LearningLabs
Cell Cycle and Disease
Heidelberg, 18 - 20 March 2009
Participants
Computer simulation of asymmetric division of a nematode worm embryo
Digital zebrafish embryo
Programme
Photos
Resources March 2009
Aim
The LearningLAB Cell Cycle and Disease marked the start of a new era in the design of ELLS LearningLABs. Moving towards our goal of improving the teaching of molecular biology in European schools and providing teachers with resources for the school classroom, future LearningLAB themes will focus more closely on specific subject areas in secondary biology curricula. Cell Cycle and Disease cross-links various areas in post-16 curricula: cell division, diversity and control; genes and genome technologies; human genetics and disease. All living beings are made of cells that arise by division of pre-existing cells which pass on their genetic material (e.g. identical sets of chromosomes) to the next generation. The events that lead to a cell’s division have to be executed in a precisely defined sequential order, and surveillance mechanisms (checkpoints) must exist that only allow one step to proceed after the previous has been completed successfully. This cycle of events has to be tightly controlled in response to the cell’s state and environment. Loss of regulation can lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation as it is the case, for example, in cancer cells.
Day 1
The course was broken down into modules which illustrated cell division and the concept of checkpoints, and provided teachers with novel ways of describing the fundamental role of the cell cycle in the classroom. The course started with the latest techniques to visualize the dynamic cell cycle and development from a single cell to a complex multi-cellular organism. Philipp Keller presented pioneering work visualizing embryonic development by Digital Laser Light Sheet Microscopy (DSLM) — a technique developed at EMBL. Elisa Dultz, Ioannis Legouras, Beat Rupp and Annelie Wünsche introduced two model systems, unicellular eukaryote fission yeast and human HeLa cells, used in cutting-edge research to look at the roles of microtubules in spindle formation during metaphase and anaphase, and the interplay between chromosomes and microtubules. At the end of the day, teachers had to apply the knowledge gained during the cell cycle demos in an inquiry-based yeast cell cycle experiment on Baker’s yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, run by the Häring Group (EMBL). Three strains of yeast were treated with drugs that interfere with the cell cycle at different checkpoints. The teachers had to observe aliquots of their test samples under the light microscope and analyse at what stage the cell cycle had been arrested.
Day 2
Andy Riddell introduced the technique of flow cytometry describing the physical principals underlying the cell sorting technique and its applications. The talk was an inspiring example of how the laws of physics can be taught in parallel with biology. In the practical session, the teachers used flow cytometry, or more accurately fluorescence-activate cell sorting (FACS), on their samples from the yeast cell cycle experiment to measure their DNA content and so identify at which stage they had been arrested in the cell cycle leading to analysis of test drugs activity. In the third scientific seminar on Cell cycle checkpoints and their function to retrain cell transformation, Sara Buonomo (EMBL, Monterotondo) examined the role of checkpoints to ensure the balanced separation of chromosomes and the division of the cell into 2 daughter cells. These events are extremely delicate and their fidelity is essential to the perpetuation of life. The transition from normal to cancerous cells is often associated with miss-functioning of components of the checkpoints and/or mistakes arising during the process of DNA replication. Raeke Aiyar (Steinmetz Group, EMBL) presented the fourth scientific seminar on the new area of research called systems biology which revolves around finding out where and how genes and other molecules (e.g. proteins, hormones, metabolites) act as components of molecular networks that drive biological processes. Disease often results from network perturbation, e.g. by mutation of a gene or a change in external ‘environmental’ factors. Through application of systems biology, the medicine of the future is expected to become more preventative, predictive and personalized, where intricate knowledge of personal genomes will allow customization of therapeutics to an individual’s needs.
Day 3
Chromosome karytotyping is still one of the basic techniques in human genetics. To try out the technique teachers stained the large polytene chromosomes found in the salivary glands of Dropsophila melanogaster larvae. Concrete examples of cell cycle regulation disruption and disease were presented by Genetics Counsellor, Sabine Hentze, who looked at cell cycle and disease in the context of everyday medicine, linking knowledge emerging from basic research with the diagnosis and treatment of genetic diseases. Finally, the classroom activity — The virtual expert committee — introduced the teachers to ethical problems related with emerging diagnostic technologies and the knowledge that they generate. Following a case study on cystic fibrosis and a fictitious case of genetic testing for aggressive behaviour, teachers slipped into the role of patient, doctor, employer or health insurer to understand the impact of genetic data on affected patients, families, employers and society.