Chapter 4 Notes

Editor's Notes

• #4: Figure 4.0_1 Chapter 4: Big Ideas
• #5: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students typically cannot distinguish between the concepts of resolution and magnification. However, pixels and resolution of digital images can help clarify the distinction. Consider printing the same image at high and low resolution and enlarging the same image at two different levels of resolution. Teaching Tip 2 below suggests another related exercise. 2. Students can easily feel overwhelmed by the large numbers of structures and related functions in this chapter. For such students, Module 4.22 might be the best place to start when approaching this chapter. Students might best comprehend the content in Chapter 4 by reviewing the categories of organelles and related functions in Table 4.22 and referring to it regularly as the chapter is studied and/or discussed. Teaching Tips 1. Challenge students to identify other examples of technology that have extended our senses. Chemical probes can identify what we cannot taste, listening devices detect what we do not normally hear, night vision and ultraviolet (UV) cameras see or magnify wavelengths beyond our vision, etc. Students can be assigned the task of preparing a short report on one of these technologies. 2. Here is a chance to demonstrate resolving power in the classroom. Use a marker and your classroom marker board to make several pairs of dots separated by shorter and shorter distances. Start out with two dots clearly separated apart—perhaps by 4–5 cm—and end with a pair of dots that touch. Label them a, b, c, etc. Ask your students to indicate the letters of the pairs of points that they can distinguish as separate; this is the definition of resolution for their eyes (they need not state their answers publicly, to avoid embarrassment). 3. Most biology laboratories have two types of microscopes for student use: a dissection (or stereo-) microscope, and a compound light microscope using microscope slides. The way these scopes function parallels the workings of electron microscopes. Dissection microscopes are like an SEM—both rely upon a beam reflected off a surface. As you explain this to your class, hold up an object, identify a light source in the room, and explain that our eyes see most images when our eyes detect light that has reflected off the surface of an object. Compound light microscopes are like TEMs, in which a beam is transmitted through a thin sheet of material. If you have an overhead or other strong light source, hold up a piece of paper between your eye and the light source. You will see the internal detail of the paper as light is transmitted through the paper to your eye . . . the same way a compound light microscope or TEM works!
• #6: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students typically cannot distinguish between the concepts of resolution and magnification. However, pixels and resolution of digital images can help clarify the distinction. Consider printing the same image at high and low resolution and enlarging the same image at two different levels of resolution. Teaching Tip 2 below suggests another related exercise. 2. Students can easily feel overwhelmed by the large numbers of structures and related functions in this chapter. For such students, Module 4.22 might be the best place to start when approaching this chapter. Students might best comprehend the content in Chapter 4 by reviewing the categories of organelles and related functions in Table 4.22 and referring to it regularly as the chapter is studied and/or discussed. Teaching Tips 1. Challenge students to identify other examples of technology that have extended our senses. Chemical probes can identify what we cannot taste, listening devices detect what we do not normally hear, night vision and ultraviolet (UV) cameras see or magnify wavelengths beyond our vision, etc. Students can be assigned the task of preparing a short report on one of these technologies. 2. Here is a chance to demonstrate resolving power in the classroom. Use a marker and your classroom marker board to make several pairs of dots separated by shorter and shorter distances. Start out with two dots clearly separated apart—perhaps by 4–5 cm—and end with a pair of dots that touch. Label them a, b, c, etc. Ask your students to indicate the letters of the pairs of points that they can distinguish as separate; this is the definition of resolution for their eyes (they need not state their answers publicly, to avoid embarrassment). 3. Most biology laboratories have two types of microscopes for student use: a dissection (or stereo-) microscope, and a compound light microscope using microscope slides. The way these scopes function parallels the workings of electron microscopes. Dissection microscopes are like an SEM—both rely upon a beam reflected off a surface. As you explain this to your class, hold up an object, identify a light source in the room, and explain that our eyes see most images when our eyes detect light that has reflected off the surface of an object. Compound light microscopes are like TEMs, in which a beam is transmitted through a thin sheet of material. If you have an overhead or other strong light source, hold up a piece of paper between your eye and the light source. You will see the internal detail of the paper as light is transmitted through the paper to your eye . . . the same way a compound light microscope or TEM works!
• #7: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students typically cannot distinguish between the concepts of resolution and magnification. However, pixels and resolution of digital images can help clarify the distinction. Consider printing the same image at high and low resolution and enlarging the same image at two different levels of resolution. Teaching Tip 2 below suggests another related exercise. 2. Students can easily feel overwhelmed by the large numbers of structures and related functions in this chapter. For such students, Module 4.22 might be the best place to start when approaching this chapter. Students might best comprehend the content in Chapter 4 by reviewing the categories of organelles and related functions in Table 4.22 and referring to it regularly as the chapter is studied and/or discussed. Teaching Tips 1. Challenge students to identify other examples of technology that have extended our senses. Chemical probes can identify what we cannot taste, listening devices detect what we do not normally hear, night vision and ultraviolet (UV) cameras see or magnify wavelengths beyond our vision, etc. Students can be assigned the task of preparing a short report on one of these technologies. 2. Here is a chance to demonstrate resolving power in the classroom. Use a marker and your classroom marker board to make several pairs of dots separated by shorter and shorter distances. Start out with two dots clearly separated apart—perhaps by 4–5 cm—and end with a pair of dots that touch. Label them a, b, c, etc. Ask your students to indicate the letters of the pairs of points that they can distinguish as separate; this is the definition of resolution for their eyes (they need not state their answers publicly, to avoid embarrassment). 3. Most biology laboratories have two types of microscopes for student use: a dissection (or stereo-) microscope, and a compound light microscope using microscope slides. The way these scopes function parallels the workings of electron microscopes. Dissection microscopes are like an SEM—both rely upon a beam reflected off a surface. As you explain this to your class, hold up an object, identify a light source in the room, and explain that our eyes see most images when our eyes detect light that has reflected off the surface of an object. Compound light microscopes are like TEMs, in which a beam is transmitted through a thin sheet of material. If you have an overhead or other strong light source, hold up a piece of paper between your eye and the light source. You will see the internal detail of the paper as light is transmitted through the paper to your eye . . . the same way a compound light microscope or TEM works!
