It's Like Pulling Teeth
A Case Study in Physiology
Author(s)
Abstract
In this interrupted case study, a middle-aged man is having his wisdom teeth surgically removed. He decides to have a general anesthetic, but is unaware of the reaction he will have to halothane. His skeletal muscles go rigid and his body temperature rapidly increases. Students use their knowledge of nerve, synaptic, and muscle function to complete flow diagrams, and consider how each step in the flow diagram could produce maintained muscle contraction. The case is used in a one-semester animal physiology course taken by sophomore and junior science majors. It could also be used in a freshman general biology course or in an anatomy and physiology course.
Objectives
- To review the physiology of nerves, chemical synapses, and skeletal muscle.
- To consider and discuss how a foreign agent (halothane) can produce tetanus in skeletal muscle by acting on the nerves, the synapse, and the muscle.
Keywords
Halothane; neuromuscular system; muscle; tetanus; neurotransmitter, synaptic function; action potential; acetylcholineTopical Areas
N/AEducational Level
High school, Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper divisionFormat
PDFType / Methods
Interrupted, Jig-SawLanguage
EnglishSubject Headings
Physiology | Biology (General) |
Date Posted
09/27/04Teaching Notes
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