year-2-study-guide-2.. - School of Medicine - Trinity College Dublin

Module 2: CLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY
ECTS Value
5 Credits
Lecturers
Biochemistry lectures cover Introduction (Porter 1 lecture)
Coagulation (Preston 6 lectures)
Extracellular matrix (Carroll 4 lectures)
Clinical Endocrinology (Boran 8 lectures)
Clinical Biochemistry (Smith 7 lectures)
Immunology (Jackson/Feighery/Kelly/Doherty 10 lectures/2 tutorials)
Molecular mechanisms of metabolic diseases (Nolan/ Pazderska /Wanic 4 lectures)
Aims
The purpose of the course is to enable the students to understand and interpret core
aspects of “clinical biochemistry” and immunology that they will encounter in the
course of their careers as medical doctors. Prerequisites include a knowledge of the
fundamentals of biochemistry. The course is mandatory. The lecture is there to
facilitate understanding of the courses provided.
Course Content
The Extracellular Matrix: Dr. Joe Carroll (4 lectures)
1. The extracellular matrix: overview of composition; collagen, elastin and
glucosaminoglycans; collagen-amino acid composition, biosynthesis, post-translation
modification and processing, formation of fibres and alternative structures
(particularly type IV), genetic defects in collagen structure and exon splicing
2. Glycosaminoglycans: classification, synthesis and properties; genetic disorders of
gylcosaminoglycan metabolism
3. Calcification: dietary calcium and absorption; structure of crystalline bone; vitamin
D metabolism and calcium transport; regulators of osteoclast and osteoblast activity;
parathyroid hormone and phosphate metabolism; regulation of calcium homeostasis;
factors affecting the determination of calcium concentration
4. Molecules involved in cell adhesion: fibronectin and its binding to cells, collagen
and glycosaminoglycans, influences of the cell-cycle and metastasis; cell
communication with the morphogenesis and proliferation; laminin, it’s high affinity for
type IV collagen and role in epithelial cell function.
Learning Objectives from the course ‘ Extracellular Matrix’ :
The objective of this short course is to gain understanding of the extracellular
macromolecular structures which are present in all tissues. These molecules
(collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans ) determine the texture, rigidity, fluidity,
strength, shape, elasticity of the tissues and serve as barriers against infection. The
glycosaminoglycans influence the calcification of tissues. The extracellular matrix
binds via Fibronectin to cells and forms a direct line of communication to the nucleus;
Alterations to the extracellular matrix leads to changes to a cells morphology and
biochemistry. Genetic diseases of the extracellular matrix have profound effects on
growth, learning, sight, etc. We will also examine how Calcium homeostasis is
regulated.
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