Pharmacy

Origin of life: the prebiotic world and chemical evolution. The chemistry of carbon: functional groups. Cellular architecture: the organization, structure and composition of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells; functional role of subcellular organelles. Physico-chemical properties of water: structure, solvation, hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions, van der Walls interactions, ionic bonds, colligative properties, osmosis, diffusion, ionization, acid-base chemistry, pH, pK, buffer systems, biological buffers of phosphate and carbonate. Nucleotides and nucleic acids: structure and function. Structure and function of amino acids: Structure and function of standard amino acids and some non-standard amino acids, ionization and acid-base properties of amino acids. Proteins: peptide bond, primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary structure, supersecondary structures, denaturation and folding of proteins, structure and function of keratin, fibroin, collagen, immunoglobulins; structure and function of myoglobin and hemoglobin, structure of heme, saturation curves of myoglobin and hemoglobin, allosteria, cooperativity, Bohr effect, transport of carbon dioxide, pathological hemoglobins. Enzymatic catalysis: general properties of enzymes, activation energy, enzymatic catalysis mechanisms, steady state reaction kinetics, Michelis-Menten equation, reciprocal double graph. Enzyme inhibition. Mechanisms of regulation of enzymatic activity. Coenzymes and vitamins: structure and function of NAD and NADP, FMN, FAD (in the oxidized and reduced forms) vitamins A, C, D, E, K, lipoic acid, pyridoxal phosphate, thiamine pyrophosphate, biotin, pantothenic acid, folate, S -adenosyl methionine. Carbohydrates: structure and function of monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides and glycoconjugates, role of oligosaccharides in cell recognition and adhesion; the antigenic determinants of blood groups, lectins, glycoproteins. Lipids: structure and function of fatty acids, triacylglycerols, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, prostaglandins, sterols. Lipoproteins. Cell membranes: structure and organization of membranes, micelles and lipid bilayers, lipid rafts, caveoles, general mechanisms of membrane fusion, membrane proteins. Transport mechanisms across membranes: ionophores, channels, pumps, glucose transporters, P, F, V type ATPases, ABC transporters. Biosignaling: general types of signal transducers, voltage controlled ion channels for K +, Na +, Ca + 2, acetyl choline receptor ion channel, enzyme receptors, general lines of gene regulation and activation of glycogen synthase by insulin, G protein and second messenger coupled receptors, cyclic AMP, Ca + 2, phospholipase c, adrenaline signal transduction, general mechanism of regulation of gene expression by steroid hormones, the mechanism of vision. Introduction to metabolism: the laws of thermodynamics, free energy, role of triphosphate nucleotides and high energy phosphorylated compounds, redox reactions. Carbohydrate metabolism: the reactions of glycolysis, alcoholic and lactic fermentation, the pentose phosphate pathway, the synthesis and demolition of glycogen, glycogenin, gluconeogenesis. Citric acid cycle: the citric acid cycle, structure and function of coenzyme A, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, role of the citric acid cycle in anabolism. Electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation: electron transfer chain in the mitochondrion, mitochondrial ATP synthesis, thermogenesis. Lipid metabolism: lipid absorption: chylomicrons and lipoproteins, oxidation of saturated fatty acids, general lines of oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids or fatty acids with an odd number of carbon atoms, ketone bodies and their metabolism, biosynthesis of fatty acids, biosynthesis of cholesterol , general outlines of the biosynthesis of triacylglycerols, of membrane phospholipids. Metabolism of amino acids and proteins: digestion of proteins and absorption of amino acids, catabolism of amino groups. Nitrogen excretion and urea cycle. General lines of amino acid catabolism. General lines of amino acid biosynthesis. The synthesis of neurotransmitters and hormones. Nucleotide metabolism: general lines of synthesis and degradation of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides.

To better understand the Biochemistry of this course and achieve a proper knowledge, students should have learnt the basic information of mathematic, physics, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and biology taught in the first years of Pharmacy Course.

Voet D, Voet J, Pratt CW “Fondamenti di biochimica” Zanichelli Devlin, TM "Biochimica" Edises Nelson DL, Cox M "I principi di biochimica di Lehninger" Zanichelli Siliprandi, Tettamanti "Biochimica medica: strutturale, metabolica e funzionale" Piccin Garrett RH, Grisham CM " Biochimica" Piccin

Lessons in class for 104 hours according to the schedule defined by the Board of the Study Course, of which 56 provided by the teacher Fabio Altieri.

Although optional, the teacher advises an active frequency for the achievement of the educational objectives of the course.

Talk at the end of the course aimed to evaluate the level of knowledge of the structure of biological macromolecules, cell metabolism and the main cellular signaling pathways. To pass the exam, the student must demonstrate that he has at least acquired sufficient knowledge of the structures of proteins and nucleic acids, their functioning and the main metabolic pathways, both catabolic and anabolic (glycolysis, Krebs cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, synthesis and degradation of fatty acids, urea cycle and glycogen metabolism). To achieve scores above the minimum the student must demonstrate a greater degree of knowledge of the topics covered in the course and be able to connect them in a logical and consistent way.

