Cell Signalling and Transduction
ΒΒ0307 | ECTS: 4
Theory: 3 hours/week | Tutorials: 2 hours/week
Learning Outcomes
The course has 2 main objectives:
- Students must develop the skills needed to pursue further studies with a great autonomy in the subject of Intercellular Communication and Signal Transduction. That is
- Understanding the ways in which cells communicate with each other, how they interpret and how they transduce the signals they receive.
- Understanding the complexity of the various interacting intracellular pathways that translate extracellular stimuli, which determine the specific role of each cell, the position it will occupy, as well as whether it will live, die or divide.
- Understanding the function of the major signaling proteins and their emergence as key pharmacological targets (60% of drugs target GPCRs receptors).
- To familiarize students with contemporary international literature articles, and to understand advanced topics arising from contemporary developments in their field of knowledge, to acquire the ability to develop and present a topic within the subject area of the course.
Analytical Description of the Course
- GENERAL FUNCTION OF SIGNALLING PATHWAYS.
- SIGNALLING VIA GAPJUNCTIONS AND NOTCH RECEPTORS.
- SIGNALLING VIA EXTRA CELLULAR SIGNALLING MOLECULES: TYPES – MODES OF ACTION – INTERACTIONS BETWEEN HORMONE AND RECEPTOR.
- G PROTEIN COUPLED SIGNAL TRANSMISSION PATHWAYS.
- INTRACELLULAR MESSENGER SUBSTANCES (cAMP, IP3, DAG, Ca2+, cGMP).
- ION CHANNEL-COUPLED RECEPTORS AND SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION.
- SIGNAL TRANSMISSION VIA TRANSMEMBRANE RECEPTORS WITH TYROSINE-SPECIFIC PROTEIN KINASE ACTIVITY.
- THE ROLE OF Ras PROTEINS IN SIGNAL TRANSMISSION.
- THE PROTEIN CASCADES OF THE MAP KINASE PATHWAYS.
- TRANSDUCTION VIA MEMBRANE RECEPTORS WITH ASSOCIATED TYROSINE KINASE ACTIVITY.
- TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS STAT AND SIGNAL TRANSMISSION IN THE NUCLEUS.
- SIGNALLING BY NUCLEAR RECEPTORS.
- MALFUNCTION OF SIGNALLING PATHWAYS AND TUMORIGENESIS.
- APOPTOSIS.
Student Performance Evaluation
Their performance in acquiring basic knowledge (lectures) and their performance in the public presence of a signal transduction issue is evaluated.
The acquisition of basic knowledge shall be assessed on the basis of written examinations in all the material taking place at the end of the semester.
Suggested Bibliography
- Διακυτταρική Επικοινωνία – Μεταγωγή Σήματος, Αιμιλία Ζίφα, Πανεπιστημιακές Εκδόσεις Θεσσαλίας, 2025.
- Biochemistry of Signal Transduction and Regulation, Gerhard Krauss, 4th edition, Wiley-VCH, 2008.
- Signal Transduction, B. Gomberts, I. Kramer, P. Tatham, 2nd edition, Elsevier, 2009.
- Cellular Signal Processing: An Introduction to the Molecular Mechanisms of Signal Transduction, Friedrich Marks, Ursula Klingmüller, Karin Müller-Decker, Garland Science, 2008.
- Signal Transduction: Pathways, Mechanisms and Diseases, Ari Sitaramayya, Springer editions, 2009.
Teaching Material / E-class
Lecturer
