TVMB02 Biophysics and Cell Signalling, 4,5 ECTS-points
/Biofysik och cellsignalering/

Advancement level:
CC

Aim:
To gain fundamental knowledge on biological membranes and their chemical and biophysical properties as well as their role in cell signalling. The course also aims at elucidating how different signals in cells are created and how they contribute to the regulation of the normal function of cells, and at describing methods used for measuring receptor dynamics in cell membranes, cell signalling and forces between cells and biological surfaces.

Prerequisites:
TFKE 05, TFBI 05, TFBI 10, TFKE 25

Supplementary courses:
Profile: Gene technology and measurements in cell biology (TVTB 01)

Course organization:
The course consists of lectures and practical exercises as well as of demonstrations

Course content:
Membrane biophysics: Membrane structures, phase diagrams and membrane stability. Diffusion and flow processes in membranes, theoretical models and measurements. Microscope-based methods for quantitative analysis of membrane diffusion and aggregation of receptors. Membrane biochemistry and ion channels: Metabolism of phospholipids, phosphorylations and other membrane associated cell signals. The importance of different ion channels in the cell membrane and intracellularly, and how to measure ion channel activity. Intracellular signals: The impact of cytoskeleton rearrangements and tyrosin phosphorylations in cell signalling. The use of fluorescent probes for measurements of for instance calcium, combined with video microscopy and confocal microscopy.

Course literature:
Hancock, John T: Cell Signalling. Addison Wesley Longman limited, Harlow, Essex, England. Handouts. Reference literature: Lodish, H. et al: Molecular Cell Biology, Scientific American Books, Freeman & Co., New York, 3 ed , 1995. Alberts, B. et al: Molecular Biology of the Cell, Garland Publ. Co., New York and London, 3 ed, 1995.

TEN1Written examination, 2 p.
LAB1Labratory work, 1 p.
Course language is Swedish.