Introduction to the study of Biology: the experimental approach. Chemical basis of life. Organic molecules: structure and biological functions of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Key Features of the structure and cellular functions. The eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell. The plant and animal cell. Cytoplasmic organelles. The cytoskeleton. The cell membrane structure and function. The nucleus and its molecular components. Inheritance and information. Replication and DNA repair. Cell reproduction. Meiosis and recombination. Transfer of genetic information from DNA to proteins: protein synthesis. Genetic code. Gene expression and cellular properties. The energy flow and metabolism. Cellular respiration. Photosynthesis. Autotrophy and heterotrophy. The species. General concepts of evolution, biodiversity, systematics and phylogeny. General principles of ecology. Intraspecific and interspecific relationships: competition, predation, symbiosis, parasitism. Plant organisms. Plant tissues. Structural plans of the plants. Introduction to Plant Physiology. The vegetative and sexual reproduction. Angiosperms: general characteristics. Main families of angiosperms. Animal organisms: the animal tissues. Body plans of animals. Adaptive physiology. Reproduction and development. Major animal phyla with particular reference to Arthropoda and Chordata phylum.

The teaching material shown in class will be made available through the moodle platform.
A unitary text calibrated on the course is not available on the market. For this reason, students are warmly invited to follow the lessons, possibly integrating the notes and teaching material made available with a university-level general biology text in which to identify the parts that refer to the course program.
By way of example:

Sadava D, Heller CH, Orians GH, Purves WK, Hillis DM
Biologia - La cellula (1-2.3-2.4-3-4-5-6-8-9-10) Zanichelli, fifth italian edition

Sadava D, Heller CH, Orians GH, Purves WK, Hillis DM
Biologia - L'ereditarietà e il genoma (Cap. 11-12-14-15.1related to the fifth italian edition) Zanichelli

Sadava D, Heller CH, Orians GH, Purves WK, Hillis DM
Biologia – L'evoluzione e la biodiversità (Cap. 20-22-30-31.4-32.3-32.4 related to the fifth italian edition) Zanichelli

Sadava D, Heller CH, Orians GH, Purves WK, Hillis DM
Biologia - La biologia delle piante (Cap.34-35-38 related to the fifth italian edition) Zanichelli