HHMI Leech Lab

What was the point of the lab?
In the lab I was able to see a little bit about how the nerves on the ganglia respond to different objects such as a probe, feather and forceps. The feather was used for a gentle touch. Then the probe was for the feel of a blunt metal rod. And last the forceps gave two points of contact. The cell type that "responded" to no stimulus was R. The cell type T, R, and P responded to the Probe. The Feather also got a response to T and R but not P. Lastly, the forceps received a response from T, R, and N.  When I drew all five cell types they looked different. They were able to show what was stimulated and all seemed to occur in different places. So because I was able to visually dissect a leech to see it's response to stimuli it lead to the visualization of a neurons  form and structure. And also the Identification of the cell types.   

How is this applicable to people?
Leeches have simple nervous systems and Humans have complex nervous systems. That being said, information discovered on the simple system will correspond to the complex system. The tests on leeches can be followed by understanding the brain of a human. Using the leeches we can locate a single portion of the nervous system to see what happens, or what is stimulated by the stimulus. And also help to know what stimulus's work best. I am a little unsure of what they would use this information for. But it does help to see what the stimulated neuron looks like.  

http://tiffanysanatomyblog.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/intro-to-neurophysiology-and-leech-lab/

http://anatomykk.blogspot.com/2012/01/leech-neurophysiology-lab-write-up.html

Extra Credit Blog: Remote Controlled Roach

The controlled Roach video is so amazing because it is literally learning how to control the body using another persons brain/ movement(remote control). But could this ever do thoughts as well? In a human that might be scary because people could literally become someone totally different based on the thoughts another person stuck in their head. You could make the Roach do something but can you make it like doing it? Or can this potentially change who a person is? I think that having agency is one of the best things a person can have. Could technology ever hinder a persons ability to choose? If so, I believe, that would be very unethical. A statement I heard on the video from class talks about how in the future it may be difficult to see where we end and technology begins. In an experiment there were people who actually were able to use a persons thought to control another persons movement to win a video game. I think this technology and understanding of the brain has the potential to expand our limits and capability. But will freedom be the cost, Can a person be independent and controlled by another person? Also what damage could occur from doing things we can't naturally do on our own? Like is there a reason that there are limits that our brain gives? Science and research so far can't tell us the answers yet, but this science needs to proceed with caution because there are fine lines between doing something because we can or doing something because we should.

 

 http://virtualgardnerblogs.weebly.com/anatomy--physiology.html

http://www.washington.edu/news/2013/08/27/researcher-controls-colleagues-motions-in-1st-human-brain-to-brain-interface/

http://content.animalnewyork.com/wp-content/uploads/RoboRoach_small.jpg

Write Away Friday: Hi

1. What tasks have you completed recently?
This week I went to El Paso to pick up my sister Hannah. I also worked on a summary project about Great Expectations in English III. I went through and memorized most of my lines for Beauty and the Beast. And Lastly, I took a muscle test in Anatomy and Physiology.

2. What have you learned recently?
Recently I have learned that I can't always trust the rules that authority figures give me because the smallest details can change the action that was originally promised. Some (but not all) examples include the change in P.E credit. They are still discussing this, but the school board might take away the credit I earned in Marching Band. Even though they could easily just grandfather it in, they are choosing to distress those that got their P.E. credit another way.  Also I discovered a lot about the year classes that change the rules from where they were originally, without warning. One example of this is that missing 5 days of an all year credit gives you a No Credit mark on your report card. To get the credit you have to fill out an appeal packet which would be fine, except for the fact no one was aware of this rule. Because of these changes, and many others I have not added, I know that the littlest things can make a big difference. It would be nice if forewarning was given, then maybe the individual would have the knowledge to chose their course more carefully.

