Università Roma Tre

Introduction to the molecular mechanisms of cellular functions regulation: membrane and nuclear receptors, mechanisms of intracellular signal transduction and amplification through protein’s post-translational modifications (e.g. phosphorylation).
Definition of cellular stress and physiological tolerance range. Description of intracellular mechanisms, at DNA, RNA and protein levels, through which cells sense and respond to a broad variety of stressing conditions, focusing the attention mainly on physiological response and cell adaptation to extracellular stressing stimuli, including heat, osmotic, hypoxic, oxidative and nutrient stresses.
Evaluation of intracellular organelles- specific stress response, including mitochondria- and ER-stress response.
Description of down-stream molecular mechanisms activated by cells in response to stress and devote to re-establish the intracellular homeostasis and to adapt themselves to the changed conditions. Brief description of the abnormal stress response and adaptation in pathological cell degeneration (e.g. cancer).
Definition and update of the state-of-art about the laboratory research approaches applied to the study of the physiological stress response and adaptation and the molecular mechanisms behind these functions.

The class will be provided with the study materials found by students and by the professor.