Molekuláris bionika és infobionika szakok tananyagának komplex

46

Methods in Neurobiology: 



Histology  techniques:  light  microscopic 

studies



Applications using fluorescent dyes 



Histology techniques: electron microscop-

ic studies 



Techniques to map neuronal connections 



Molecular biological techniques 



Living experimental models 



Electrophysiological approaches 



Behavioral studies 



Dissection,  virtual  dissection,  imaging 

techniques

A

CKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Grateful thanks to Erik Hrabovszky for the 

precise proof reading and useful hints.

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47

Organic and Biochemistry 

Péter Mátyus

a

, Gábor 

Krajsovszky

a

Semmelweis University 

Department of Organic Chemistry  

Budapest, Hungary 

[e-mail] 

Krasimir Kolev

b

, László Csanády

b

,

Raymund Machovich

b

, László Tretter

b

Semmelweis University  

Department of Medical Biochemistry  

Budapest, Hungary 

József Dobó

c

Hungarian Academy of 

Sciences 

Institute of Enzymology  

Budapest, Hungary 

authors and lecturers: 

a

Organic Chemistry; 

b

Biochemistry 2008-2010, 

c

Biochemistry 2011- 

I.

I

NTRODUCTION

Chemistry fuels the engine of life, and, as a 

science,  plays  an  essential  role  in  all  biosci-

ences. 

The  course  in  Organic  and  Biochemistry 

aims at providing a solid molecular basis with 

emphasis on the interface of chemistry, biolo-

gy  and  informatics  to  satisfy  the  special  re-

quirements  of  students  in  Molecular  Bionics 

and Infobionics. It presents key concepts and 

principles of chemistry, focusing on the struc-

tures,  structure  –  reactivity/property/function 

relationships  of  main  classes  of  organic  and 

bioorganic compounds, the mechanisms, reac-

tion  kinetics  and  thermodynamics  of  most 

important  types  of  organic  reactions. 

Throughout,  it  illustrates  the  integral  role  of 

chemistry in biosciences, helping students get 

a  multidisciplinary  view  on  the  complex  liv-

ing systems.  

II.

S

TRUCTURE OF THE COURSE

The organic chemistry part starts with no-

menclature  of  organic  compounds,  and 

demonstrates  how  easy  to  apply  rules  for 

naming  complex  structures.  Next,  levels  of 

structural  representations,  2D  and  3D  repre-

sentation  of  molecules,  with  overview  on 

isomerism and chirality are discussed. Chemi-

cal bond formation, acidity-basicity and reac-

tivity,  basic  knowledge  on  reaction  mecha-

nisms,  and  non-covolent  interactions  are  in-

cluded  to  foster  understanding  of  governing 

principles of organic/enzymatic reactions and 

non-covalent  supramolecular,  like  receptor-

ligand  interactions.  Main  classes  of  organic 

compounds,  alkanes,  alkenes,  alkynes  and 

aromatic  compounds  and  those  possessing 

functional  groups  relevant  to  biology  are 

briefly  described.  Carbonyl  compounds,  rep-

resenting  a  particularly  important  class  of 

compounds  for  living  organisms,  are  dis-

cussed  in  most  details.  Some  representatives 

of  heterocyclic  compounds,  occuring  in  bio-

systems  (e.g.  building  blocks  of  DNA),  their 

structure  –  reactivity    relationships  and  in-

volvement  in  bio-organic  and  medicinal 

chemistry are finally included.  

The second part of the course, biochemis-

try  focuses  on  molecules  of  the  living  world 

including  major  building  blocks  of  life,  such 

as amino acids, proteins, DNA, RNA, carbo-

hydrates, lipids and vitamins. Basic metabolic 

pathways of the cell and the body, transducing 

and  storing  energy  describes  classical  meta-

bolic pathways like glycolysis, the citric acid 

cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. Storage 

and mobilization of energy in the form of fats 

and  glycogen  is  discussed.  Biosynthesis  and 

breakdown represent an inexhaustible topic of 

biochemistry.  The  biochemistry  course  also 

discusses  the  synthesis  and  breakdown  of 

DNA, RNA and proteins, certain methods of 

recombinant  DNA  technology  and  synthetic 

biology.  Structures  of  membranes  and  trans-

ports  through  them  and  ion  channels  are 

shown.  As  an  example  for  understanding 

complex  biochemical  processes  at  molecular 

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49

48

level,  how  nerve  impulses  are  generated  and 

transmitted is included in the last part. 

