Syllabus
Syllabus - Neuroscience
The course has a form of one-week block and ends with a credit.
To obtain the credit, it is necessary to attend all days of the course and prove knowledge of topics of the course and basic neurophysiology in oral discussion.
Monday
Held at: Faculty hospital Motol, Department of Neuroscience (Ústav neurověd) - 2nd floor, block D.
Lecture topic
Nonsynaptic transmission as an alternative way of intercellular communication. Extracellular space, extracellular matrix.
Diffusion parameters in the CNS during physiological states, imporatance of the nonsynaptic transmission.
Extrasynaptic ‘volume’ transmission in brain and spinal cord and its mechanism, volume changes in the extracellular space, methods for measuring diffusion parameters in brain and spinal cord.
Practical course
Manufacturing of microelectrodes used in intra- and extracellular measurements of biopotentials; ion-selective microelectrodes.
Optical imaging of spinal cord and brain slices; light transmittance and light reflectance and their relation to neuronal activity.
Tuesday
Held at: Ústav Experimentální medicíny AVČR, Areál biologických ústavů, Vídeňská 1083, Praha 4 - Krč, Building LA - 2nd floor, blue lecture room (see a map at the end)
Transport: Metro C - Kačerov, then bus No. 114 - end station
Lecture topic
Experimental models of pathological states - ischemia; traumatic lesions; multiple sclerosis; tumors, brain and spinal cord trauma; hydrocephalus; aging; Parkinson's disease; Alzheimer's disease.
The role of extracellular matrix and astrogliosis during pathological states.
Practical course
Demonstration of isolated rat spinal cord preparation, tissue slices and preparation of an animal fro measurments in vivo (models of pathological states).
Diffusion measurements in the CNS.
Wednesday
Held at: Ústav Experimentální medicíny AVČR, Areál biologických ústavů, Vídeňská 1083, Praha 4 - Krč, Building LA - 2nd floor, blue lecture room
Transport: Metro C - Kačerov, then bus No. 114 - end station
Lecture topic
Membrane properties of nerve cells and synaptic transmission in the CNS. Membranes of neurons and glial cells; ion channels; patch clamp; receptors; synaptic potentials; gap junctions.
Role of glial cells in the CNS during physiological and pathological states. Glial cells types (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia) and their function; membrane properties; receptors; ion channels; ionic and volume homeostasis; interaction between neurons and glial cells.
Practical course
Principles of electrophysiological methods; patch clamp; membrane current measurements; immunohistochemistry; confocal microscopy imaging.
Thursday
Held at: Ústav Experimentální medicíny AVČR, Areál biologických ústavů, Vídeňská 1083, Praha 4 - Krč, Building LA - 2nd floor, blue lecture room
Transport: Metro C - Kačerov, then bus No. 114 - end station
Lecture topic
CNS regeneration, transplantation of nervous tissue and cell therapy.
Neurogenesis and regeneration of the CNS, application of stem cells in neurology, immunohistochemical detection of transplanted stem and neural cells.
Visualization of transplanted cells in vivo using superparamagnetic nanoparticles and magnetic resonance.
Practical course
Models of brain and spinal cord damage (ischemic and compression lesion); cultivation of stem cells, cell labeling with iron oxide nanoparticles.
Priciples of modern histology, staining and observation of nerve and stem cells. Histological and immunohistochemical methods in neuroscience. Methods used in studies of CNS organisation, staining techniques for macroscopic brain slices, staining for myelin, methods detecting axons and intraaxonal transport (retro- and anterograde), methods for visualization of important metabolic systems.
Friday
Held at: Faculty hospital Motol, Department of Neuroscience (Ústav neurověd) - 2nd floor, block D.
Lecture topic
Basics of the cell engineering - application of biomaterials, cells and growth factors; techniques for creation of three-dimensional tissue replacements (connective system; peripheral and central nervous system; skin and epithelium covering; parenchymatous organs).
Biomaterials, their types and basic properties, biocompatibility, history and current application from contact lenses to macropore hydrogels, nanofibres, electrospinning, theory and biomedical application.
Clinical studies with advanced therapy products - biomaterials, tissue engineered products.
Practical course
Practical examples of requests for clinical trials, principles of stem cell manufacturing.