Neurotransmitters, Synapses, & Acetylcholinesterase Webinar
- Modeling How Cells Talk – Making Sense of Synapses and Signals
- Acetylcholinesterase: A Story of an Enzyme Active Site and Its Evolution
Description
Modeling How Cells Talk – Making Sense of Synapses and Signals
Karen Avery, Pennsylvania College of Technology & Dan Williams, Shelter Island High School
Spark questions with the Synapse Construction Kit© and provide hands-on activities to achieve Concept Explanation and Visual Representation goals in a topic that students find intrinsically interesting. How does the neurotransmitter not only get back in the presynaptic cell, but back in the vesicle? What energy is involved in the transport of these molecules? Do some neurotransmitters remain in synapse all the time? Why don’t they stimulate further action potentials?
Acetylcholinesterase: A Story of an Enzyme Active Site and Its Evolution
Tim Herman, PhD, 3D Molecular Designs
Explore the structure of the acetylcholinesterase active site, its enzymes, inhibitors, and how the natural genetic variation in mosquito populations resulted in the evolution of this protein.
Session Resources
- Presentation Slides PDF
- Insecticide resistance in mosquito vectors (Nature, 243, 136-137, 2003)
- "What Causes Opioid Addiction and Why Is It So Tough to Combat?" (TEDEd)
- "How Does Caffeine Keep Us Awake?" (TED-Ed)
- "A Caffeine Jolt Gives Bees a Buzz to Remember" (Science in the Classroom)
3D Molecular Designs' Products
- Synapse Construction Kit©
- Neuron Modeling Kit©
- Enzymes in Action Kit©
- Membrane Student Modeling Pack©