BL A512 SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION Fall, 2000
Instructors:
(1) Dr. Stark, Office 111 Macelwane, 977-7151, e-mail StarkWS@SLU.EDU
(2) Dr. Emerson, Office 122 Macelwane, 977-3905, e-mail EmersonJ@SLU.EDU
Class: Tuesday - Thursday, 3:30-4:45 pm, Macelwane Room 204
DISCLAIMERS: This page and the pages hyperlinked to it are not corrected for tabs, Greek letters, superscripts, subscripts, underlines or italics. Also, keep track of revision date on outline since outlines will be revised after they are first posted.

Reading assignments: Current and classic papers will be made available. There will be numerous references to Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell (Third edition), New York, Garland Publishing, Inc., 1994 (and so it would be useful to own this book).

A subtantial portion of the grade will be based on a midterm exam and a final exam. The final will only cover material after the midterm. Additionally, there will be a short paper for the first half of the semester to be arranged by individual consultation with Dr. Stark. In general, the project will involve choosing a topic from the Aug. 29 - Oct. 12 lectures, finding a very recent paper using whatever library techniques you choose (for instance, see the library techniques I suggested last year for the graduate seminar), and covering the findings as well as your search strategy. Other exercises, to be announced by Dr. Emerson will also contribute to the grade.

Tentative Syllabus
Day/Date - Topic - Assignment
(detailed readings are on the lecture outlines)

Dr. Stark's lectures:
Tu. Aug. 29 The membrane in signalling (Overview) Alberts especially Chap. 10
Th. Aug. 31 General signalling mechanisms Selections Alberts especially Chap. 15
Tu. Sept. 5 Signalling in the nervous system - Electrophysiology & bioelectric potentials Ions, Na+-K+ATPase, Nerve cell, Nernst equation, Resting & action potentials, Reserve Materials, Alberts 181-184, Chap. 11
Th. Sept. 7 Signalling in the nervous system - Channels Channels, history, molecular, mechanoreceptors, C. elegans, Water, cystic fibrosis, Drosophila, Long QT syndrome, Paramecia, Chloride channels, Reserve materials
Tu. Sept. 12 Synapses & transmitters Ligand-gated transmitter channels, Vesicle release, neurotransmitters, Alberts Chaps.11 & 13, Reserve Materials
Th. Sept. 14 G-protein coupled receptor signalling , nitric oxide Alberts et al. Chap. 15, Reserve Materials
Tu. Sept. 19 Period to catch up on the above topics
Th. Sept. 21 Sensory systems Introduction
Tu. Sept. 26 Vertebrate visual transduction Reserve Materials
Th. Sept. 28 Retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration Reserve Materials
Tu. Oct. 3 Invertebrate visual transduction Reserve Materials
Th. Oct. 5 Chemical senses Reserve Materials
Tu. Oct 10 Development in Drosophila eye Reserve Materials
Th. Oct 12 Retinoic acid and steroid hormones Reserve Materials
Tu. Oct. 17 Midterm exam and Midterm answers are here

Dr. Emerson's tentative schedule:
Th. Oct. 19 Growth Factor Signaling
Tu. Oct. 24 "
Th. Oct. 26 "
Tu. Oct. 31 Signal Activation of rhe cRel Homologues, Dorsal and NF-kappaB
Th. Nov. 2 "
Tu. Nov. 7 Signaling by the TGF-beta Superfamily members
Th.. Nov. 9 "
Tu. Nov. 14 Wnt signalling
Th. Nov. 16 "
Tu. Nov. 21 "
Th. Nov. 23 THANKSGIVING
Tu. Nov. 28 Hedgehog Signaling
Th. Nov. 30 "
Tu. Dec. 5 Notch - Delta Signaling
Th. Dec. 7 "

As a study guide, exams for Stark's earlier semesters of teaching signal transduction are posted
Fall, 1996: Midterm, Midterm with answers, Final, & Final with answers
Spring, 1998: Midterm exam, Midterm with answers, Final exam, & Final with answers

Final Exam - Tuesday, Dec 12, 4-5:50 pm


This page last revised on October 16, 2000

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