Using Motor Mutants to Teach Neurodevelopment in an Undergraduate Neurobiology Lab

Overview

Journal J Undergrad Neurosci Educ

Date 2020 Aug 28

PMID 32848517

Citations 3

Authors

Sarah Rothhaas

Megan C Wright

Christina Swanson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Most undergraduate neuroscience courses include a neurodevelopment component. Typically, the focus is on development of the mammalian central nervous system, including the concepts of neurulation, patterning of the neural tube, and differentiation of the various cells required to build a functional nervous system. However, it can be challenging to design an affordable undergraduate laboratory exercise to reinforce these concepts for students outside of lecture. Here we describe a laboratory exercise that takes advantage of the high level of conservation in neurodevelopmental pathways using as a model organism to illuminate the connection between cell differentiation and nervous system function. Following a lesson discussing spinal cord development, students use larvae to assess the effects of mutations in highly conserved motor neuron differentiation genes on motor behaviors such as crawling. As outcomes of this laboratory, students are able to master important neurodevelopmental concepts, connect neurodevelopment to nervous system function, and gain experience with experimental design and data analysis.

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