13622 - Plant Biology and Animal Biology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student has the basic knowledge of plant biology with projections in the pharmaceutical botany: the basic plant structures of the tissues, anatomy and functions of the main plant organs. In addition, the student acquires the basic knowledge elements in the field of animal biology. In particular: the structure and function of the organelles of the animal eukaryotic cell, the interactions between cells in animal organisms, the modes of cell division and general aspects of inheritance.

Course contents

Plant Biology -The eukaryotic plant cell; cell wall, vacuole, plastids. Growth and differentiation of plant cell. Tissues of vascular plants: meristematic and adult tissues. Simple and complex tissues. Structure and function of the organs of vascular plants: stem, root and leaf. Primary and secondary structure of plants: general characters of Gymnosperms and Angiosperms, Dicotyledons and Monocotyledons. The role of plants in the remediation of polluted environemnts. The main phytotechnologies used to decontaminate polluted sites. Classification of inquinants of air, water, and soil. 

Animal biology - Molecules of biological interest: aminoacids and protein structure, glucides and lipids, nucleic acids.

Prokaryotic cell. Eukaryotic cell: cell membrane, structure and function (active, passive, mediated transport, exocytosis, endocytosis). Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, mitochondrion, peroxisomes. Cytoskeleton, microfilaments, microtubules, intermediate filaments. Structure of cilia and flagella. Nucleus: structure of chromosomes and karyotype. DNA duplication and protein synthesis. Genetic code. Cell cycle: mitosis, meiosis. Somatic and germ line. Asexual reproduction. Sexual reproduction. Gametogenesis. Fecundation. Parthenogenesis, Gynogenesis, Hybridogenesis.

Mendel: dominance, codominance, incomplete dominance. Gene interactions. Sex linked heredity. Lethal alleles.

Readings/Bibliography

The textbooks are mandatory for integrating the teaching material supplied by the teacher.

Plant Biology: (one of the following textbooks):

1. F. POLI, a cura di, Biologia farmaceutica: biologia vegetale, botanica farmaceutica, fitochimica. 2019 PEARSON ITALIA, MILANO. (39 €)

2. Sadava, Hillis, Heller, Hacker - BIOLOGIA - Zanichelli

1. La cellula

4. La biologia delle piante

Only for the special part of the curriculum Environmental Toxicology, students can refer to the teaching material of the slides.

Animal Biology: (one of the following textbooks):

1. Sadava, Hillis, Heller, Hacker - Elementi di biologia e genetica -Zanichelli

2. Sadava, Hillis, Heller, Hacker- BIOLOGIA

1.La cellula

2.L’eredità e il genoma

 

Teaching methods

Front lessons will be performed with Power Point slides and projector.

 

During the practical activities the students will prepare thin sections of fresh plant material, which will then be observed at the optical microscope.

As concerns the teaching methods of this course unit, all students (including all the international incoming exchange students, i.e. ERASMUS) must attend Module 1, 2 online [https://www.unibo.it/it/servizi-e-opportunita/salute-e-assistenza/salute-e-sicurezza/sicurezza-e-salute-nei-luoghi-di-studio-e-tirocinio], while Module 3 on health and safety is to be attended in class. Information about Module 3 attendance schedule is available on the website of your degree programme ("studiare"--"formazione obbligatoria su sicurezza e salute").

At the end of the practical activities, students should prepare a report containing the photographs or drawings of the observed sections.

Assessment methods

The final exam consists of a written part, which lasts 60 minutes, and of an oral part, which is mandatory only if the score of the written part is less than 25/30.

The written part is made of 30 questions with multiple response on all parts of the program (1 score per response). The oral part is mandatory only if the score of the written part is < 25/30, and is aimed at a deeper evaluation of the knowledge of the student.

Students must book the examination through the web site Almaesami. Examination sessions will be in the following periods of the year: January/February, March or April, June/July/September, December (not for freshmen).

Examinations will be performed at Palazzo Vespignani , Imola.

Students can hold both parts of the examination (plant biology and animal biology) in the same session or in different sessions, without any priority order. In this case, the second part of the exam must be held within 12 months from the first one. The final score is the average between the two parts.

Only for students of curriculum Herbal Techniques: during the exam students must hand the lab report containing photographs or drawings of the sections observed under the microscope to the teacher.

Teaching tools

The teaching material utilized during the frontal lessons (slides) is available to students on the Platform Virtuale. However, this material alone is not enough for a good preparation for the exam and it must be integrated with the text book recommended by the teacher.

Office hours

See the website of Fabiana Antognoni

See the website of Ombretta Marescalchi