Description: Signaling pathways mediated by enzyme-linked receptor, G-protein-coupled receptors and ion channel receptors. Signaling pathways involving protein covalent modification. Dysregulation of signaling pathways in diseases. Strategies for the specific targeting of biological macromolecules. Principles of optics. Light microscopy applied to eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Principle of fluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Examples of advanced fluorescence microscopy techniques. High and super resolution imaging of microorganisms and live cells. Electron microscopy for ultrastructural analysis of microorganisms, cells and tissues.
Learning outcomes: The student who successfully completes the course will have a basic knowledge of the main strategies of intracellular and intercellular communication, main microscopy techniques to be applied to study microbial and eukaryotic cells, and their processes at single molecule level. Moreover, students will be able to analyse microscopy imaging and discuss the application of different experimental approaches based on advanced microscopy tools.