Charged membranes.

This Teaching Resource provides three animated lessons that describe the storage and utilization of energy across plasma membranes. The "Na,K ATPase" animation explains how these pumps establish the electrochemical gradient that stores energy across plasma membranes. The "ATP synthesizing complexes" animation shows how these complexes transfer energy from the inner mitochondrial membrane to adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

Coupled transport protein systems.

This set of animated lessons provides examples of how transport proteins interact in coupled systems to produce physiologic effects. The gastric pumps animation depicts the secretion of hydrochloric acid into the gastric lumen. The animation called glucose absorption depicts glucose absorption by intestinal epithelial cells.

Intercellular transport.

These animations depict generalities of intercellular transport. The animation called "permeability and transport" demonstrates the permeability of four classes of molecules. The "gap junctions" animation shows how these intercellular complexes exclude large factors while they allow small factors to diffuse between cells.

Transport proteins.

This Teaching Resource provides and describes two animated lessons that illustrate general properties of transport proteins. The lesson called "transport protein classes" depicts major classes and subclasses of transport proteins. The "transporters, mechanism of action" lesson explains how transporters and P class ATPase (adenosine triphosphatase) pumps function.

The TGF-beta signal transduction pathway.

This resource provides and describes two animated lessons that illustrate the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) signal transduction pathway. They are designed for any collegiate-level course that presents the basic steps of the prototypical pathway. Courses that might employ these animations include Introductory Biology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Developmental Biology, Immunology, Physiology, and Pharmacology.

The inositol trisphosphate (IP3) signal transduction pathway.

This resource provides and describes two animated lessons that illustrate inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate signal transduction pathways. They are designed for any collegiate-level course that presents the basic steps of the prototypical pathway. Courses that might employ these animations include Introductory Biology, Cell Biology, Physiology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Pharmacology.

The cAMP signal transduction pathway.

This resource provides and describes two animated lessons that illustrate the adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) signal transduction pathway. They are designed for any collegiate-level course that presents the basic steps of the prototypical pathway. Courses that might employ these animations include Introductory Biology, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Physiology, Biochemistry, and Pharmacology.

The Ras-MAPK signal transduction pathway.

This resource provides and describes two animated lessons that illustrate the Ras-MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) signal transduction pathway. They are designed for any collegiate-level course that presents the basic steps of the prototypical pathway. Courses that might employ these animations include Introductory Biology, Cell Biology, Physiology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Pharmacology.

Computer animation and improved student comprehension of basic science concepts.

Many medical students have difficulty learning basic science, either because they find the material challenging to comprehend or because they believe it has limited clinical application. Computer-assisted instruction (CAI)--ie, computer animation--can clarify instruction by allowing students to visualize complex, dynamic processes in an interesting presentation. At West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) in Lewisburg, a series of computer animations have been developed to present concepts in molecular and cellular biology.