Cell Signalling in Health and Disease

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Explain the biological role of cytokines in health and disease and describe the basic function of the different Toll like receptors and cytokine receptors
• Explain the similarities and differences between the induction of apoptosis by extrinsic and intrinsic pathways and describe some of the characteristic changes to cellular components during the execution stage of apoptosis
• Outline the importance of apoptosis during embryonic development and in the maintenance of appropriate cell number.
• Distinguish the mechanisms of oncogenic activation of Myc and explain how Myc can function as a transcriptional activator or a transcriptional repressor
• Explain the physiological roles of the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway in cellular regulation and the immune system, and the mechanisms by which mTOR signalling is activated by hormones and growth factors
• Describe how signals are transduced from cell surface receptors to regulate the transcription of nuclear genes
• Outline the role of mTOR, PI 3-kinase and Ras/ERK signalling in diseases such as cancer and cardiac hypertrophy and describe strategies for tackling the defects in cell signalling that give rise to specific diseases
• Describe how intervention in key signalling pathways may be used to treat inflammatory disease of the CNS.
• Identify members and roles of the Myc/Max family of transcriptional regulators
• Describe how the signalling pathways of cytokine receptors are activated and explain the importance of regulation
• Explain the fundamental principles that underlie intracellular signalling pathways, and describe how cell surface receptors activate major signalling pathways such as PI 3-kinase/Akt and Ras/ERK
• Review the possible mechanisms that control the innate and acquired immune responses in the central nervous system

The module comprises an introduction/revision to inflammatory mediators and a detailed survey of the way that they interact in different diseases. This information is integrated in the context of a number of inflammatory diseases affecting a range of different tissues within the body. Strategies that are used to devise new therapeutic approaches to inflammatory disease are discussed within each topic.

Teaching and learning methods

The module will comprise of 20 lectures of 45 minutes and a final revision lecture (if required). Students will have access to a list of selected literature for further reading around each topic.

Resources & Reading list

Internet Resources

Older editions of the last three textbooks are available for free at the NCBI Bookshelf.

Textbooks

Marks et al (2009). Cellular Signal Processing.

B. Alberts et al (2008). Molecular Biology of the Cell.

Murphy et al (2008). Janeway’s Immunobiology.

Kindt et al (2006). Kuby Immunology.

H. Lodish et al (2008). Molecular Cell Biology.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.