1. komponenta

Lecture type	Total
Lectures	15
Practicum	30
Seminar	15

* Load is given in academic hour (1 academic hour = 45 minutes)

COURSE OBJECTIVE: The Stem Cell Biology course provides fundamental and advanced knowledge of stem cell biology, their properties, methods of derivation and differentiation, as well as their role in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. The course covers embryonic, induced pluripotent, and multipotent tissue-specific stem cells. Special attention is devoted to biomaterials as cell scaffolds, bioreactors, and bioprinters. Integration of this knowledge is achieved through translational aspects of stem cell applications in therapy. Through lectures, practical classes, and seminars, students acquire theoretical and practical knowledge necessary for understanding and critically analyzing contemporary research in the fields of stem cell biology, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering.

COURSE CONTENT:

LECTURES
1.Basic concepts of stem cell biology: Properties and types of stem cells, methods of derivation, differentiation potential, and fundamentals of early embryonic development.
2?3. Pluripotent stem cells: Derivation and culture of embryonic stem cells, legal regulations and ethical aspects, two states of pluripotency, reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), regulatory networks of self-renewal.
4.Multipotent stem cells: Adult tissue sources, hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells, methods of derivation, culture, and applications.
5?6. Regenerative medicine: Approaches to stem cell?based therapies: activation of endogenous stem cells, stem cell transplantation, tissue engineering, and the stem cell niche.
7?8. Technological support for regenerative medicine: Biomaterials and cell scaffolds, bioreactors, organ-on-chip technologies.
9.Tissue engineering of the skin: Structure and function of the skin, diseases and conditions requiring transplantation, keratinocyte stem cells, culture methods, and development of skin grafts on different scaffolds.
10?11. Tissue engineering of bone and cartilage: Embryonic development of bone and cartilage, injuries requiring transplantation, regulatory networks of differentiation, culture of osteoblasts and chondrocytes on biomaterials.
12?15. Clinical case studies ? guest lecturers.

PRACTICAL WORK
Within the practical sessions, students will be introduced to methods for working with mesenchymal stem cells in both 2D and 3D cultures. They will learn how to seed cells onto various scaffolds and monitor their differentiation. Differentiation will be analyzed by detecting marker genes using specific staining techniques, immunohistochemistry, or quantitative PCR, thereby providing insights into the molecular and structural indicators of differentiation.

SEMINAR
As part of the seminar, students will analyze the latest scientific articles in the fields of stem cell biology, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering. The aim is to develop the ability for critical reading and comprehension of the field, to recognize ethical issues and limitations, as well as to understand methodology and evaluate scientific contributions. Students will prepare and deliver presentations of selected papers, thereby improving their oral communication skills and ability to engage in structured, evidence-based discussion.

1. Stem Cells: Biology nad Application, Mary L. Clarke, Jonathan Frampton, CRC Press, 2020.

Izborni kolegiji - Biologija čovjeka - Regular study - Molecular Biology