• #8: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students typically cannot distinguish between the concepts of resolution and magnification. However, pixels and resolution of digital images can help clarify the distinction. Consider printing the same image at high and low resolution and enlarging the same image at two different levels of resolution. Teaching Tip 2 below suggests another related exercise. 2. Students can easily feel overwhelmed by the large numbers of structures and related functions in this chapter. For such students, Module 4.22 might be the best place to start when approaching this chapter. Students might best comprehend the content in Chapter 4 by reviewing the categories of organelles and related functions in Table 4.22 and referring to it regularly as the chapter is studied and/or discussed. Teaching Tips 1. Challenge students to identify other examples of technology that have extended our senses. Chemical probes can identify what we cannot taste, listening devices detect what we do not normally hear, night vision and ultraviolet (UV) cameras see or magnify wavelengths beyond our vision, etc. Students can be assigned the task of preparing a short report on one of these technologies. 2. Here is a chance to demonstrate resolving power in the classroom. Use a marker and your classroom marker board to make several pairs of dots separated by shorter and shorter distances. Start out with two dots clearly separated apart—perhaps by 4–5 cm—and end with a pair of dots that touch. Label them a, b, c, etc. Ask your students to indicate the letters of the pairs of points that they can distinguish as separate; this is the definition of resolution for their eyes (they need not state their answers publicly, to avoid embarrassment). 3. Most biology laboratories have two types of microscopes for student use: a dissection (or stereo-) microscope, and a compound light microscope using microscope slides. The way these scopes function parallels the workings of electron microscopes. Dissection microscopes are like an SEM—both rely upon a beam reflected off a surface. As you explain this to your class, hold up an object, identify a light source in the room, and explain that our eyes see most images when our eyes detect light that has reflected off the surface of an object. Compound light microscopes are like TEMs, in which a beam is transmitted through a thin sheet of material. If you have an overhead or other strong light source, hold up a piece of paper between your eye and the light source. You will see the internal detail of the paper as light is transmitted through the paper to your eye . . . the same way a compound light microscope or TEM works!
• #9: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students typically cannot distinguish between the concepts of resolution and magnification. However, pixels and resolution of digital images can help clarify the distinction. Consider printing the same image at high and low resolution and enlarging the same image at two different levels of resolution. Teaching Tip 2 below suggests another related exercise. 2. Students can easily feel overwhelmed by the large numbers of structures and related functions in this chapter. For such students, Module 4.22 might be the best place to start when approaching this chapter. Students might best comprehend the content in Chapter 4 by reviewing the categories of organelles and related functions in Table 4.22 and referring to it regularly as the chapter is studied and/or discussed. Teaching Tips 1. Challenge students to identify other examples of technology that have extended our senses. Chemical probes can identify what we cannot taste, listening devices detect what we do not normally hear, night vision and ultraviolet (UV) cameras see or magnify wavelengths beyond our vision, etc. Students can be assigned the task of preparing a short report on one of these technologies. 2. Here is a chance to demonstrate resolving power in the classroom. Use a marker and your classroom marker board to make several pairs of dots separated by shorter and shorter distances. Start out with two dots clearly separated apart—perhaps by 4–5 cm—and end with a pair of dots that touch. Label them a, b, c, etc. Ask your students to indicate the letters of the pairs of points that they can distinguish as separate; this is the definition of resolution for their eyes (they need not state their answers publicly, to avoid embarrassment). 3. Most biology laboratories have two types of microscopes for student use: a dissection (or stereo-) microscope, and a compound light microscope using microscope slides. The way these scopes function parallels the workings of electron microscopes. Dissection microscopes are like an SEM—both rely upon a beam reflected off a surface. As you explain this to your class, hold up an object, identify a light source in the room, and explain that our eyes see most images when our eyes detect light that has reflected off the surface of an object. Compound light microscopes are like TEMs, in which a beam is transmitted through a thin sheet of material. If you have an overhead or other strong light source, hold up a piece of paper between your eye and the light source. You will see the internal detail of the paper as light is transmitted through the paper to your eye . . . the same way a compound light microscope or TEM works!
• #10: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students typically cannot distinguish between the concepts of resolution and magnification. However, pixels and resolution of digital images can help clarify the distinction. Consider printing the same image at high and low resolution and enlarging the same image at two different levels of resolution. Teaching Tip 2 below suggests another related exercise. 2. Students can easily feel overwhelmed by the large numbers of structures and related functions in this chapter. For such students, Module 4.22 might be the best place to start when approaching this chapter. Students might best comprehend the content in Chapter 4 by reviewing the categories of organelles and related functions in Table 4.22 and referring to it regularly as the chapter is studied and/or discussed. Teaching Tips 1. Challenge students to identify other examples of technology that have extended our senses. Chemical probes can identify what we cannot taste, listening devices detect what we do not normally hear, night vision and ultraviolet (UV) cameras see or magnify wavelengths beyond our vision, etc. Students can be assigned the task of preparing a short report on one of these technologies. 2. Here is a chance to demonstrate resolving power in the classroom. Use a marker and your classroom marker board to make several pairs of dots separated by shorter and shorter distances. Start out with two dots clearly separated apart—perhaps by 4–5 cm—and end with a pair of dots that touch. Label them a, b, c, etc. Ask your students to indicate the letters of the pairs of points that they can distinguish as separate; this is the definition of resolution for their eyes (they need not state their answers publicly, to avoid embarrassment). 3. Most biology laboratories have two types of microscopes for student use: a dissection (or stereo-) microscope, and a compound light microscope using microscope slides. The way these scopes function parallels the workings of electron microscopes. Dissection microscopes are like an SEM—both rely upon a beam reflected off a surface. As you explain this to your class, hold up an object, identify a light source in the room, and explain that our eyes see most images when our eyes detect light that has reflected off the surface of an object. Compound light microscopes are like TEMs, in which a beam is transmitted through a thin sheet of material. If you have an overhead or other strong light source, hold up a piece of paper between your eye and the light source. You will see the internal detail of the paper as light is transmitted through the paper to your eye . . . the same way a compound light microscope or TEM works!
• #13: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students often think of the function of cell membranes as mainly containment, like that of a plastic bag. Consider relating the functions of membranes to our human skin. (For example, both membranes and our skin detect stimuli, engage in gas exchange, and serve as sites of excretion and absorption.) 2. Students can easily feel overwhelmed by the large numbers of structures and related functions in this chapter. For such students, Module 4.22 might be the best place to start when approaching this chapter. Students might best comprehend the content in Chapter 4 by reviewing the categories of organelles and related functions in Table 4.22 and referring to it regularly as the chapter is studied and/or discussed. Teaching Tips 1. Even in college, students still struggle with the metric system. When discussing the scale of life, consider bringing a meter stick to class. The ratio of a meter to a millimeter is the same as the ratio of a millimeter to a micron: 1,000 to 1. 2. Here is another way to explain surface-to-volume ratios. Have your class consider this situation. You purchase a set of eight coffee mugs, each in its own cubic box, for a wedding present. You can wrap the eight boxes together as one large cube, or wrap each of the eight boxes separately. Either way, you will be wrapping the same volume. However, wrapping the mugs separately requires much more paper. This is because the surface-to-volume ratio is greater for smaller objects. 3. The hydrophobic and hydrophilic ends of a phospholipid molecule create a lipid bilayer. The hydrophobic edges of the layer will naturally seal to other such edges, eventually wrapping a sheet into a sphere that can enclose water (a simple cell). Furthermore, because of these hydrophobic properties, lipid bilayers are also self-healing. That the properties of phospholipids emerge from their organization is worth emphasizing to students. 4. You might wish to share a very simple analogy that works very well for some students. A cell membrane is a little like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with jellybeans poked into it. The bread represents the hydrophilic portions of the bilayer (and bread does indeed quickly absorb water). The peanut butter and jelly represent the hydrophobic regions (and peanut butter, containing plenty of oil, is generally hydrophobic). The jellybeans stuck into the sandwich represent proteins variously embedded partially into or completely through the membrane. Transport proteins would be like the jellybeans that poke completely through the sandwich. Analogies are rarely perfect. Challenge your students to critique this analogy by finding exceptions. (For example, this analogy does not include a model of the carbohydrates on the cell surface.)
• #14: Figure 4.2A Effect of cell size on surface area
• #15: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students often think of the function of cell membranes as mainly containment, like that of a plastic bag. Consider relating the functions of membranes to our human skin. (For example, both membranes and our skin detect stimuli, engage in gas exchange, and serve as sites of excretion and absorption.) 2. Students can easily feel overwhelmed by the large numbers of structures and related functions in this chapter. For such students, Module 4.22 might be the best place to start when approaching this chapter. Students might best comprehend the content in Chapter 4 by reviewing the categories of organelles and related functions in Table 4.22 and referring to it regularly as the chapter is studied and/or discussed. Teaching Tips 1. Even in college, students still struggle with the metric system. When discussing the scale of life, consider bringing a meter stick to class. The ratio of a meter to a millimeter is the same as the ratio of a millimeter to a micron: 1,000 to 1. 2. Here is another way to explain surface-to-volume ratios. Have your class consider this situation. You purchase a set of eight coffee mugs, each in its own cubic box, for a wedding present. You can wrap the eight boxes together as one large cube, or wrap each of the eight boxes separately. Either way, you will be wrapping the same volume. However, wrapping the mugs separately requires much more paper. This is because the surface-to-volume ratio is greater for smaller objects. 3. The hydrophobic and hydrophilic ends of a phospholipid molecule create a lipid bilayer. The hydrophobic edges of the layer will naturally seal to other such edges, eventually wrapping a sheet into a sphere that can enclose water (a simple cell). Furthermore, because of these hydrophobic properties, lipid bilayers are also self-healing. That the properties of phospholipids emerge from their organization is worth emphasizing to students. 4. You might wish to share a very simple analogy that works very well for some students. A cell membrane is a little like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with jellybeans poked into it. The bread represents the hydrophilic portions of the bilayer (and bread does indeed quickly absorb water). The peanut butter and jelly represent the hydrophobic regions (and peanut butter, containing plenty of oil, is generally hydrophobic). The jellybeans stuck into the sandwich represent proteins variously embedded partially into or completely through the membrane. Transport proteins would be like the jellybeans that poke completely through the sandwich. Analogies are rarely perfect. Challenge your students to critique this analogy by finding exceptions. (For example, this analogy does not include a model of the carbohydrates on the cell surface.)
• #16: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students often think of the function of cell membranes as mainly containment, like that of a plastic bag. Consider relating the functions of membranes to our human skin. (For example, both membranes and our skin detect stimuli, engage in gas exchange, and serve as sites of excretion and absorption.) 2. Students can easily feel overwhelmed by the large numbers of structures and related functions in this chapter. For such students, Module 4.22 might be the best place to start when approaching this chapter. Students might best comprehend the content in Chapter 4 by reviewing the categories of organelles and related functions in Table 4.22 and referring to it regularly as the chapter is studied and/or discussed. Teaching Tips 1. Even in college, students still struggle with the metric system. When discussing the scale of life, consider bringing a meter stick to class. The ratio of a meter to a millimeter is the same as the ratio of a millimeter to a micron: 1,000 to 1. 2. Here is another way to explain surface-to-volume ratios. Have your class consider this situation. You purchase a set of eight coffee mugs, each in its own cubic box, for a wedding present. You can wrap the eight boxes together as one large cube, or wrap each of the eight boxes separately. Either way, you will be wrapping the same volume. However, wrapping the mugs separately requires much more paper. This is because the surface-to-volume ratio is greater for smaller objects. 3. The hydrophobic and hydrophilic ends of a phospholipid molecule create a lipid bilayer. The hydrophobic edges of the layer will naturally seal to other such edges, eventually wrapping a sheet into a sphere that can enclose water (a simple cell). Furthermore, because of these hydrophobic properties, lipid bilayers are also self-healing. That the properties of phospholipids emerge from their organization is worth emphasizing to students. 4. You might wish to share a very simple analogy that works very well for some students. A cell membrane is a little like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with jellybeans poked into it. The bread represents the hydrophilic portions of the bilayer (and bread does indeed quickly absorb water). The peanut butter and jelly represent the hydrophobic regions (and peanut butter, containing plenty of oil, is generally hydrophobic). The jellybeans stuck into the sandwich represent proteins variously embedded partially into or completely through the membrane. Transport proteins would be like the jellybeans that poke completely through the sandwich. Analogies are rarely perfect. Challenge your students to critique this analogy by finding exceptions. (For example, this analogy does not include a model of the carbohydrates on the cell surface.)
• #17: Figure 4.2B A plasma membrane: a phospholipid bilayer with associated proteins
• #18: Student Misconceptions and Concerns Students can easily feel overwhelmed by the large numbers of structures and related functions in this chapter. For such students, Module 4.22 might be the best place to start when approaching this chapter. Students might best comprehend the content in Chapter 4 by reviewing the categories of organelles and related functions in Table 4.22 and referring to it regularly as the chapter is studied and/or discussed. Teaching Tips 1. A visual comparison of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, such as that found in Figure 1.3, can be very helpful when discussing the key differences between these cell types. These cells are strikingly different in size and composition. Providing students with a visual reference point rather than simply listing these traits will help them better retain this information. 2. Students might wrongly conclude that prokaryotes are typically one-tenth the volume of eukaryotic cells. A difference in diameter of a factor of ten translates into a much greater difference in volume. If students recall enough geometry, you may want to challenge them to calculate the difference in the volume of two cells with diameters that differ by a factor of ten (the answer is about 1,000  ). 3. Germs—here is a term that we learn early in our lives but that is rarely well defined. Students may appreciate a biological explanation. The general use of germs is a reference to anything that causes disease. This may be a good time to sort the major disease-causing agents into three categories: (1) bacteria (prokaryotes), (2) viruses (not yet addressed), and (3) single-celled and multicellular eukaryotes (athlete’s foot is a fungal infection; malaria is caused by a unicellular eukaryote). 4. Module 4.3 mentions how antibiotics can specifically target prokaryotic but not eukaryotic cells, providing a good segue into discussion of the evolution of antibiotic resistance. Teaching tips and ideas for related lessons can be found at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/educators/lessons/lesson6/act1.html.
• #19: Student Misconceptions and Concerns Students can easily feel overwhelmed by the large numbers of structures and related functions in this chapter. For such students, Module 4.22 might be the best place to start when approaching this chapter. Students might best comprehend the content in Chapter 4 by reviewing the categories of organelles and related functions in Table 4.22 and referring to it regularly as the chapter is studied and/or discussed. Teaching Tips 1. A visual comparison of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, such as that found in Figure 1.3, can be very helpful when discussing the key differences between these cell types. These cells are strikingly different in size and composition. Providing students with a visual reference point rather than simply listing these traits will help them better retain this information. 2. Students might wrongly conclude that prokaryotes are typically one-tenth the volume of eukaryotic cells. A difference in diameter of a factor of ten translates into a much greater difference in volume. If students recall enough geometry, you may want to challenge them to calculate the difference in the volume of two cells with diameters that differ by a factor of ten (the answer is about 1,000  ). 3. Germs—here is a term that we learn early in our lives but that is rarely well defined. Students may appreciate a biological explanation. The general use of germs is a reference to anything that causes disease. This may be a good time to sort the major disease-causing agents into three categories: (1) bacteria (prokaryotes), (2) viruses (not yet addressed), and (3) single-celled and multicellular eukaryotes (athlete’s foot is a fungal infection; malaria is caused by a unicellular eukaryote). 4. Module 4.3 mentions how antibiotics can specifically target prokaryotic but not eukaryotic cells, providing a good segue into discussion of the evolution of antibiotic resistance. Teaching tips and ideas for related lessons can be found at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/educators/lessons/lesson6/act1.html.
• #20: Student Misconceptions and Concerns Students can easily feel overwhelmed by the large numbers of structures and related functions in this chapter. For such students, Module 4.22 might be the best place to start when approaching this chapter. Students might best comprehend the content in Chapter 4 by reviewing the categories of organelles and related functions in Table 4.22 and referring to it regularly as the chapter is studied and/or discussed. Teaching Tips Some instructors have found that challenging students to come up with analogies for the many eukaryotic organelles is a highly effective teaching method. Students may wish to construct one inclusive analogy between a society or factory and a cell or construct separate analogies for each organelle. As with any analogy, it is important to list the similarities and exceptions.
• #21: Figure 4.4A An animal cell
• #22: Figure 4.4B A plant cell
• #23: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students often enter college with misunderstandings about the interrelationship between DNA, a chromosome, and a replicated chromosome often photographed just prior to mitosis or meiosis. Consider specifically distinguishing between these important cellular components early in your discussions of the nucleus. 2. Conceptually, some students seem to benefit from the well-developed cell-factory analogy developed in the text. The use of this analogy in lecture might help to anchor these relationships. As mentioned before, challenge students to find exceptions in the analogy, an exercise that promotes critical thinking. Teaching Tips 1. Not all human cells have 46 chromosomes per human cell. Some of your more knowledgeable students may like to guess the exceptions. These include gametes, some of the cells that produce gametes, and adult red blood cells in mammals. 2. If you wish to continue the text’s factory analogy, nuclear pores might be said to function most like the door to the boss’s office. Through these doors, directions to the rest of the factory, including ribosomal components, are transmitted. 3. Noting the main flow of genetic information on the board as DNA to RNA to protein will provide a useful reference for students when explaining these processes. As a review, have students note where new molecules of DNA, rRNA, mRNA, ribosomes, and proteins are produced in a cell. 4. If you want to challenge your students further, ask them to consider the adaptive advantage of using mRNA to direct the production of proteins instead of using DNA directly. One advantage is that DNA is better protected in the nucleus and that mRNA, exposed to more damaging cross-reactions in the cytosol, is the temporary working copy of the genetic material. In some ways, this is like making a working photocopy of an important document, keeping the original copy safely stored away (perhaps like the U.S. Constitution). 5. Consider challenging your students to explain how we can have four main types of organic molecules functioning in specific roles in our cells, yet DNA and RNA only specifically dictate the generation of proteins (and more copies of DNA and RNA). How is the production of specific types of carbohydrates and lipids in cells controlled? (Answer: primarily by the specific properties of enzymes.)
• #24: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students often enter college with misunderstandings about the interrelationship between DNA, a chromosome, and a replicated chromosome often photographed just prior to mitosis or meiosis. Consider specifically distinguishing between these important cellular components early in your discussions of the nucleus. 2. Conceptually, some students seem to benefit from the well-developed cell-factory analogy developed in the text. The use of this analogy in lecture might help to anchor these relationships. As mentioned before, challenge students to find exceptions in the analogy, an exercise that promotes critical thinking. Teaching Tips 1. Not all human cells have 46 chromosomes per human cell. Some of your more knowledgeable students may like to guess the exceptions. These include gametes, some of the cells that produce gametes, and adult red blood cells in mammals. 2. If you wish to continue the text’s factory analogy, nuclear pores might be said to function most like the door to the boss’s office. Through these doors, directions to the rest of the factory, including ribosomal components, are transmitted. 3. Noting the main flow of genetic information on the board as DNA to RNA to protein will provide a useful reference for students when explaining these processes. As a review, have students note where new molecules of DNA, rRNA, mRNA, ribosomes, and proteins are produced in a cell. 4. If you want to challenge your students further, ask them to consider the adaptive advantage of using mRNA to direct the production of proteins instead of using DNA directly. One advantage is that DNA is better protected in the nucleus and that mRNA, exposed to more damaging cross-reactions in the cytosol, is the temporary working copy of the genetic material. In some ways, this is like making a working photocopy of an important document, keeping the original copy safely stored away (perhaps like the U.S. Constitution). 5. Consider challenging your students to explain how we can have four main types of organic molecules functioning in specific roles in our cells, yet DNA and RNA only specifically dictate the generation of proteins (and more copies of DNA and RNA). How is the production of specific types of carbohydrates and lipids in cells controlled? (Answer: primarily by the specific properties of enzymes.)
• #25: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students often enter college with misunderstandings about the interrelationship between DNA, a chromosome, and a replicated chromosome often photographed just prior to mitosis or meiosis. Consider specifically distinguishing between these important cellular components early in your discussions of the nucleus. 2. Conceptually, some students seem to benefit from the well-developed cell-factory analogy developed in the text. The use of this analogy in lecture might help to anchor these relationships. As mentioned before, challenge students to find exceptions in the analogy, an exercise that promotes critical thinking. Teaching Tips 1. Not all human cells have 46 chromosomes per human cell. Some of your more knowledgeable students may like to guess the exceptions. These include gametes, some of the cells that produce gametes, and adult red blood cells in mammals. 2. If you wish to continue the text’s factory analogy, nuclear pores might be said to function most like the door to the boss’s office. Through these doors, directions to the rest of the factory, including ribosomal components, are transmitted. 3. Noting the main flow of genetic information on the board as DNA to RNA to protein will provide a useful reference for students when explaining these processes. As a review, have students note where new molecules of DNA, rRNA, mRNA, ribosomes, and proteins are produced in a cell. 4. If you want to challenge your students further, ask them to consider the adaptive advantage of using mRNA to direct the production of proteins instead of using DNA directly. One advantage is that DNA is better protected in the nucleus and that mRNA, exposed to more damaging cross-reactions in the cytosol, is the temporary working copy of the genetic material. In some ways, this is like making a working photocopy of an important document, keeping the original copy safely stored away (perhaps like the U.S. Constitution). 5. Consider challenging your students to explain how we can have four main types of organic molecules functioning in specific roles in our cells, yet DNA and RNA only specifically dictate the generation of proteins (and more copies of DNA and RNA). How is the production of specific types of carbohydrates and lipids in cells controlled? (Answer: primarily by the specific properties of enzymes.)
• #26: Figure 4.5 Transmission electron micrograph (left) and diagram (right) of the nucleus
• #27: Student Misconceptions and Concerns Conceptually, some students seem to benefit from the well-developed cell-factory analogy developed in the text. The use of this analogy in lecture might help to anchor these relationships. As mentioned before, challenge students to find exceptions in the analogy, an exercise that promotes critical thinking. Teaching Tips 1. If you wish to continue the text’s factory analogy, nuclear pores might be said to function most like the door to the boss’s office. Through these doors, directions to the rest of the factory, including ribosomal components, are transmitted. 2. Noting the main flow of genetic information on the board as DNA to RNA to protein will provide a useful reference for students when explaining these processes. As a review, have students note where new molecules of DNA, rRNA, mRNA, ribosomes, and proteins are produced in a cell. 3. If you want to challenge your students further, ask them to consider the adaptive advantage of using mRNA to direct the production of proteins instead of using DNA directly. One advantage is that DNA is better protected in the nucleus and that mRNA, exposed to more damaging cross-reactions in the cytosol, is the temporary working copy of the genetic material. In some ways, this is like making a working photocopy of an important document, keeping the original copy safely stored away (perhaps like the U.S. Constitution). 4. Consider challenging your students to explain how we can have four main types of organic molecules functioning in specific roles in our cells, yet DNA and RNA only specifically dictate the generation of proteins (and more copies of DNA and RNA). How is the production of specific types of carbohydrates and lipids in cells controlled? (Answer: primarily by the specific properties of enzymes.)
• #28: Student Misconceptions and Concerns Conceptually, some students seem to benefit from the well-developed cell-factory analogy developed in the text. The use of this analogy in lecture might help to anchor these relationships. As mentioned before, challenge students to find exceptions in the analogy, an exercise that promotes critical thinking. Teaching Tips 1. If you wish to continue the text’s factory analogy, nuclear pores might be said to function most like the door to the boss’s office. Through these doors, directions to the rest of the factory, including ribosomal components, are transmitted. 2. Noting the main flow of genetic information on the board as DNA to RNA to protein will provide a useful reference for students when explaining these processes. As a review, have students note where new molecules of DNA, rRNA, mRNA, ribosomes, and proteins are produced in a cell. 3. If you want to challenge your students further, ask them to consider the adaptive advantage of using mRNA to direct the production of proteins instead of using DNA directly. One advantage is that DNA is better protected in the nucleus and that mRNA, exposed to more damaging cross-reactions in the cytosol, is the temporary working copy of the genetic material. In some ways, this is like making a working photocopy of an important document, keeping the original copy safely stored away (perhaps like the U.S. Constitution). 4. Consider challenging your students to explain how we can have four main types of organic molecules functioning in specific roles in our cells, yet DNA and RNA only specifically dictate the generation of proteins (and more copies of DNA and RNA). How is the production of specific types of carbohydrates and lipids in cells controlled? (Answer: primarily by the specific properties of enzymes.)
• #29: Figure 4.6 The locations and structure of ribosomes
• #30: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students can have trouble relating many cell organelles to their diverse functions. They may not realize that Modules 4.7–4.12 introduce the primary organelles in the general order that they function in the production and release of secretory proteins. Products and information generally move from the central nucleus to the rough ER, through the more peripherally located Golgi apparatus and the secretory vesicles, and finally to the outer plasma membrane. Emphasizing the flow from center to periphery in this process can help students to remember the function of individual organelles as they recall the steps of the sequence. 2. Conceptually, some students seem to benefit from the well-developed cell-factory analogy developed in the text. The use of this analogy in lecture might help to anchor these relationships. As mentioned before, challenge students to find exceptions in the analogy, an exercise that promotes critical thinking. Teaching Tips Point out to your students that the endoplasmic reticulum is continuous with the outer nuclear membrane. This explains why the ER is usually found close to the nucleus.
• #31: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students can have trouble relating many cell organelles to their diverse functions. They may not realize that Modules 4.7–4.12 introduce the primary organelles in the general order that they function in the production and release of secretory proteins. Products and information generally move from the central nucleus to the rough ER, through the more peripherally located Golgi apparatus and the secretory vesicles, and finally to the outer plasma membrane. Emphasizing the flow from center to periphery in this process can help students to remember the function of individual organelles as they recall the steps of the sequence. 2. Conceptually, some students seem to benefit from the well-developed cell-factory analogy developed in the text. The use of this analogy in lecture might help to anchor these relationships. As mentioned before, challenge students to find exceptions in the analogy, an exercise that promotes critical thinking. Teaching Tips Point out to your students that the endoplasmic reticulum is continuous with the outer nuclear membrane. This explains why the ER is usually found close to the nucleus.
• #32: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students can have trouble relating many cell organelles to their diverse functions. They may not realize that Modules 4.7–4.12 introduce the primary organelles in the general order that they function in the production and release of secretory proteins. Products and information generally move from the central nucleus to the rough ER, through the more peripherally located Golgi apparatus and the secretory vesicles, and finally to the outer plasma membrane. Emphasizing the flow from center to periphery in this process can help students to remember the function of individual organelles as they recall the steps of the sequence. 2. Conceptually, some students seem to benefit from the well-developed cell-factory analogy developed in the text. The use of this analogy in lecture might help to anchor these relationships. As mentioned before, challenge students to find exceptions in the analogy, an exercise that promotes critical thinking. Teaching Tips Students often learn that a human body can build up a tolerance to a drug. Here, in Module 4.8, students learn about one of the specific mechanisms of this response. Liver cells exposed to certain toxins or drugs increase the amount of smooth ER, which functions in the processing of these chemicals. Thus, there is a structural and functional explanation to the development of drug tolerance.
• #33: Figure 4.8A Smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum
• #34: Figure 4.8B Synthesis and packaging of a secretory protein by the rough ER
• #35: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students can have trouble relating many cell organelles to their diverse functions. They may not realize that Modules 4.7–4.12 introduce the primary organelles in the general order that they function in the production and release of secretory proteins. Products and information generally move from the central nucleus to the rough ER, through the more peripherally located Golgi apparatus and the secretory vesicles, and finally to the outer plasma membrane. Emphasizing the flow from center to periphery in this process can help students to remember the function of individual organelles as they recall the steps of the sequence. 2. Conceptually, some students seem to benefit from the well-developed cell-factory analogy developed in the text. The use of this analogy in lecture might help to anchor these relationships. As mentioned before, challenge students to find exceptions in the analogy, an exercise that promotes critical thinking. Teaching Tips Students often learn that a human body can build up a tolerance to a drug. Here, in Module 4.8, students learn about one of the specific mechanisms of this response. Liver cells exposed to certain toxins or drugs increase the amount of smooth ER, which functions in the processing of these chemicals. Thus, there is a structural and functional explanation to the development of drug tolerance.
• #36: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students can have trouble relating many cell organelles to their diverse functions. They may not realize that Modules 4.7–4.12 introduce the primary organelles in the general order that they function in the production and release of secretory proteins. Products and information generally move from the central nucleus to the rough ER, through the more peripherally located Golgi apparatus and the secretory vesicles, and finally to the outer plasma membrane. Emphasizing the flow from center to periphery in this process can help students to remember the function of individual organelles as they recall the steps of the sequence. 2. Conceptually, some students seem to benefit from the well-developed cell-factory analogy developed in the text. The use of this analogy in lecture might help to anchor these relationships. As mentioned before, challenge students to find exceptions in the analogy, an exercise that promotes critical thinking. Teaching Tips Students often learn that a human body can build up a tolerance to a drug. Here, in Module 4.8, students learn about one of the specific mechanisms of this response. Liver cells exposed to certain toxins or drugs increase the amount of smooth ER, which functions in the processing of these chemicals. Thus, there is a structural and functional explanation to the development of drug tolerance.
• #37: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students can have trouble relating many cell organelles to their diverse functions. They may not realize that Modules 4.7–4.12 introduce the primary organelles in the general order that they function in the production and release of secretory proteins. Products and information generally move from the central nucleus to the rough ER, through the more peripherally located Golgi apparatus and the secretory vesicles, and finally to the outer plasma membrane. Emphasizing the flow from center to periphery in this process can help students to remember the function of individual organelles as they recall the steps of the sequence. 2. Conceptually, some students seem to benefit from the well-developed cell-factory analogy developed in the text. The use of this analogy in lecture might help to anchor these relationships. As mentioned before, challenge students to find exceptions in the analogy, an exercise that promotes critical thinking. Teaching Tips 1. If you continue the factory analogy, the addition of a molecular tag by the Golgi apparatus is like adding address labels in the shipping department of a factory. 2. Some people think that the Golgi apparatus looks like a stack of pita bread.
• #38: Figure 4.9 The Golgi apparatus
• #39: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students can have trouble relating many cell organelles to their diverse functions. They may not realize that Modules 4.7–4.12 introduce the primary organelles in the general order that they function in the production and release of secretory proteins. Products and information generally move from the central nucleus to the rough ER, through the more peripherally located Golgi apparatus and the secretory vesicles, and finally to the outer plasma membrane. Emphasizing the flow from center to periphery in this process can help students to remember the function of individual organelles as they recall the steps of the sequence. 2. Conceptually, some students seem to benefit from the well-developed cell-factory analogy developed in the text. The use of this analogy in lecture might help to anchor these relationships. As mentioned before, challenge students to find exceptions in the analogy, an exercise that promotes critical thinking. Teaching Tips 1. If you continue the factory analogy, the addition of a molecular tag by the Golgi apparatus is like adding address labels in the shipping department of a factory. 2. Some people think that the Golgi apparatus looks like a stack of pita bread.
• #40: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students can have trouble relating many cell organelles to their diverse functions. They may not realize that Modules 4.7–4.12 introduce the primary organelles in the general order that they function in the production and release of secretory proteins. Products and information generally move from the central nucleus to the rough ER, through the more peripherally located Golgi apparatus and the secretory vesicles, and finally to the outer plasma membrane. Emphasizing the flow from center to periphery in this process can help students to remember the function of individual organelles as they recall the steps of the sequence. 2. Conceptually, some students seem to benefit from the well-developed cell-factory analogy developed in the text. The use of this analogy in lecture might help to anchor these relationships. As mentioned before, challenge students to find exceptions in the analogy, an exercise that promotes critical thinking. Teaching Tips As noted in Module 4.10, lysosomes help to recycle damaged cell components. Challenge your students to explain why this is adaptive. Recycling, whether in human society or in our cells, can be an efficient way to reuse materials. The recycled components, which enter the lysosomes in a highly organized form, would require a much greater investment to produce from “scratch.”
• #41: Figure 4.10A_s1 Lysosome fusing with a food vacuole and digesting food (step 1)
• #42: Figure 4.10A_s2 Lysosome fusing with a food vacuole and digesting food (step 2)
• #43: Figure 4.10A_s3 Lysosome fusing with a food vacuole and digesting food (step 3)
• #44: Figure 4.10A_s4 Lysosome fusing with a food vacuole and digesting food (step 4)
• #45: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students can have trouble relating many cell organelles to their diverse functions. They may not realize that Modules 4.7–4.12 introduce the primary organelles in the general order that they function in the production and release of secretory proteins. Products and information generally move from the central nucleus to the rough ER, through the more peripherally located Golgi apparatus and the secretory vesicles, and finally to the outer plasma membrane. Emphasizing the flow from center to periphery in this process can help students to remember the function of individual organelles as they recall the steps of the sequence. 2. Conceptually, some students seem to benefit from the well-developed cell-factory analogy developed in the text. The use of this analogy in lecture might help to anchor these relationships. As mentioned before, challenge students to find exceptions in the analogy, an exercise that promotes critical thinking. Teaching Tips As noted in Module 4.10, lysosomes help to recycle damaged cell components. Challenge your students to explain why this is adaptive. Recycling, whether in human society or in our cells, can be an efficient way to reuse materials. The recycled components, which enter the lysosomes in a highly organized form, would require a much greater investment to produce from “scratch.”
• #46: Figure 4.10B_s1 Lysosome fusing with a vesicle containing a damaged organelle and digesting and recycling its contents (step 1)
• #47: Figure 4.10B_s2 Lysosome fusing with a vesicle containing a damaged organelle and digesting and recycling its contents (step 2)
• #48: Figure 4.10B_s3 Lysosome fusing with a vesicle containing a damaged organelle and digesting and recycling its contents (step 3)
• #49: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students can have trouble relating many cell organelles to their diverse functions. They may not realize that Modules 4.7–4.12 introduce the primary organelles in the general order that they function in the production and release of secretory proteins. Products and information generally move from the central nucleus to the rough ER, through the more peripherally located Golgi apparatus and the secretory vesicles, and finally to the outer plasma membrane. Emphasizing the flow from center to periphery in this process can help students to remember the function of individual organelles as they recall the steps of the sequence. 2. Conceptually, some students seem to benefit from the well-developed cell-factory analogy developed in the text. The use of this analogy in lecture might help to anchor these relationships. As mentioned before, challenge students to find exceptions in the analogy, an exercise that promotes critical thinking. Teaching Tips Challenge your students to identify animal cell organelles other than mitochondria and chloroplasts that are not involved in the synthesis of proteins. (Lysosomes, vacuoles, and peroxisomes are also not involved in protein synthesis).
• #50: Figure 4.11A Contractile vacuoles in Paramecium , a single-celled organism
• #51: Figure 4.11B Central vacuole in a plant cell
• #52: Student Misconceptions and Concerns 1. Students can have trouble relating many cell organelles to their diverse functions. They may not realize that Modules 4.7–4.12 introduce the primary organelles in the general order that they function in the production and release of secretory proteins. Products and information generally move from the central nucleus to the rough ER, through the more peripherally located Golgi apparatus and the secretory vesicles, and finally to the outer plasma membrane. Emphasizing the flow from center to periphery in this process can help students to remember the function of individual organelles as they recall the steps of the sequence. 2. Conceptually, some students seem to benefit from the well-developed cell-factory analogy developed in the text. The use of this analogy in lecture might help to anchor these relationships. As mentioned before, challenge students to find exceptions in the analogy, an exercise that promotes critical thinking. Teaching Tips Challenge your students to identify animal cell organelles other than mitochondria and chloroplasts that are not involved in the synthesis of proteins. (Lysosomes, vacuoles, and peroxisomes are also not involved in protein synthesis).
• #53: Figure 4.12 Connections among the organelles of the endomembrane system
• #54: Student Misconceptions and Concerns Students often mistakenly think that chloroplasts are a substitute for mitochondria in plant cells. They might think that cells either have mitochondria or they have chloroplasts. You might challenge this thinking by asking how plant cells generate ATP at night. Teaching Tips 1. ATP functions in cells much like money functions in modern societies. Each holds value that can be generated in one place and spent in another. This analogy has been very helpful for many students. 2. Mitochondria and chloroplasts are each wrapped by multiple membranes. In both organelles, the innermost membranes are the sites of greatest molecular activity and the outer membranes have fewer significant functions. This makes sense when we consider that the outer membranes correspond to the plasma membrane of the eukaryotic cells that originally wrapped the free-living prokaryotes during endocytosis. Biology makes sense in light of evolution.
• #55: Student Misconceptions and Concerns Students often mistakenly think that chloroplasts are a substitute for mitochondria in plant cells. They might think that cells either have mitochondria or they have chloroplasts. You might challenge this thinking by asking how plant cells generate ATP at night. Teaching Tips 1. ATP functions in cells much like money functions in modern societies. Each holds value that can be generated in one place and spent in another. This analogy has been very helpful for many students. 2. Mitochondria and chloroplasts are each wrapped by multiple membranes. In both organelles, the innermost membranes are the sites of greatest molecular activity and the outer membranes have fewer significant functions. This makes sense when we consider that the outer membranes correspond to the plasma membrane of the eukaryotic cells that originally wrapped the free-living prokaryotes during endocytosis. Biology makes sense in light of evolution.