3. What do you plan on doing next?
Next I plan on working a lot on vocabulary for Spanish and English. Tambien (Also) I plan on doing the Test corrections because sadly I am good at forgetting information I need. Lastly I plan on getting some rest. But like the Idiot I am I have signed myself up for many responsibilities and the last might not happen.

http://www.kidshelpphone.ca/Teens/InfoBooth/School/Test-taking-tips.aspx

System Update: Muscle Anatomy & Physiology

 

The human body is very interesting. In muscles you could spend a least 5 or ten minutes just explaining what something is and what it is made up of. At least that it how a muscle is. A muscle is broken up into compartments. The whole muscle is surround by the Epimysium. Inside, there are sections of muscles surrounded by the Perimysium. Inside that, are the single muscle fibers. In between the fibers there is the Endomysium. All of which help the muscle to form bundles, making it stronger. But why are these bundles able to contract and ultimately get shorter in length? This is because each fiber is made out of individual strands called myofibrils. The myofibrils are striped. They have a Dark area called the A band and a light area called the I band. In the whole thing there are thick and thin filaments.

A section holding both from z disc to z disc is called a sarcomere. The main thing that causes movement is the sarcomere. The thick filament contain ATP which is needed for contraction and the thin filament is made of material that helps keep the myosin heads binding to only the active site. The form is so important because it makes sure that the body is able to move and then reset to move again and so forth so there isn't something happening out of place.    

 

There are multiple steps that happen in nanoseconds to create movement in the muscle. The motor neuron generates an action potential. It then releases Acetylcholine (ACh) which crosses the synapse and binds to it receptors on the sarcolemma. Temporarily the sarcolemma becomes more permeable so that Sodium can rush into the cell and Potassium can rush out. This change in electrical current  causes the action potential to travel to the T-Tubule. Next Calcium leaves the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum and goes into the cytoplasm. The Calcium ends up binding to troponin, which then changes shape. The Shape change causes the Tropomyosin to move off of the binding sites on the actin. This draw in the myosin heads to bind to the actin. And the muscle contracts due to the sliding filament theory which has the myosin heads pull the actin together. This process is fast but as it goes, it requires energy. It requires ATP in the Sodium Potassium pump, the cocking myosin heads and when the muscle resets and the crossbridge detaches. So therefore there has to be a way to get energy to go through this process. There are multiple ways get energy. One process is called glycolysis. This process occurs in the cytoplasm and doesn't require oxygen. It breaks down glucose into pyruvic acid. There is also the Krebs cycle that is a process that goes from ATP or adenosine triphosphate to ADP or  adenosine diphosphate. This cycle and electron transport chain can produce 36 ATP but it is slow and require oxygen. What is most important about all these processes is that in all of them there it is a cycle. That means that the body will never change how it gets energy and wont run out of material to do so because it recycles the material.

http://wps.aw.com/wps/media/tmp/labeling/2807554_dyn.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMS5AbU1kNCXzzdYiwR7xoPigfc_McZ_dUuhz93VXqKW2gALyOubges_uhZfMyRnMtzSTLJvEUJU9nBvlzNtNu4qz4hFxOIjQ_GOJ7zwwGcy4jX7kwPDHSvreOn_m4TqJmHQOm2__sWVs/s320/Image286.gif

 

Write Away Friday: Be your own kind of Beautiful

1. What tasks have you completed recently? 
Recently I have read the book Great Expectations by Charles Dickens for Honors English III. Also I am proud of the fact that as weeks come and go I have remained constant in writing my sister Kelli on her mission in Cabo Verde. She has been there since July and I have missed but few weeks. And I don't know about the rest of you but I am ecstatic to be done with the first semester. It was so stressful but I am proud of what I have done. Mostly I am just glad it is over!!

2. What have you learned recently?
I have learned a lot about myself in relation to others. I find myself often in extremes. I either think I am the worst thing to ever live, or the best thing that ever lived. I have a problem realizing who I am at times. I have kind of taken on a saying this past year. Your worth is not determined by your grades. It isn't determined by how fast you are, or anything of that nature. YOUR WORTH COMES FROM BEING YOU!!! I think the BEST thing to do with this is to STOP COMPARING yourself to others. You know your best and your worst, when you may only see their best.  

3. What are you planning on doing next?
Next I plan on getting ready for the Anatomy and Physiology muscle test. One major thing I need to do is work on my Glogs and Blogs. The last thing I need to do in multiple classes is just read. There are so many classes requiring you to do that outside of class its not even funny.

http://www.filmofilia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/great-expectations.jpg
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