HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITIONAL BIOCHEMISTRY

Integrated educational activity

Course Sheet

Course code:

DIE12A44

Academic Year of enrolment:

2023

Year of supply:

2023/2024

Degree:

Course of 1st Cycle Degree in DIETISTIC

Moduls:

PHYSIOLOGY - 2 credits
NUTRITIONAL BIOCHEMISTRY - 3 credits
GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY - 1 credits

Location:

CHIETI

Credits:

Programme Year:

Cycle:

Second semester

Hours of classroom activity:

Prerequisites:

Knowledge of Human Anatomy, Physics, Chemistry and Biochemistry. Prerequisites: according to the Teaching Regulations of the Course (Regolamento Didattico)

Objectives

Educational objectives: the understanding and acquisition of the mechanisms underlying the biochemical and physiological functions of the human body.
The integrated course represents a path in which the study of the specific functions of organs and systems is integrated with specific notions in the biochemical field, both general and specific. These objectives will be achieved by analyzing the responses to changes in the internal and external environment at the biochemical, cellular, organ, system and apparatus levels, defining human-environment interaction.
Specific objectives: These essential basic knowledge are enriched by elective in-depth studies of interest to the Degree Course in order to stimulate the interest and participation of the student and provide the basis for subsequent clinical courses.

Contents

The Integrated Course, starting from the initial knowledge on the macromolecules, provides the notions for the study of the biochemical and nutritional characteristics of the main nutrients, of the biochemical mechanisms underlying the metabolism and the main metabolic pathways. These notions, through the illustration of the functioning of organs and apparatuses of the human body and of the principles that regulate homeostasis, provide the notions to the description of the integration functions by endocrine and nervous system on the control of metabolism.

Extended Syllabus

Fundamental concepts in biological chemistry.
Nucleotides and nucleic acids: structure and function.
Amminoacids: L-amino acids structures, classification, titration curves, peptide bonding formation, resonance of peptide bonding, Isoelectric point.-COOH acidity and -NH2 basicity. Structure and general properties, and formulas, specific properties, acid-base properties, digestion of proteins.
Peptides and proteins: general concepts on structure and function. Peptide bond, Primary, secondary and tertiary structures.
Secondary structure: Ramachandran plot, -helix, and -sheets. Hydrogen Bonding formation in -elix and -sheet structures.
Fibrous proteins: Tertiary structure: classification and methods of investigation. Quaternary structure and symmetry. Digestion of proteins.
Reversible binding of a ligand (O2) to a protein: Myoglobin (Mb) and Hemoglobin (Hb) structure and function.
The pH influence ( Bohr effect ) and cooperativity for oxygen binding. Temperature influence on the oxygen binding. Hill’s plot.
Proteins as molecular motors: actin-myosin system, microtubule system, bacterial flagellar system
Carbohydrates: classification, natural occurrence. Aldoses, Ketoses: Fischer and Haworth formulas, conformational representations. Reducing properties, Anomers, Epimers. Mutarotation. D-Glucose, D-Fructose, D-Ribose, D-2-deossi-Ribose D-Galactose.
Disaccharides: Maltose, Cellobiose, Lactose, Saccharose.
Polisaccharides: starch, glycogen, cellulose, glycoproteins. Digestion of Carbohydrates.
Lipids: fatty acids, triacilglycerols (fats,oils) basic hydrolysis, soap formation (mechanism), phospholipids, cell membranes. Trasport across the membranes, membrane proteins, digestion of lipids.
Enzymes: general properties and classification, activation energy, mechanisms of enzyme catalysis, Micaelis-Menten theory, kinetic parameters, definition and calculation Km, Vmax, Kcat., examples, mechanism of protease activity, mechanism of enzyme inhibition, Significance of allosteric regulation.
Electron transport: the respiratory chain, the redox centres, cofactors, protein complexes and bioenergetics, NAD+/NADH, FAD/FADH2 structures.
Oxidative phosphorylation: ATP-sintase structure-function

Cellular physiology
Homeostasis. Biophysics of the cell membrane (permeability and transport). Membrane potentials: resting, electrotonic, action potentials. Propagation of potentials. The synapses.
Nervous and muscular system
Functional organization of the nervous system. Autonomous and somatic motor system: innervations, neurotransmitters and receptors, functions of autonomic nervous system. The neuromuscular junction. Skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle physiology: mechanical aspect of the muscular contraction.
Endocrine system

Endocrine function: the hypothalamic-hypophysis-target axis.
The control of body metabolism.
Homeostasis of calcium and phosphate (parathormone, calcitonin and Vit D).

Cardiovascular system
The common myocardium and the specific myocardium. The electrical activity of the heart: cardiac pacemakers and conduction system. ECG. Mechanical features of the heart: the cardiac cycle.
Structure and function of vessels, visco-elastic behavior, arterial pulse, blood pressure, blood volume, flow and resistance. Microcirculation and interstitial plasma-liquid exchanges. The laws of hydrostatics and hemodynamics. Control of cardiac output and systemic blood pressure.

Respiratory system
Structure and function of the respiratory system. Respiratory mechanics. Ventilation-perfusion ratio. Respiratory centers and breathing control (nervous, chemoceptive and mechanoceptive). Respiratory indexes: lung volumes and capacity. Alveolar exchanges and transport of gases in the blood.

The kidney
The nephron. Filtration, re-absorption, secretion and excretion processes. The functions of the kidney (endocrine, control in hydro-saline and acid-base balance).

The gastrointestinal system.
Nervous and hormonal control of gastrointestinal functions. Digestion and absorption of the main nutrients. Functions of the exocrine pancreas, gallbladder and liver.

Recommended Bibliography

Biochimica medica. Tettamanti - Siliprandi N. Edizioni Piccin

Fondamenti di Fisiologia Umana; L. Shervood, Casa Editrice: Piccin

FISIOLOGIA; C.L. Stanfield, Casa Editrice: EdiSES

Teaching Methods

Lessons

Evaluation methods

Verification of learning:

Depending on the training needs, ongoing tests may be done to detect the effectiveness of learning and teaching processes.
The final test consists of an oral discussion and a write test at the end of the course, in which the student must prove that he/she has learned the topics of the course program. The final verification can be sustained in one of the date present in the calendar after acquisition of presence.
The oral discussion focuses on a series of topics in which the student must demonstrate:
a sufficient but incomplete basic knowledge (vote 18-22/30),
a discreet knowledge with the ability to clearly illustrate the topics (23-25/30),
good ability to illustrate the subjects with properties of language (26-28/30),
excellent knowledge of the matter moving easily from one subject to another contextualizing any interconnections and/or differences (28-30/30).
The laude is reserved to those who also show particular interest and knowledge of the functional aspects of the professionalizing sector, with high communication skills and autonomous learning.

Contacts/More Information

Ask for appointments:
by telephone to the number 0871/541399
or by email simone.guarnieri@unich.it

Università degli Studi
"G. d'Annunzio"

Chieti - Pescara

Aree

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