Cindy Jo Arrigo – New Jersey City University

Rebecca Burdine – Princeton UniversityJonna Coombs – Adelphi UniversityJaclyn Schwalm – Princeton UniversityDavid Swope – Rutgers/New Jersey City UniversityEugenia Villa-Cuesta – Adelphi University

David Gross – Directional Cue

Learning Unit: Cells on the Move

Quick Review from the Balcony:Course: Sophomores/Intro levelThis Unit: middle of the course – 3 hours of class time totalOur tidbit: At the end of the Unit

Green signal represents ActinCell is migrating in direction of the arrow

The students would have learned the following information during the Unit, prior to this tidbit:

Leading edge

Lagging edge

http://klemkelab.ucsd.edu/research/cell.html

Learning Goals: 1. Know how migratory cells sense and respond to environmental cues2. Understand how migratory cells become polarized3. Know how migratory cells move on and interact with the substrate4. Understand the importance of cell migration in development and disease

Describe a ligand-receptor pathway that can direct cell migration and explain a potential consequence of dysregulation of that pathway. (LG1 and 2)

Create a diagram illustrating three cytoskeletal differences between migrating and non-migrating cells. (LG1 and 2)

Compare and contrast cell matrix interactions at the leading/lagging edge of a cell. (LG 3)

Design an experiment to determine if a specific signal is a directional cue. (LG1-4)

Evaluate developmental and disease processes for the importance of cell migration. (LG4)

TidbitHomework

Learning Unit: Cells on the Move

Learning Objectives/Outcomes: Students should be able to –

Colon cancer is known to metastasize primarily to the lung and liver. Your team has isolated a new secreted protein from the liver you call Roadrunner, that you think may attract colon cancer cells to migrate to this location.

Design an experiment to test whether Roadrunner can function as a directional cue for migrating cells.

Be sure to include what controls you would need and explain how you would analyze your experimental results.

Learning Activity:

Your group is part of an international research and development team for a pharmaceutical company.

One Potential Experiment:

http://people.biology.ucsd.edu/firtel/video.htm

Based on your knowledge of Roadrunner as a directional cue, and cell migration in cancer metastasis, identify the best protein to target with a drug to prevent cell migration in this type of colon cancer.

A) Actin

B) Roadrunner receptor

C) Integrins

D) Fibronectin

E) Roadrunner protein

Homework:Provide an example other than cancer, where cell migration is important for either development or disease. Be sure to explain why migration is important in this event and document your sources properly. Your answer should be no more than a paragraph, with sources documented below, and submitted through Blackboard or to your TA by 5pm tomorrow.

Examples from the homework will be selected for sharing with the class.Rubric Scored on a 1-3 scale as described below : 3= Meets expectations; 2=

Need improvement; 1= Incomplete

Completion of the assignment

3- Assignment was a full paragraph edited and clearly written 2- Assignment was either not a full paragraph and/or poorly edited1- Assignment was not submitted

Articulation of the importance

3- Importance is articulated strongly and concisely 2- Importance is hinted at, but not clear1- Importance is not addressed

Proper documentation of sources

3- Sources were credible and documented2- Sources were provided, but were either not credible and/or not documented 1- No sources were provided

Ideas for Scaling this Tidbit

Small class <40 – Tidbit: working groups of 3-4 – could ask for one or two examplesHomework: instructor/TA scan answers and provides feedback

Medium size class 40-100 – Tidbit: working groups of 3-4 – ask for one or two different answersHomework: instructor/TA scans answers and provide feedback

Large class 100 + - Tidbit: working groups of 2-5 students seated close to each other – ask for

1-3 volunteers, especially that have different answers.Homework: have peer groups score the responses and rank them