The Cell Cycle: A Series Of Modeling Activities

The Cell Cycle:A series of modeling activitiesCancer Education ProjectUniversity of Rochester

Premise: Students learn best whenexposed to a variety of activities

Overview1. Information Gathering: the story of Sheena2. Exploration: Cancer in a historical context3. Class Lecture Notes4. Mitosis Lab: Simulation, online and hands-on5. Cell Animations6. Modeling the Cell Cycle in a normal cell7. Modeling the Cell Cycle in a cancer cell

Part 1:Catching Some Killer RayszRead together in class.zAssign questions for homework or to becompleted as a groupTextbook as resourceReview for accuracy as a classzz

Part 2:Cancer: A Historical Perspective

Video Clip 1zNIH supplement: NewsAlert Videos

Part 3: Class Lecture NoteszTwo pages of fill-in style lecture noteszEmphasis on LE Core understandings.

Part 4:Lab: Mitosis in Plant and Animal CellszCompleted during lab classzThree main parts–Mitosis simulation–Computer activity–Hands-on microscope exploration

Lab Part 1: Mitosis SimulationzTeacher-directed simulation ofthe steps in mitosis.zUses red and yellow poppingbeads available through Wards,Science Kit, Carolina

Lab Part 2: Computer ActivityzAllows students to become confident inidentifying cells in the various stages ofmitosis.onion root tip mitosis

Lab Part 3:Hands-on Microscope MitosiszStudents are asked tolocate and draw five cellsin the various stages ofmitosis.

Part 5:Causes of Cancer Animations

Animation Clip 1zNIH Supplement:Cell Cycle Animations

Part 6:Modeling the Cell Cycle in a Normal CellzzYour Task: Model the events and thecontrols of the cell cycle.Work in groups of 4 students.

At Your Station You Should Have: A cell cycle wheel A large Ziploc bag withmaterials Scissors Tape Dried lima beans Balance (not here, today)

How do these paper chromosomescompare to real chromosomes?aBCDeF

First, become familiar with the chromosomes that will beused in your cell model. Your cell has 2 pairs ofchromosomes. These are made from blue and pink paper.zzEach pair is the samelength. Find the 2 pairs.Throughout this simulation,each person in the group willbe responsible for one ofthe chromosomes.Each pair of chromosomes ismade up of 2 partners, amaternal chromosome and apaternal chromosomeajKBAbLCJKmNlCDdeEFfMn

During this simulation, how wouldyou tell the difference betweenthe maternal and paternalchromosomes?

ABbCCJKjKlLMnmNHomologousHomologousaMaternal pinkDdeEFfPaternal blue

zzThe chromosomes arefound inside your cellthat is represented bythe small Ziploc baglabeled “Nucleus”.Place your 2 pairs ofchromosomes into thesmall Ziploc bag.

The remainder of thematerials will be usedthroughout the activity andshould be kept in the largebag labeled “Materials”, asa supply/synthesis area.

Let’s Begin!zA cell next to your cell has died. This cell’s deathcauses an external growth signal and tells your cellto begin the cell cycle.Cell death acts as an externalgrowth signal that stimulatescell division.growth signal

Turn Your Wheel to G1 PhasezAccording to the cell cyclechart (from Part 1), what shouldhappen during G1 phase?

Simulate Growth of Your CellzPlease add beans one at a time to your cell until themass of your cell is gramsOptions for teachers:–Use a balance and mass out the sample cell–Give students the total mass they need and themass of one bean and have them calculatehow many beans they will need to add–Simply count out ‘X’ number of beans

Turn your wheel to the first checkpointzzAt this checkpoint a growthregulator protein, called Rascyclin, checks that cells arebig enough to enter thenext part of the cell cycle.Raise your hand so that Rascyclin (your teacher) maycheck the mass of your cell.

Why is it important to check thatthe cell is big enough to continuewith the cell cycle?

Turn your wheel to the next checkpointzzzDNA in these chromosomescan be damaged by a numberof agents including radiation,toxic chemicals, and freeradicals.At this checkpoint, anotherprotein known as p53 willinspect the chromosomes’DNA for damage.Raise your hand to have p53check your DNA for damage.

What do you think would happen ifthis p53 surveillance system didnot work properly?

Turn your wheel to the S phase of theCell CyclezzzDuring this part of the cellcycle, DNA must bereplicatedUsing the materials fromthe supply bag, make exactcopies of each of your DNAstrands.Place the centromereregions of the chromatidson top of each other

Turn your wheel to the S phase of theCell CyclezzzDuring this part of the cellcycle, DNA must be replicatedUsing the materials from thesupply bag, make exact copiesof each of your DNA strands.aaBBPlace the centromere regions ofthe chromatids on top of eachotherCDeFCDeF

Summarize the events that occurduring the S phase of the CellCycle.

Turn your wheel to the next checkpointzzA protein complex calledATM/ Nibrin inspects tomake sure that the DNAwas copied withoutmistakes.Raise your hand to haveATM/Nibrin (your teacher)check your replicated DNAfor damage.

Why is it important to check thereplicate DNA?

Turn your wheel to the G2 phasezzDuring this part of the cellcycle, the cell prepares formitosis by synthesizing thematerials it will need.Pull black/white lanyard outof large bag.

G1, S, and G2 of Interphase used tobe called the “resting phase”. Whyis resting phase not a good name?

