Genetics, Cellular and Molecular biology

Course modules, 3 Modules:

  • Cellular biology (Manfrini) (2 CFU, 16hrs, 8 lessons) nicola.manfrini@unimi.it
  • Genetics (Giannuzzi) (5 CFU, 40hrs, 20 lessons) guliana.giannuzzi@unimi.it
  • Melecular Biology (Guerrini) (5 CFU, 40hrs, 20 lessons) nicola.manfrini@unimi.it

Schedule exceptions

  • Semptember 24: room 505, Via Valvassori Peroni

Books

  1. Biology - the dynamic science, russell hertz
  2. Karp's cell & Molecular Biology, Ninth edition

What is life?

All living things are built of cells, a cell is the smallest unit of living matter that can exist on its own.

  • Ability to breathe, grow, reproduce etc. that people and animals and plants have before they die and that objects do not have.
  • The condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity and continual change preceding death.

The first principle of cellular theory

The cell is the structural unit of life

Life exists at increasing levels of complexity:

  • Cell
    • Structural unit of life
  • Multicellular organisms
    • Individual consisting of interdependent cells
  • Population
    • Group of individuals of the same species living in the same areas Community ...

What is biology

Biology is the branch of science that deals with living organisms as objects of study

  1. Cell biology/cytology: The study of cells
  2. Molecular biology
  3. The study of heredity and variation in the organism

The cell theory (IMPORTANT):

  1. The cell is the structural unit of life.
  2. All living organisms are composed by one or more cells.
  3. Cells originate by division of pre-existing cells.

  4. Cells contain genetic information which resides in the DNA, such information is transimitted to daugther cells.

  5. 1944: discover of genetic information stored in the DNA

  6. 1950: Rules of base pairing outlined by Erwin Chargaff

What are cells?

  1. Cells are complex structures
  2. Cells contain genetic information
  3. Cells are capable of reproduction
  4. Cells produce/acquire and use energy
  5. Cells perform chemical reactions

What is a cell made of? ...