Bradykinin

October 10, 2011 in Peptide

Wednesday, December 13th, 2006, Halifax, NS, 2nd graders captured a Jararaca snake in Brazil as they were transported to 1949 and the event of the discovery of Bradykinin, thanks to Stephanie Melanson (BSc DAL) and Emmelyne Pornillos (MDes NSCADU).   All were intrigued as Emmelyne traced the silhouette of a volunteer student on a large piece of paper, and engaged answering Stephanie’s questions as the silhouette was filled in with various cartoon images (of germs, vaccines, white blood cells etc.) to create a visual story of the student’s immune system and its function as the body’s defense against illness.  Bradykinin, the body’s sensitizer to inflammation, was clearly understood by one student, who described it as the equivalent of “the school alarm bell that rings in case of fire”.   Seat belts were fastened and we traveled to São Paulo, Brazil, where we learned a little Portuguese and encountered the Bothrops Jararaca snake (Brazilian lancehead snake) and its poisonous venom with which Dr. Maurício Rocha e Silva and colleagues used to detect Bradykinin in animal blood plasma.   Coloring and assembling those ever useful end-of-the-roll carton cylinders, the students created their own Jararaca as they listened to Brazilian Samba music.

Finishing our seventh MLP presentation in 2006, wIth five more peptides to go in 2007, we thanked team Bradykinin for amplifying the MLP signal in 2nd grade in Halifax.

 

Team Bradykinin,  Emmelyne Pornillos (MDes NSCADU) and Stephanie Melanson (BSc DAL) creating a visual story of the immune system

Flying to Brazil…

Making a Jararaca

Team Bradykinin,  Stephanie Melanson (BSc DAL) and Emmelyne Pornillos (MDes NSCADU) holding an MLP Jararaca.

Vasopressin

October 10, 2011 in Peptide

Friday, November 24th, 2006, Halifax, NS, 2nd graders grasped their kidneys and learned about vasopressin, thanks to an impressive performance by three MLP students Katie Nizio (BSc SMU), Anna Sprague (MFA Concordia) and Cody Stephenson (MFA NSCAD).  Starting out with basic questions about water its importance in the body, particularly in blood, Katie brought us into the kidney where blood is filtered by the nephrons.  She explained how Vasopressin, the anti-diuretic peptide, is made by the brain and transferred through the blood to the kidney, where it causes retention of water.  Leading a chant on vasopressin and the importance of dinking, retaining and releasing water,  Anna had the students dancing about their seats using their favorite archetypical postures for holding water as choreography.  Instructing the students in the art of conceptualization, Cody showed how to assemble an hour-glass shaped model of the kidney for each student to bring home.  Sequins and water were introduced in a plastic bottle, which was mounted with a filter and second plastic bottle.  When this hour-glass was flipped to filter the water from the sequins, all had their first surprise that the water did not move due to surface tension.  Then as the students pressed the bottle containing the clear water, they had an even bigger surprise seeing a yellow steam flow into their empty bottle, thanks to a little magic and a touch of food coloring

With seven more peptides to go, we thanked team Vasopressin for retaining pools of MLP interest in 2nd grade in Halifax.

Team Vassopressin, Anna Sprague (MFA Concordia),Cody Stephenson [MFA NSCAD, holding Conceptal Kidney Model (CKM)] and Katie Nizio (BSc SMU)

Anna and all chanting the vasopressin chant and dancing the vasopressin dance.

Conceptual Kidney Model Construction Kit (CKMCK a great gift for the holidays)

Fully assembled CKM being squeezed.

 

Vasopressin March

by Anna Sprague

 

When I am driving in the car

(Repeat)

The bathroom seems so very far

(Repeat)

Moma Moma what can I do?

(Repeat)

Vasopressin helping you

(Repeat)

Hold it

1 2

Hold it

3 4

bring it on down

1 2 3 4

3 4

 

 

Sweating in the hot hot sun

(Repeat)

Not a drink for anyone

(Repeat)

I don’t have the urge to go

(Repeat)

‘cause vasopressin stops the flow

(Repeat)

Hold it

1 2

Hold it

3 4

bring it on down

1 2 3 4

3 4

 

 

Sometimes at night or in the cold

(Repeat)

My bladder is so hard to hold

(Repeat)

When I am bigger I won’t fret

(Repeat)

No longer will my bed get wet

(Repeat)

Hold it

1 2

Hold it

3 4

bring it on down

1 2 3 4

3 4

 

So,

If your bladder’s really stressin’

(Repeat)

You’re in the clear with vasopressin.

(Repeat)

Stand on one foot, jump up and down

(Repeat)

jog on the spot, then turn around

(Repeat)

Hold it

1 2

Hold it

3 4

bring it on down

1 2 3 4

3 4

 

Now you know just what to do

(Repeat)

When your body’s telling you

(Repeat)

to try and really hold your pee

(Repeat)

Just sit down and cross your knees.

(Repeat)

Hold it

1 2

Hold it

3 4

Bring it on down

1 2 3 4

3 4

 

Angiotensin

October 10, 2011 in Peptide

The Molecules of Life Project feels its blood pressure rise with Angiotensin

Wednesday the 15th November in Mrs Grant’s second grade class at Oxford Elementary School, Amy Trottier (BSc DAL) was asked to pump up the peptide jam solo.  Providing a solid background on the circulatory system and that most important muscle the heart, Amy described how blood provides oxygen to the body and how blood pressure increases when the need for more oxygen occurs.  The students learned how to measure the pulse of their carotid artery and observed that their heart rate increased after running in place relative to sitting.  Studying balloons after different states of inflation, we discussed elasticity and the importance of maintaining the elasticity of the tubes (the veins and arteries) which carry the blood, by eating healthy food and exercising.   The molecule of life, “Angiotensin” the regulator of blood pressure was mentioned in the process as each student enjoyed coloring pictures of the human heart and circulatory system, and using a stethoscope to listen to the sound of their own heart.  With eight more peptides to go, MLP thanked team Angiotensin for sharing lots of MLP heart at Oxford.

Amy Trottier (BSc DAL) shows off the wonders of the circulatory system.

 

 

Having fun coloring hearts, veins and arteries.

I can hear it beating!