At the end of the course you will be able to:
- explain the fundamental biological and biophysical principles of passive electrical membrane properties in neurons and muscle cells.
- describe the most relevant mechanisms that underlie the generation of action potentials in neurons and muscle cells.
- outline the basic molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie muscle physiology.
- explain how the passive and active membrane properties mediate communication between electrically active cells and, for muscle cells, to recognize how this leads to controlled muscle contraction and relaxation.
- explain which main molecular mechanisms underlie distorted muscle control in context with skeletal muscle channelopathies.
- illustrate how at the molecular level the malfunction of ion channels eventually leads to the clinical symptoms of skeletal muscle channelopathies.
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Aim of the “project celbiofysica” is to introduce students of molecular life-sciences to fundamental cell biophysics, by means of bioelectricity. Bioelectricity in based on unequal distributions of ions (ion gradients) over a cell’s membrane. Due to the membrane’s specific and selective ion permeability these gradients can generate a membrane potential. The membrane of excitable cells, such as neurons or muscle cells contains voltage dependent ion channels, which enable the cells to generate action potentials – the core of signal transmission in neural networks and controlled muscle activity. In this course we will discuss the different cell-physiological and biophysical properties that underlie the membrane potential of cells and the generation and transmission of action potential. We will furthermore discuss the specific role and function of ion channels in regulating the membrane potential and excitability of cells. Eventually the students will use the acquired knowledge for interpreting molecular life-science related problems, specifically the physiology and pathophysiology of muscle cells. Here we will focus on the partially severe muscular dysfunctions: skeletal muscle channelopathies.
Unfortunately the large number of students will make it impossible to do extensive practical work on real physiological cell material. Therefore we opted for practical work on an artificial model system, a practical on EMG recordings and a literature project. Core question of this work/project is: how can a cell regulate the membrane potential and what are the biological and clinical consequences if this regulation fails? Aim is that the student learns to phrase a clear scientific question and to prepare a precise experimental report that provides interpretable data and results. In order to illustrate how “real” research facilities work, it is planned to make excursions to the laboratories of the teachers of this course.
The results of the project work will be presented during the “eindsymposium” of the first study year Participation at the symposium is obligatory.
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