Cell Biology Immunology

This module provides an integrative study of how cells in the body function to defend against injury and disease.

Through engaging with this module, you will develop the Intellectual Abertay Attributes. In particular:

• Master their subject, understand how it is evolving, appreciate the importance of interdisciplinarity and recognise how what has been learned can be applied.
• Understand how knowledge is generated, processed and disseminated, and actively apply knowledge in order to recognise problems and solutions.

By the end of this module the student should be able to:

1. Discuss the roles of the main components of the immune system and explain how they provide a coordinated response to pathogens.
2. Evaluate the use of antibodies as molecular probes and detection systems.
3. Describe and explain the mechanism of hypersensitive reactions, autoimmune disorders and immunodeficiency diseases.
4. Describe the mechanisms that regulate proliferation and differentiation in eukaryotic cells.
5. Describe the principles of cell signalling and apply to a specified (patho)physiological condition

1 Immune system

Innate & acquired immune systems. Specific & Non- specific defence mechanisms. The immune response. Molecular biology of T & B cell responses to antigens. Clonal selection and expansion. Role of lymphokines. Opsonisation, complement activation., Structure, function of antibody molecules. Classes of immunoglobulins. Pathologies of the immune system including hypersensitive reactions, autoimmune disorders and immunodeficiency diseases. Transplant immunology. Cancer immunology.

2 Antibodies as Molecular Probes

Diagnostic systems based on antibody-antigen interaction.

3 Cell biology

Regulation of cell growth and proliferation; cell cycle checkpoints; growth factors, cell communication and signalling, principle of differentiation, tissue repair. The link between a pathophysiological condition and cell signalling.