23276 - General Pathology and Immunology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student is able to understand the determining causes and the pathogenetic mechanisms of human diseases, as well as the etiopathogenesis of the fundamental alterations of the structures, functions and control mechanisms at the various levels of integration. The student also knows the principles and biological bases on which the functioning and regulation of the immune response are based, without neglecting the pathophysiological aspects of the altered immune response in the main diseases

Course contents

Lessons held by Prof. Stefano Salvioli:
• Introduction to General Pathology. Definitions and nomenclatures. Etiology: chemical, physical and biological causes of disease. Radiation diseases. Pathologies from incorrect nutrition and malnutrition or malnutrition. Prions. Hereditary genetic diseases. Somatic and hereditary mutations, DNA repair. Interaction between genome and environment. Monogenic diseases; diseases due to chromosomal alterations. Autosomal dominant and recessive and X-associated diseases. Multifactorial diseases.
• Cell growth alterations; hypertrophies, hypotrophies; metaplasia, dysplasia, anaplasia. Storage diseases, amyloidosis. Cell death processes: necrosis and apoptosis. cellular senescence.
•Inflammation, definition, characteristics and symptoms. Molecular mechanisms of inflammation. Cells involved in the inflammatory process. Role in the physiological responses of the organism. Inflammation as a driver of aging (inflammaging).
• Molecules that promote or extinguish inflammation: prostaglandins, leukotrienes and thromboxanes, cytokines and chemokines. Acute and chronic inflammations; ulcers and granulomas. Repair of tissue damage. Regenerative capacity of tissues. Wound healing by first and second intention.

Lessons held by Prof. Maria Conte
•The body's immune defenses. Organs and tissues of the Immune System. Innate immunity: physical barriers, preformed proteins, professional phagocytes, NK cells, receptors for PAMPS and DAMPS.
•Specific immunity: characteristics and functions, antigen receptors of cells of specific immunity (membrane antibodies and TCR), antigen recognition; generation of the receptor repertoire, clonal distribution. MHC molecules and their role in immune responses and transplant rejection. B lymphocytes: characteristics of B lymphocytes; Secreted antibodies: structure, functions, classification. T lymphocytes: characteristics of helper (CD4+) and cytotoxic (CD8+) T lymphocytes. Tolerance: recognition and distinction between self and non-self; self-tolerance.
• Effector phases of the immune response. Complement; Activation of M1 and M2 macrophages; activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes; response to intra and extra cellular bacteria; virus response. Principles of vacciniology.
• Immunopathology: alterations of the immune response; classification of immunopathologies; type I hypersensitivity: allergies; hypersensitivity types II, III and IV.
•Tumors. Benign and malignant tumours: carcinomas and sarcomas. Characteristics of tumors: cell cycle modifications; anaplasia, neoplastic invasiveness and metastasis. Oncogenesis: oncogenic and tumor suppressor genes. P53, Rb, APC, Myc. Chromosomal translocations and carcinogenesis.
• Carcinogenesis from chemical or physical agents. Viral carcinogenesis. Genetic and environmental risk factors. Natural history of the tumor. Tumor antigenicity. Gradation and staging of tumors.
• Outlines of endocrine pathophysiology. The main hormones, characteristics, production and function. The hormone receptors. The hypothalamic-pituitary-target gland axis. Primary and secondary hypofunctions and hyperfunctions.
• Metabolic diseases: Obesity and type I and II diabetes mellitus. Hypercholesterolemia and Atherosclerosis: molecular mechanisms and risk factors.

Readings/Bibliography

Maurizio Parola, Patologia Generale ed Elementi di Fisiopatologia, II edizione o successive, EdiSES Università

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons with use of PDF or powerpoint projections

Assessment methods

The assessment of the knowledge acquired by the student is based on the administration of a written questionnaire (paper or electronic) with multiple choice questions divided as follows: questionnaire A (30 questions of General Pathology and Immunology and General Pharmacology), Questionnaire B (30 questions of Clinical Pathology and Clinical Biochemistry). The student may complete the two questionnaires in the same exam session or in separate sessions, provided that he/she completes the exam within the current Academic Year.

Teaching tools

Slide packages in pdf or powerpoint format available on the teacher's spaces of virtuale.unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Stefano Salvioli

See the website of Maria Conte