III.

C

ONCLUSIONS

The course aims to demonstrate the essen-

tial  contribution  of  chemistry  to  biosciences, 

focusing  on  basic  chemical  concepts  and  the

 most  relevant  themes  of  organic  and  bio-

chemistry.  The  fascinating  achievements  of 

chemistry  in  understanding  key  events  and 

key  features  of  living  systems  at  molecular 

level  will  boost  confidence  of  students  in 

learning.

---

49

Bioethics

Kálmán Nyéky 

Pázmány Péter Catholic University 

Faculty of Information Technology 

Budapest, Hungary 

[e-mail] 

Summary - Bioethics is a cross-discipline, in 

other words it is researched by scientists work-

ing on various fields of science: medical doc-

tors, legal experts, sociologists, philosophers, 

theologians. The purpose of the book is to pro-

vide an introduction into the realm of ethics 

which calls attention to the responsible behav-

ior in different fields of science, most im-

portantly in connection with human life and 

the environment.  Each chapter deals with var-

ious basic values of life, mainly human life, and 

its context. A special focus is given to the con-

flict between the implementation of the results 

of science and the limits of their ethical toler-

ance. Can everything be allowed, which can be 

technically realized? In the meanwhile a spe-

cialized ethical study is carried out with the 

assistance of the representatives of the different 

fields of  sciences taking the current medical 

researches and  processes into consideration. 

Keywords - Bioethics, medical research, 

genetic counselling, organ transplantation, 

informed consent, cloning, abortion, euthanasia, 

hospice, contraseption, medical oath, beginning 

of life, end of life 

I.

I

NTRODUCTION

Bioethics  is  a  discipline  dealing  with  the 

ethical issues of the living world. Nonetheless 

it is an important question what kind of life it 

is.  Very  importantly,  it  is  human life  that 

called into being the basic topics of Bioethics. 

They are known by every well informed per-

son, since its issues are: the beginning and the 

end of human life, in connection with them the 

question  of  abortion,  artificial  insemination, 

gene-therapy,  organ  transplantation,  euthana-

sia,  which  today  present  not  only  medical  or 

ethical concerns. 

II.

ETHICAL ISSUES

One  of  the  first  questions  that  relativize  the 

value  of  life  is:  „Which  is  more  valuable  a 

new precious possession or a new child?” The 

next  questions  immediately  stem  from  it: 

„When  does  individual  human  life  really 

begin? Is it allowed to terminate the life of a 

human  embryo,  if  yes,  how  long?”  Another 

issue can also be raised: „Can any distinction 

be  made  between  two  human  beings  accord-

ing  to  their  physical  or  mental  abilities,  or 

their  gender?”  It  leads  to  the  next  important 

problem: „What should happen to foeti show-

ing signs of any deformation?” „What should 

happen  to  female  embryos?”  It  is  significant 

that the termination of male foeti is never an 

issue,  which  shows  the  distorted  perception 

concerning the reduced value of women!

The  spread  of  democratic  rights  has  raised 

another  fundamental  question:  Who  should 

decide  about  the  life  of  a  patient  and  the 

treatment  to  be  applied?  The  doctor,  who 

knows  what  needs  to  be  done  in  the  sake  of 

the  sick  person,  or  the  patient,  whose  life  or 

health  is  in  danger?  “Whose  life  is  it,  any-

way?”  Who  should  make  a  decision  if  the 

person most concerned cannot make a choice 

or  is  not  able  to  express  his/her  wish?  Who 

should determine the fate of the unconscious 

patient  who  that  of  the  embryo?  What  is  the 

doctor supposed to do in case he/she is to as-

sist a patient who has attempted suicide who 

wishes to die. Should forced gastric lavage be 

applied or the patient should be left to die?  

Using machines to lengthen life also raises a 

new question: How long a life has to be, can 

be lengthened?  

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