Pathobiology of Bone Tissue Disorders

Semester 5th ()

Hours Teaching 0 hours, Laboratory 2 hours, Tutorial 0 hours , Clinical Training 0 hours (per week)

Teachers

• PAPACHRISTOU DIONYSIOS (Professor)

Description

1.  to present the current knowledge regarding the basic molecular mechanisms that govern the normal function of bone and cartilage,
2. to understand the mechanisms and signaling pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of neoplastic, degenerative, inflammatory and metabolic skeletal diseases,
3. to appreciate the importance of the molecular biology and pathology of bone tissue in the modern diagnosis and novel therapeutic strategies of bone and cartilage pathologies. 

METHODOLOGY

The students should know the structure, architecture and functional organization of bone and cartilage that have been taught during the classes “ANATOMY I" and "HISTOLOGY-EMBRYOLOGY I“.  
 
TOPICS

• Basic principals of anatomy, histology, embryology and molecular biology of bone and cartilage.
• Molecular mechanisms of membranous and endochondral ossification.
• Histological, histochemical and molecular methods for the study of skeletal diseases.
• Signal transduction pathways implicated in skeletal mechanosensing and mechanotransduction.
• The role of microRNAs and microRNA machinery in bone and cartilage physiology and pathophysiology.
  Molecular basis of fracture healing.
• Molecular pathogenesis of osteoporosis and current diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
• Haematopoetic stem cells and bone: friends of foes?
• Bone metastases: From cellular and molecular pathways to novel therapies.
• Molecular mechanisms implicated in the pathogenesis of bone sarcomas: signaling pathways and novel therapeutic interventions.
• Osteoarthritis: Signaling cascades, molecular diagnosis and current treatment.
• The connection between fat and bone: Novel concepts and molecular approaches.