmembrane domains and the presence of alpha helix and/or beta sheets. Structure-function relationships. Function determination via structural homology analysis. Functional domains: homo- and heteromultimers.
Membrane specializations: t-tubules, neuromuscolar junctions
Membrane excitability, the membrane as a RC circuit.
The multifunctions of membrane proteins. Channel-type behaviour of transport proteins. Protein translocation between the cell membrane and cytoplasm in different cellular conditions. Methods used for the characterization of membrane proteins.
Examples of membrane transports mediated by carrier proteins, ion channels, V-ATPases, P-ATPases, in animal and plant cells will be discussed.
Papers related to the topics described will be analyzed.
Prerequisiti
Students are expected to have basic knowledge of cellular physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology and membrane biology.
Metodi didattici
Interactive frontal lessons, where students are encouraged to attend and to actively participate. Assigned papers to be discussed by students in small groups or singularly. Presented materials will be made available through the ARIEL website.
Materiale di riferimento
A short list of review papers will be available on the course web-page together with links to useful websites. A selection of papers suitable for the student presentations will be also made available. Textbook: B. Hille; Ion channels of excitable membranes; Sinauer ed.
Modalità di verifica dell’apprendimento e criteri di valutazione
L'esame orale verifica che lo studente faccia un uso critico delle conoscenze acquisite con l'insegnamento frontale.
Esso comprende due parti uguali:
allo studente verrà chiesto di discutere la rilevanza dell'argomento di ricerca e i risultati descritti in uno degli articoli analizzati durante il corso (50%)
allo studente verranno poste domande sulle conoscenze di base, relative alla carta (50%)
Esso comprende due parti uguali:
allo studente verrà chiesto di discutere la rilevanza dell'argomento di ricerca e i risultati descritti in uno degli articoli analizzati durante il corso (50%)
allo studente verranno poste domande sulle conoscenze di base, relative alla carta (50%)
Docente/i