Move your wheel to MitosiszzzDuring Prophase, DNA in thechromosomes condenses andcoils.Wrap each chromatid arounda pencil and then remove thepencil.Attach your two coiledchromatids together byplacing the centromeres ontop of each other.

Move your wheel to MitosiszzzDuring Prophase, DNA in thechromosomes condenses andcoils.Wrap each chromatid arounda pencil and then remove thepencil.Attach your two coiledchromatids together byplacing the centromeres ontop of each other.

Move your wheel to MitosiszzDuring Metaphase, thechromosomes line up in thecenter of the cell.Place one set of black andwhite spindle fibers ateach side (pole) of yourdesk (cell).

Move your wheel to MitosiszzAttach one spindle fiberfrom the left side of yourdesk to the centromere onone chromatid.Attach a spindle fiber fromthe right side of your deskto the centromere on theother chromatid.

Turn your wheel to MAD1zzzA protein called MAD1checks to be sure thespindle fibers have attachedproperly.Spindle fibers need to beattached correctly so thatchromosomes aredistributed evenly to thenew cells.Raise your hand to haveMAD1 check your spindleattachment.

Proceed with AnaphasezzzProceed to Anaphase bypulling on the spindleapparatus to separatechromatids at thecentromere.Complete Telophase byremoving the spindle fromthe chromosomes.Place the spindle fibersback in the supply bag.

Proceed with TelophasezzComplete Telophase byremoving the spindlefrom the chromosomes.Place the spindle fibersback in the supply bag.

Turn your wheel to CytokinesiszzCut your small Ziploc bag,labeled “CELL” in half.Place the chromosomesfrom the left side of yourdesk into one half of thebag, and the chromosomesfrom the right side ofyour desk in the otherhalf.

Turn your wheel to CytokinesiszzTape the open ends ofthe cut ziploc bag closed.You should now have twosmaller cells.

Compare the chromosome contentof the two cells.

Part 7:Modeling the Cell Cycle in a Cancer Cell

Let’s Begin!zA cell next to your cell has died. This cell’s deathcauses an external growth signal and tells your cellto begin the cell cycle.Cell death acts as an externalgrowth signal that stimulatescell division.growth signal

Turn Your Wheel to G1 PhasezTo simulate growth ofyour cell, please addbeans to your small bag.

MUTATION!zzYou have a mutation inthe gene that producesthe Ras protein andthis checkpoint doesnot work.Do NOT check themass of your cell

How might a malfunction at thischeckpoint affect the cell?

Your cell has been exposedto UV radiation!zSimulate DNA damageby cutting off a smallpart of one of theLONG chromosomes.

MUTATION!zzYou have a mutation inthe gene that producesthe P53 proteinThe cell can proceedwith the cell cycle eventhough this DNAdamage has occurred

How might a malfunction at thischeckpoint affect the cell?

Turn your wheel to the S phase of theCell CyclezzDuring this part of the cellcycle, DNA must bereplicatedUsing the materials from thesupply bag, make exactcopies of each of your DNAstrands. Even the damagedchromosome should becopied exactly.zPlace the centromere regionsof the chromatids on top ofeach other

Turn your wheel to the next checkpoint

MUTATION!zYou have a mutation inthe gene that producesthe ATM/Nibrinprotein

How would a malfunction at thischeckpoint affect the cell?

Turn your wheel to the G2 phasezzDuring this part of thecell cycle, the cellprepares for mitosis bysynthesizing thematerials it will need.Pull black/white lanyardout of large bag.

Move your wheel to MitosiszzzDuring Prophase, DNA inthe chromosomescondenses and coils.Wrap each chromatidaround a pencil and thenremove the pencil.Attach your two coiledchromatids together byplacing the centromeres ontop of each other.

Move your wheel to MitosiszzDuring Metaphase, thechromosomes line up inthe center of the cell.Place one set of blackand white spindle fibersat each side (pole) ofyour desk (cell).

Move your wheel to MitosiszzAttach one spindle fiberfrom the left side of yourdesk to the centromere onone chromatid.Attach a spindle fiber fromthe right side of your deskto the centromere on theother chromatid.

OH NO!A Faulty Spindle ApparatuszOne of the spindlefibers fails to attachto the centromere.

MUTATION!zzzYou have a mutation inthe gene that producesthe Mad1 proteinYou may proceed toAnaphase by pulling onthe spindle apparatusto separate chromatidsat the centromere.Complete Telophase byremoving the spindlefrom the chromosomes.

What problems may occur as aresult of having a mutation at theMad1 checkpoint?

Turn your wheel to CytokinesiszzCut your small Ziplocbag, labeled “CELL” inhalf.Place the chromosomesfrom the left side ofyour desk into one halfof the bag, and thechromosomes from theright side of your deskin the other half.

Turn your wheel to CytokinesiszzTape the open ends ofthe ziploc bag closed.You should now havetwo smaller cells.

Compare your new “cancer” cellsto your original cells.List 2 differences between thecancer cells and your originalcells.

Homework:zComplete the questions at the end of theactivity.

As a Teacher:Three important points from today .123

As a Teacher:Ideas that are square with me .

As a Teacher:Things I still need to think about .

As a Teacher:Going around in my head is .

Simulate Growth of Your Cell zPlease add beans one at a time to your cell until the mass of your cell is _grams Options for teachers: – Use a balance and mass out the sample cell – Give students the total mass they need and the mass of on