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Mitosis: Using a toxic compound from the yew tree in cancer therapy
About the Mitosis Virtual Lab Simulation
How can a toxic compound be used in medicine? Paclitaxel, isolated from yew trees, can kill large animals like horses but is also used in cancer therapy. In this simulation, you will learn how cells divide and how they are affected by poisonous paclitaxel.
How is DNA packaged?
Start by diving into a blood sample to find out how DNA is packaged in an immersive animation of the cell. Find the DNA inside the nucleus and then zoom in from the chromosomes all the way into individual nucleotides.
Use microscopy to study mitosis
Understand the different stages of mitosis through interactive graphics and quiz questions. Then, prepare a sample of onion cells to observe the phases of mitosis and find out how each phase contributes to the successful duplication of the cell. By now, you will understand enough about mitosis to replicate the process in a computer model.
Test the effects of paclitaxel
Finally, combine all your new skills and knowledge to test the effect of paclitaxel on cultured cells. Will the compound inhibit or accelerate cell division? How will it affect cancer cells or animals who eat the yew tree?
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Techniques In Lab
- Sample preparation
- Light microscopy
- Fluorescence microscopy
Learning Objectives
At the end of this simulation, you will be able to…
- Understand and visualize basic concepts about eukaryotic cells such as main cellular components and DNA packaging by immersive animations
- Understand the key characteristics of the cell cycle´s different stages: interphase (G1, S and G2) and mitosis
- Use different microscopy techniques to observe the phases of the mitosis and describe their main characteristics:
- Prophase
- Metaphase
- Anaphase
- Telophase
- Understand the cell cycle checkpoints and the molecules that control them (cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases)
- List the main differences between mitosis and meiosis
Screenshots of Mitosis Virtual Lab Simulation
How it works
A million dollar lab in your browser
Perform experiments in virtual lab simulations to achieve core science learning outcomes.
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Hundreds of hours of science learning content
Our virtual laboratory simulations are aimed at university, college and high school level, within fields such as biology, biochemistry, genetics, biotechnology, chemistry, physics and more.
With access to our simulations, you will have hundreds of hours of engaging, high-quality learning content available to you.
