THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2005/2006
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Home : College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine : Medicine (Schedule R) : BSc Honours (Medicine)

Archived Version

The Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study has been formulated as a dynamic online publication in order to provide the most up to date information possible. Master versions of the Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study incorporating all changes to date are archived twice a year on 1 September and within the first three University working days prior to the start of Semester 2 in January. Please note that some of the data recorded about this course has been amended since the last master version was archived. That version should be consulted to determine the changes made.

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The Neuromuscular Junction in Health and Disease (U01061)

? Credit Points : 10  ? SCQF Level : 10  ? Acronym : MED-4-NSNmj

Principal Tutor: Dr Richard R Ribchester
(assisted by members of the Neuromuscular Synaptic Plasticity Research Group)
The neuromuscular junction was described by Sir Bernard Katz as "an experimentally favourable object whose study could throw considerable light on synaptic mechanisms elsewhere". This proved to be the case in Katz's Nobel Prize-winning studies, which revealed fundamental mechanisms of chemical synaptic transmission: specifically, the probabalistic release of chemical neurotransmitters by Ca-dependent exocytosis; the diffusion of transmitter molecules across the synaptic cleft; and the binding of these molecules to ligand-gates ion channels in the postsynaptic membrane. This module will review not only the microanatomy and physiology of neuromuscular synapses in species as diverse as flies, frogs, mice and men: but also their development, maintenance, plasticity, degeneration, regeneration. As in the case of synaptic physiology, further fundamental mechanistic principles are being revealed, particularly in the area of plasticity and degeneration, by research on these most accessible of synapses. We will also consider the relevance of findings made from basic research on neuromuscular junctions, to the understanding and treatment of diseases such as myasthenia gravis and motor neurone disease. The module will comprise lectures, seminars, tutorials, problem-solving and quantitative data analysis using morphometric and electrophysiological software, and practical/clinical demonstrations.

Entry Requirements

? This course is not available to visting students.

? Pre-requisites : Permission of the Curriculum Approval Officer.

? Special Arrangements for Entry : Directors of Studies must contact the Programme Secretary or Programme Organiser for Honours Neuroscience before registering a student for this course. Priority is given to Honours Neuroscience students.

Subject Areas

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 4th year

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) 45 minutes per week for 11 weeks

First Class Information

Date Start End Room Area Additional Information
22/09/2005 09:00 11:00 Room G17, Adam Ferguson Building Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Increased understanding of biological processes.
Detailed learning outcomes will be provided later.

Assessment Information

100% written exam, duration 1 hour 30 minutes in December.

Exam times

Diet Diet Month Paper Code Paper Name Length
1ST December 1 - 1 hour(s) 30 minutes

Contact and Further Information

The Course Secretary should be the first point of contact for all enquiries.

Course Secretary

Mrs Anne Aitken
Tel : (0131 6)50 3520
Email : Anne.Aitken@ed.ac.uk

Course Organiser

Dr David JA Wyllie
Tel : (0131 6)50 4564
Email : David.J.A.Wyllie@ed.ac.uk

School Website : http://www.mvm.ed.ac.uk/

College Website : http://www.mvm.ed.ac.uk/

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