516-019 Dental Biology

Note

This subject comprises three components: Cell and Animal Biology; Histology; Developmental Biology/Embryology.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

Cell and Animal Biology covers cell biology; functional anatomy of a vertebrate; parasitic and venomous animals; ecological systems. Histology covers light and electron-microscopic structure of cells and the basic tissues of the human body; structure of blood vessels, skin and exocrine glands. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between structure and function. Developmental Biology/Embryology covers mammalian reproduction; embryo formative processes; foetal-maternal relationships and the development of the basic tissues of the human body; the development of the cardiovascular system; practical work includes dissection of representative vertebrates; invertebrate animals with emphasis on parasitic or toxic organisms.

On completion of this subject, students should comprehend the structure and function of elements within a cell, including essential information regarding the light-microscopic and electron-microscopic structure of normal cells and tissues of the body. Students should appreciate the terminology of cell and developmental biology, and the developmental processes that contribute to the orderly assembly of tissue and organ structure. Students will develop skills in animal dissection and the proper use of a compound microscope. They should be able to observe biological phenomena at macroscopic and microscopic levels and correlate information on cell and tissue structure with function.

Assessment

First semester: a 2 1/2-hour written examination in Animal Biology at the end of the semester (40%); if performance in practical work is unsatisfactory, a 1-hour practical examination may be required. Second semester: a 3-hour written examination on Cell Biology, Histology and Developmental Biology/Embryology at the end of the semester (50%); a 25-minute practical examination on work covered in practical classes during second semester (10%).

Prescribed Texts

• Dorit R L, Walker W F Jnr, Barnes R D 1991, Zoology. Saunders.
• Alberts B, Bray D, Lewis J, Raff M, Roberts K and Watson J D 1994, Molecular Biology of the Cell. 3rd ed. Garland.
• Junqueira L C, Carneiro J and Kelly R O 1992, Basic Histology. 7th ed. Prentice-Hall.
• Burkitt H G, Young B, Heath J W 1993, Wheater's Functional Histology: A text and colour Atlas. 3rd ed. Churchill Livingstone.
• Larsen W J 1993, Human Embryology. Churchill Livingstone.