Lessons in class for 104 hours according to the schedule defined by the Board of the Study Course, of which 56 provided by the teacher Fabio Altieri.

Origin of life: the prebiotic world and chemical evolution. The chemistry of carbon: functional groups. Cellular architecture: the organization, structure and composition of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells; functional role of subcellular organelles. Physico-chemical properties of water: structure, solvation, hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions, van der Walls interactions, ionic bonds, colligative properties, osmosis, diffusion, ionization, acid-base chemistry, pH, pK, buffer systems, biological buffers of phosphate and carbonate. Nucleotides and nucleic acids: structure and function of nucleotides, modified nucleotides, cyclic nucleotides, structure of DNA, tRNA, rRNA, mRNA, small RNA. Structure and function of amino acids: Structure and function of standard amino acids and some non-standard amino acids, ionization and acid-base properties of amino acids. Proteins: peptide bond, primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary structure, super secondary structures, denaturation and folding of proteins, structure and function of keratin, fibroin, collagen, immunoglobulins; structure and function of myoglobin and hemoglobin, structure of heme, saturation curves of myoglobin and hemoglobin, allostery, cooperativity, Bohr effect, transport of carbon dioxide, pathological hemoglobins. Enzymatic catalysis: general properties of enzymes, activation energy, enzymatic catalysis mechanisms, steady state reaction kinetics, Michelis-Menten equation, reciprocal double graph. Enzyme inhibition. Mechanisms of regulation of enzymatic activity. Coenzymes and vitamins: structure and function of NAD and NADP, FMN, FAD (in the oxidized and reduced forms) vitamins A, C, D, E, K, lipoic acid, pyridoxal phosphate, thiamine pyrophosphate, biotin, pantothenic acid, folate, S -adenosyl methionine. Carbohydrates: structure and function of monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides and glycoconjugates, role of oligosaccharides in cell recognition and adhesion; the antigenic determinants of blood groups, lectins, glycoproteins. Lipids: structure and function of fatty acids, triacylglycerols, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, prostaglandins, sterols. Lipoproteins. Cell membranes: structure and organization of membranes, micelles and lipid bilayers, lipid rafts, caveoles, general mechanisms of membrane fusion, membrane proteins. Transport mechanisms across membranes: ionophores, channels, pumps, glucose transporters, P, F, V type ATPases, ABC transporters. Biosignaling: general types of signal transducers, voltage controlled ion channels for K +, Na +, Ca + 2, acetyl choline receptor ion channel, enzyme receptors, general lines of gene regulation and activation of glycogen synthase by insulin, G protein and second messenger coupled receptors, cyclic AMP, Ca + 2, phospholipase c, adrenaline signal transduction, general mechanism of regulation of gene expression by steroid hormones, the mechanism of vision. Introduction to metabolism: the laws of thermodynamics, free energy, role of triphosphate nucleotides and high energy phosphorylated compounds, redox reactions. Carbohydrate metabolism: the reactions of glycolysis, alcoholic and lactic fermentation, the pentose phosphate pathway, the synthesis and demolition of glycogen, glycogenin, gluconeogenesis. Citric acid cycle: the citric acid cycle, structure and function of coenzyme A, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, role of the citric acid cycle in anabolism. Electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation: electron transfer chain in the mitochondrion, mitochondrial ATP synthesis, thermogenesis. Lipid metabolism: lipid absorption: chylomicrons and lipoproteins, oxidation of saturated fatty acids, general lines of oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids or fatty acids with an odd number of carbon atoms, ketone bodies and their metabolism, biosynthesis of fatty acids, biosynthesis of cholesterol, general outlines of the biosynthesis of triacylglycerols, and membrane phospholipids. Metabolism of amino acids and proteins: digestion of proteins and absorption of amino acids, catabolism of amino groups. Nitrogen excretion and urea cycle. General lines of amino acid catabolism. Generals on amino acid biosynthesis. The synthesis of neurotransmitters and hormones. General outlines on protein synthesis, genetic code, ribosomes, mRNA translation. Nucleotide metabolism: general lines of synthesis and degradation of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides. . General outlines on DNA replication and repair, RNA transcription and maturation.

Knowledge of mathematics, physic, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and biology taught in previous courses.

I Principi di Biochimica di Lehninger, Nelson et al., Zanichelli Biochimica, Devlin,Edises Biochimica Medica, Siliprandi Tettamanti, Piccin Fondamenti di Biochimica, Voet, Zanichelli Biochimica, Mathews, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana Biochimica, Campbell, EdiSES Principi di Biochimica, Tymoczko, Stryer, Zanichelli As a summary book: Introduzione alla Biochimica di Lehninger, Nelson et al., Zanichelli

Mandatory

Questions on at least five or six topics with chemical formulas, graphs, schemes of the macromolecule cellular localization and structure, and metabolic reactions.

PubMed

The subjects are presented by the teacher through slides. Exercises in class on enzymatic kinetic. Summary of the topics shown in the previous lesson. Questions to the class to stimulate knowledge about the connection among biological processes.