MA02 - Introduction to Biology, Anatomy, Physiology, and Physics of the Human Body

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Acquisition of basic biological knowledge with an emphasis on carcinogenesis and self-repair mechanisms. Understanding of meiotic and mitotic cell division, along with their differences. Comprehension of the mechanisms leading to chromosomal damage and the genetic mechanisms responsible for the expression of cell damage regulators.

Basic principles of imaging anatomy, emphasizing landmark points of the body, organ boundaries, and projection of organs onto the external surface of the patient’s body (surface anatomy), essential for accurate and safe clinical examination and diagnosis.

Acquisition of basic physiological knowledge to understand the fundamental principles and mechanisms of nervous system function. The goal is to familiarize students with key concepts and terminology related to the nervous and endocrine systems, provide a holistic understanding of their function, and introduce the ability to recognize potential deviations from normal function.

Understanding the fundamentals of pharmacology, including key concepts such as receptors, molecular mechanisms of drug action, pharmacokinetics, etc. Students will develop a foundational understanding of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacogenetics, bioequivalence, and the molecular and cellular mechanisms of drug action, with a special focus on radiopharmaceuticals and contrast agents.

COURSE CONTENT

Biology

• Biomolecules: Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids.
• The Cell: Cell theory, major organelles, free radicals, oxidative stress.
• Properties of organic molecules, DNA double helix and hydrogen bonds, chromatin and chromosomes, RNA types (mRNA, tRNA, rRNA).
• Cell cycle: Interphase, central dogma of molecular biology, DNA replication, transcription, translation.
• Cell division: Mitosis (prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase), cytokinesis.
• Genetics: Gene mutations, chromosomal abnormalities, epigenetic modifications, diagnostic and therapeutic applications of genetic and epigenetic markers.
• Carcinogenesis: Definition of cancer, benign vs. malignant tumors, causes of carcinogenesis, tumor formation process, properties of cancer cells, mutations, genetic alterations, genetic variability, targeted therapeutic approaches in oncology.

Anatomy

• Imaging Anatomy – Standard X-ray views: Chest, abdomen, cervical/thoracic/lumbar spine, pelvis-hips, long bones, hand, wrist, ankle, knee, elbow, shoulder.
• Abdominal Imaging Anatomy – CT and MRI: Internal organs (liver, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, adrenal glands, gallbladder, bile ducts). Veins (inferior vena cava, hepatic veins, portal vein, superior mesenteric vein, splenic vein, renal and iliac veins). Arteries (abdominal aorta, iliac, renal, superior/inferior mesenteric arteries, celiac trunk). Retroperitoneal structures at the renal level.
• Brain Imaging Anatomy – MRI: Frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes, parieto-occipital sulcus, corpus callosum, septum pellucidum, massa intermedia, quadrigeminal plate, pituitary gland, pineal gland, third ventricle, midbrain, pons, medulla, cerebellum, anterior medullary velum, mammillary bodies, optic chiasm.

Physiology

• Fundamentals of Physiology
• Membrane Physiology: Structure and function of the plasma membrane, cell junctions, diffusion across membranes, osmosis, osmolarity and tonicity, facilitated diffusion, primary and secondary active transport, ion channels, membrane transport mechanisms, vesicular transport.
• Resting and Action Potentials: Membrane potential, equilibrium potentials of potassium and sodium, changes in membrane potential, graded potentials, action potentials, synaptic activation, postsynaptic neuron activation.
• Neural Synapses: Definition and classification of synapses, electrical synapses (gap junctions), chemical synapses, comparison of synapse types, summation of signals, neurotransmitter release.
• Neurotransmitters: Types of postsynaptic neurotransmitter receptors, major neurotransmitters.
• Applications: Electrocardiogram (ECG), electroencephalogram (EEG), sodium-glucose transporters (SGLTs), PET/CT.

Pharmacology

• Definition of a drug, pharmacokinetics vs. pharmacodynamics, drug administration routes.
• Drug absorption: Factors affecting drug absorption.
• Drug distribution: Membrane permeability, factors affecting drug distribution.
• Metabolism: Drug elimination, xenobiotics, metabolic intermediates, metabolism and toxicity of paracetamol, factors affecting drug metabolism.
• Excretion: Renal drug elimination, creatinine clearance, drug half-life, steady-state drug levels.
• Drug administration: Intravenous administration, multiple-dose administration, oral administration.
• Pharmacodynamics: Dose-response curve, efficacy vs. potency, competitive antagonism, therapeutic index.
• Contrast Agents: Definition, types of contrast media in radiology, iodinated contrast agents, MRI contrast agents, properties and pharmacokinetics of contrast media.
• Radiopharmaceuticals: Definition, structure, applications (e.g., 177Lu-DOTA-TATE, 68Ga).