• #56: Figure 4.13 The mitochondrion
• #57: Student Misconceptions and Concerns Students often mistakenly think that chloroplasts are a substitute for mitochondria in plant cells. They might think that cells either have mitochondria or they have chloroplasts. You might challenge this thinking by asking how plant cells generate ATP at night. Teaching Tips Mitochondria and chloroplasts are each wrapped by multiple membranes. In both organelles, the innermost membranes are the sites of greatest molecular activity and the outer membranes have fewer significant functions. This makes sense when we consider that the outer membranes correspond to the plasma membrane of the eukaryotic cells that originally wrapped the free-living prokaryotes during endocytosis. Biology makes sense in light of evolution.
• #58: Student Misconceptions and Concerns Students often mistakenly think that chloroplasts are a substitute for mitochondria in plant cells. They might think that cells either have mitochondria or they have chloroplasts. You might challenge this thinking by asking how plant cells generate ATP at night. Teaching Tips Mitochondria and chloroplasts are each wrapped by multiple membranes. In both organelles, the innermost membranes are the sites of greatest molecular activity and the outer membranes have fewer significant functions. This makes sense when we consider that the outer membranes correspond to the plasma membrane of the eukaryotic cells that originally wrapped the free-living prokaryotes during endocytosis. Biology makes sense in light of evolution.
• #59: Figure 4.14 The chloropast
• #60: Student Misconceptions and Concerns Students often regard the fluid of the cytoplasm as little more than cell broth, a watery fluid that suspends the organelles. The diverse functions of thin, thick, and intermediate filaments are rarely appreciated before college. Module 4.16 describes the dynamic and diverse functions of the cytoskeleton. Teaching Tips Analogies between the infrastructure of human buildings and the cytoskeleton are limited by the dynamic nature of the cytoskeleton. Few human structures have a structural framework that is routinely constructed, deconstructed, and then reconstructed in a new configuration on a regular basis. (Tents are often constructed, deconstructed, and then reconstructed repeatedly, but typically rely upon the same basic design.) Thus, caution is especially warranted when using such analogies.
• #61: Student Misconceptions and Concerns Students often regard the fluid of the cytoplasm as little more than cell broth, a watery fluid that suspends the organelles. The diverse functions of thin, thick, and intermediate filaments are rarely appreciated before college. Module 4.16 describes the dynamic and diverse functions of the cytoskeleton. Teaching Tips Analogies between the infrastructure of human buildings and the cytoskeleton are limited by the dynamic nature of the cytoskeleton. Few human structures have a structural framework that is routinely constructed, deconstructed, and then reconstructed in a new configuration on a regular basis. (Tents are often constructed, deconstructed, and then reconstructed repeatedly, but typically rely upon the same basic design.) Thus, caution is especially warranted when using such analogies.
• #62: Figure 4.16 Three types of fibers of the cytoskeleton
• #63: Student Misconceptions and Concerns Students often think that the cilia on the cells lining our trachea function like a comb, removing debris from the air. Except in cases of disease or damage, these respiratory cilia are covered by mucus. Cilia do not reach the air to comb it free of debris. Instead, these cilia sweep dirty mucus up our respiratory tracts to be expelled or swallowed. Teaching Tips Students might enjoy this brief class activity. Have everyone in the class clear their throats at the same time. Wait a few seconds. Have them notice that after clearing, they swallowed. The mucus that trapped debris is swept up the trachea by cilia. When we clear our throats, this dirty mucus is disposed of down our esophagus and among the strong acids of our stomach!
• #64: Student Misconceptions and Concerns Students often think that the cilia on the cells lining our trachea function like a comb, removing debris from the air. Except in cases of disease or damage, these respiratory cilia are covered by mucus. Cilia do not reach the air to comb it free of debris. Instead, these cilia sweep dirty mucus up our respiratory tracts to be expelled or swallowed. Teaching Tips Students might enjoy this brief class activity. Have everyone in the class clear their throats at the same time. Wait a few seconds. Have them notice that after clearing, they swallowed. The mucus that trapped debris is swept up the trachea by cilia. When we clear our throats, this dirty mucus is disposed of down our esophagus and among the strong acids of our stomach!
• #65: Student Misconceptions and Concerns The structure and functions of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are closely associated with the cells that it contacts. Students might suspect that like roots from a tree, cells are anchored to the matrix indefinitely. However, some cells can detach from the ECM and migrate great distances, often following molecular trails (such as fibronectin and laminin) that direct them along the journey. Teaching Tips The extracellular matrix forms a significant structural component of many connective tissues, including cartilage and bone. Many of the properties of cartilage and bone are directly related to the large quantities of material sandwiched between the bone (osteocyte) and cartilage (chondrocyte) cells.
• #66: Student Misconceptions and Concerns The structure and functions of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are closely associated with the cells that it contacts. Students might suspect that like roots from a tree, cells are anchored to the matrix indefinitely. However, some cells can detach from the ECM and migrate great distances, often following molecular trails (such as fibronectin and laminin) that direct them along the journey. Teaching Tips The extracellular matrix forms a significant structural component of many connective tissues, including cartilage and bone. Many of the properties of cartilage and bone are directly related to the large quantities of material sandwiched between the bone (osteocyte) and cartilage (chondrocyte) cells.
• #67: Figure 4.19 The extracellular matrix (ECM) of an animal cell
• #68: Teaching Tips Tight junctions form a seal that prevents the movement of fluids past the region of the junction. Functionally, this is similar to the lengthy zipper-like seal at the top of common plastic food storage bags.
• #69: Figure 4.20 Three types of cell junctions in animal tissues
• #70: Teaching Tips 1. Consider challenging your students to suggest analogies to the structure and function of plasmodesmata (perhaps air ducts between offices in a building). Consider discussing the advantages of interconnected cytoplasms. 2. The text in Module 4.21 compares the fibers-in-a-matrix construction of a plant cell wall to fiberglass. Students familiar with highway construction or the pouring of concrete might also be familiar with the frequent use of reinforcing bar (rebar) to similarly reinforce concrete.
• #71: Figure 4.21 Plant cell walls and plasmodesmata
• #72: Table 4.22 Eukaryotic Cell Structures and Functions
• #73: Table 4.22_1 Eukaryotic Cell Structures and Functions (Part 1)
• #74: Table 4.22_2 Eukaryotic Cell Structures and Functions (Part 2)