Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Animations: the future of science education?


Maybe it's just my inner-nerd speaking but I really wish professors during my undergraduate training had used animations like the one above in their lectures. Not only is it filled with the same information that can be found in a textbook or on a lecture slide, but it is engaging and entertaining (especially {spoiler alert} when the neutrophil explodes). Unlike subjects such as math or literature, science, and in particular biology, involve movement and ever-changing/evolving entities and processes. So why teach a constantly-in-motion concept with stagnant lecture notes or diagrams when an animation or film clip is available?
I think it's time for education to embrace and implement technological developments. But, don't just take my word for it. Compare the figure below from Terminology: nomenclature of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue by P Brandtzaeg, H Kiyono, R Pabst and M W Russell to the posted video and see for yourself.


Depiction of the human mucosal immune system. Inductive sites for mucosal immunity are constituted by regional mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) with their B-cell follicles and M-cell (M)-containing follicle-associated epithelium through which exogenous antigens are transported actively to reach antigen-presenting cells (APCs), including dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages, B cells, and follicular dendritic cells (FDCs). In addition, quiescent intra- or subepithelial DCs may capture antigens at the effector site (exemplified by nasal mucosa in the middle) and migrate via draining lymphatics to local/regional lymph nodes where they become active APCs, which stimulate T cells for productive or downregulatory (suppressive) immune responses. Naive B and T cells enter MALT (and lymph nodes) via high endothelial venules (HEVs). After being primed to become memory/effector B and T cells, they migrate from MALT and lymph nodes to peripheral blood for subsequent extravasation at mucosal effector sites (exemplified by gut mucosa on the right). This process is directed by the local profile of vascular adhesion molecules and chemokines, the endothelial cells thus exerting a local gatekeeper function for mucosal immunity. The gut lamina propria contains few B lymphocytes but many J-chain-expression IgA (dimers/polymers) and IgM (pentamers) plasmablasts and plasma cells. Also, there are normally some rare IgG plasma cells with a variable J-chain level (J), and many T cells (mainly CD4+). Additional features are the generation of secretory IgA (SIgA) and secretory IgM (SIgM) via polymeric Ig receptor (pIgR) membrane secretory component(mSC)-mediated epithelial transport, as well as paracellular leakage of smaller amounts (broken arrow) of both locally produced and plasma-derived IgG antibodies into the lumen. There may also be some active transport of IgG mediated by the neonatal Fc receptor (not indicated). Notes that IgG cannot interact with J chain to form a binding site for pIgR. The distribution of intraepithelial lymphocytes (mainly T-cell receptor alpha/beta+ CD8+ and some gamma/delta+ T cells) is also depicted. The insert (lower left corner) shows details of an M cell and its "pocket" containing various cell types. The cartoon is modified from Brandtzaeg and Pabst with permission from Elsevier.

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