Scenarios
We use subjective scenarios to assess the effectiveness of our virtual worlds. The first two scenarios are used to assess the Organelle Identification Module, and the third scenario applies to the Electron Transport Chain module.Scenario 1: Skeletal Muscle Myopathy
You are on a foreign fellowship to work with Dr. Larsson in Sweden. Dr. Larsson is a cell biologist who specializes in human diseases. A new group of patients arrived recently exhibiting myopathy, severe muscle weakness. The most prominent symptom is severe muscular weakness after just a short period of exercise. Using his vast experience with cellular diseases, Dr. Larsson immediately suggests the Golgi apparatus is not functioning properly. This strikes you as not quite right. You suspect another organelle is not functioning correctly. You quickly volunteer to test Dr. Larsson's hypothesis. Describe the experiment(s) you would perform to demonstrate which organelle is not functioning properly.
List the questions you would ask yourself, and give the reason behind those questions.
List the things you would consider when designing the experiment(s).
Scenario 2: Heart Myopathy
You are on a foreign fellowship to work with Dr. Rotig in Germany. Dr. Rotig is a cell biologist who specializes in human diseases. A new group of patients arrived recently exhibiting heart myopathy, a severe weakness of the heart muscle. The most prominent symptom was shortness of breath after a brief period of exercise. Using his vast experience with cellular diseases, Dr. Rotig immediately suggests the Golgi apparatus is not functioning properly. This strikes you as not quite right. You suspect another organelle is not functioning correctly. You quickly volunteer to test Dr. Rotig's hypothesis. Describe the experiment(s) you would perform to demonstrate which organelle is not functioning properly.
List the questions you would ask yourself, and give the reason behind those questions.
List the things you would consider when designing the experiment(s)
Scenario 3: The Ruptured Mitochondria
Dr. P.R. Smith, the leader of the research lab in which you are working, volunteered you to test the Shrinkatron. This new invention reduces you to the size of a protein molecule and lets you explore inside a cell. Your first trip takes you into the cell and eventually into the mitochondria. As you look around, all of the mitochondria processes (electron transport, hydrogen pumping, ATP synthesis and H20 production) seem to be functioning properly. Suddenly the inner mitochondrial membrane is punctured and a gaping hole appears. Briefly describe what effect the hole will have upon the major processes of the mitochondria.
For more information you can contact Phil McClean, one of the co-project managers.
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