Integrated Cellular Metabolism

This course unit enables students to deepen their understanding of metabolism. It provides a comprehensive overview of human metabolism. It will emphasize the connections between various metabolic pathways. It will also demonstrate how different tissues communicate with one another to maintain overall energy homeostasis. Disruptions in this metabolic process that lead to certain diseases will be discussed.

• In-depth knowledge of integrated metabolism and its various levels of regulation within the cell.
• Integration of metabolic regulatory systems at the organism level (example: blood glucose levels).
• Metabolism of Nitrogen-Containing Compounds (Biological Nitrogen Cycle, Amino Acid Anabolism, Nucleotide Anabolism)
• Lipid Synthesis Pathways (Glycerophospholipids, Sphingolipids, Cholesterol)
• Understand the close links between lipid and carbohydrate metabolism.
• Understand the various roles, at the cellular and physiological levels, of molecules derived from lipid metabolism, including, for example, steroid compounds and lipid second messengers
• Understanding the links between metabolism, signaling, and vesicular/membrane trafficking (autophagy, insulin signaling, mTOR pathways)
• Metabolic disorders (lysosomal and mitochondrial diseases, cancer, diabetes, etc.)
• Understand the types of metabolism found in various cell types (cancer cells, neurons, liver cells, etc.) in relation to their environment, their functions, and their energy requirements (and any abnormalities).
• An introduction to the metabolism of free radicals and the dangers they pose to cells. An examination of the mechanisms that protect against free radicals
• Control of Food Intake and Metabolism

Expertise

• Be able to analyze experimental data in metabolism, formulate hypotheses, and propose ways to test them.
• Understand the techniques used to study metabolism, their scope of application, their cost, their advantages, and their limitations
• Be able to summarize and extract key information from a simple scientific article on metabolism.

Interpersonal Skills

• Demonstrate independence and initiative in summarizing metabolic pathways and knowing how to integrate them into an organ

Demonstrate intellectual curiosity in order to predict a metabolic disorder based on the described metabolic defects.

Biochemistry S3, HLVA403V (Biochemistry S4)