Molecular and Cellular Biology of Bone (2020/2021)

Learning outcomes

To deepen PhD students' knowledge about bone/cartilage cellular and molecular biology.
The course aim is to update current knowledge with discussion/illustration of reviews and research papers published recently

Osteogenesis
Bone homeostasis
Bone composition
Bone extracellular matrix
Cells types in bone
The mineralization process
Molecular pathways controlling osteogenic differentiation of progenitor cells
Cells-ECM interactions in bone
The role of autophagy in bone biology
Bone mineral density; alterations; Osteoporosis
Genetic diseases which exemplify opposite defects in osteogenesis:
OSTEOGENESIS IMPERFECTA- clinical description, classification, genetic heterogeneity, molecular genetics
OSTEOPETROSIS- clinical description, classification, genetic heterogeneity, molecular genetics
Cartilage: cells and ECM composition. Molecular and cellulare bases of cartilage degeneration and dysfunctions

PhD students who choose this topic are supposed to participate to the 8 hrs course.
No final examination is foreseen