Principles of Cell Cultures

Code:

MA326

Acronym:

FCC

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Biology and Aquatic Environment

Instance: 2024/2025 - 1T (of 16-09-2024 to 31-10-2024)

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Microscopy
Course/CS Responsible:	Aquatic Sciences

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
LCMA	11	Official Study Plan	3	-	5	49	135

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Cell cultures applied to genetic studies of aquatic organisms. Basic principles of the operation in a cell culture room. Fundamentals of cell culture, distinguishing between primary and prolonged cultures, and between adherent and suspended cultures. Fundamentals of cell immortalization. Application of cell cultures to genetic and environmental toxicity studies.

Learning outcomes and competences

Abilities to achieve: manipulation of cell cultures; recognition of the differences between primary and prolonged cultures; recognition of the limitations of using cell cultures in research studies.

Skills to achieve: working correctly in a cell culture room; to apply correctly the manipulation of cell cultures to genetic and environmental toxicity studies.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Control of cell division; mitosis and meiosis.

Cellular differentiation

DNA repair mechanisms

Program

Theoretical:

Principles of cell culture. Adherent cultures and in suspension. Choice and type of substracts. Co-cultures. Cell differentiation markers. Quantification and cell viability tests. Application of cell cultures in studies of characterization and conservation of aquatic species. Biomarkers of genotoxicity. Assessement of DNA damage and chromosome instability. Sensitivity studies on mutagenic agents. Immortalization and preservation of cell lines. Determining factors for effective cryopreservation.

Practical:

Introduction to the laboratorial practice. The cell culture environment. Biorisk and biosafety notions and rules. Asepsis techniques and sterilization of material. Contamination of cell cultures. Basic procedures of primary and prolonged cultures. Cell viability tests. Maintenance of cell lines, subdivision and freezing/defrost. Observation and cell count in inverted microscope.

Mandatory literature

Marilyn S. Arsham; The^AGT cytogenetics laboratory manual. ISBN: 978-1-119-06122-9
Freshney, R. Ian; Culture of animal cells: a manual of basic technique and specialized applications, John Wiley & Sons, 2015

Complementary Bibliography

Helgason, Cheryl D., and Cindy L. Miller; Basic cell culture protocols. Vol. 1. , Totowa, NJ: Humana Press,, 2005
Doyle, Alan, John Bryan Griffiths, and Diane G. Newell; Cell & tissue culture: laboratory procedures, vol 3, Wiley, 1998

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical classes, and laboratorial practical classes

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	50,00
Trabalho laboratorial	50,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	62,00
Frequência das aulas	49,00
Trabalho escrito	24,00
Total:	135,00

Eligibility for exams

Attendance of at least 75% of the practical classes

Calculation formula of final grade

Final grade of 20 values, distributed in two components: practical report (50%) and final exam (50%)

Classification improvement

Final exam