Bagley James R, Galpin Andrew J
Integrative Muscle Physiology Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California.
Biochemisty & Molecular Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Center for Sport Performance, Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Fullerton, California.
Biochem Mol Biol Educ. 2015 Nov-Dec;43(6):403-7. doi: 10.1002/bmb.20891. Epub 2015 Sep 8.
Interdisciplinary exploration is vital to education in the 21st century. This manuscript outlines an innovative laboratory-based teaching method that combines elements of biochemistry/molecular biology, kinesiology/health science, computer science, and manufacturing engineering to give students the ability to better conceptualize complex biological systems. Here, we utilize technology available at most universities to print three-dimensional (3D) scale models of actual human muscle cells (myofibers) out of bioplastic materials. The same methodological approach could be applied to nearly any cell type or molecular structure. This advancement is significant because historically, two-dimensional (2D) myocellular images have proven insufficient for detailed analysis of organelle organization and morphology. 3D imaging fills this void by providing accurate and quantifiable myofiber structural data. Manipulating tangible 3D models combats 2D limitation and gives students new perspectives and alternative learning experiences that may assist their understanding. This approach also exposes learners to 1) human muscle cell extraction and isolation, 2) targeted fluorescence labeling, 3) confocal microscopy, 4) image processing (via open-source software), and 5) 3D printing bioplastic scale-models (×500 larger than the actual cells). Creating these physical models may further student's interest in the invisible world of molecular and cellular biology. Furthermore, this interdisciplinary laboratory project gives instructors of all biological disciplines a new teaching tool to foster integrative thinking.
跨学科探索对21世纪的教育至关重要。本手稿概述了一种创新的基于实验室的教学方法，该方法结合了生物化学/分子生物学、运动机能学/健康科学、计算机科学和制造工程等要素，使学生能够更好地理解复杂的生物系统。在这里，我们利用大多数大学都有的技术，用生物塑料材料打印出实际人类肌肉细胞（肌纤维）的三维（3D）比例模型。同样的方法几乎可以应用于任何细胞类型或分子结构。这一进展意义重大，因为从历史上看，二维（2D）肌细胞图像已被证明不足以对细胞器组织和形态进行详细分析。3D成像通过提供准确且可量化的肌纤维结构数据填补了这一空白。操作实体3D模型克服了2D的局限性，为学生提供了新的视角和不同的学习体验，可能有助于他们的理解。这种方法还让学习者接触到：1）人类肌肉细胞的提取和分离，2）靶向荧光标记，3）共聚焦显微镜，4）图像处理（通过开源软件），以及5）3D打印生物塑料比例模型（比实际细胞大500倍）。创建这些物理模型可能会进一步激发学生对分子和细胞生物学无形世界的兴趣。此外，这个跨学科实验室项目为所有生物学科的教师提供了一种新的教学工具，以培养综合思维。
