Helping students see bacteria in 3D: cellular models increase student learning about cell size and diffusion.

ABSTRACT: In the microbial world, cell size and shape impact physiology, but students struggle to visualize spatial relationships between cells and macromolecules. In prokaryotic cells, cell size is limited by reliance on diffusion for nutrient uptake and the transport of nutrients within the cell. Cells must also meet a minimum size threshold to accommodate essential cellular components such as ribosomes and DNA. Using 3D printing allows for the creation of custom models that can be influential teaching tools in the biology classroom. This lesson uses 3D cell models to teach students enrolled in an introductory microbiology course about bacterial cell size and the biological importance of surface-area-to-volume ratio. During the lesson, students interact with 3D cell models and discuss a series of

SUBMITTER: Wollmuth EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10720526 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature