Motilin

October 10, 2011 in Peptide

The Molecules of Life Project flows creatively with Motilin.

Monday, the 15th October in Mrs Grant’s second grade class at Oxford Elementary School, thanks to the Motilin Maidens, Becka Viau (BA, NSCAD) and Karen Schurman (BSc SMU), all eyes were drawn into the intestine as hands squeezed mimicking the peristalsis motion of the digestive tube.   Karen described how the peptide motilin controls the speed of food flowing through the intestines, as Becka presented the process of peristalsis squeezing clay through clear tubing.  Making their favorite nutritious foods out of clay and then passing them through their model digestive tubes, working in teams the students were absorbed as they acted like motilin and controlled the flow of their clay food through their intestine models.  All had great fun, as we learned more about digestion studying the importance of absorbing nutrients and discovering the hair-like protrusions into the intestine called villi, which help bring nutrients into the body.  WIth ten more peptides to go, MLP thanked team Motilin for a fabulous flow of creative MLP thought at Oxford.

Becka Viau (BA, NSCAD) and Karen Schurman (BSc SMU) presenting the intestine model

Making nutritious foods

That peristalsis feeling

 

The power of motilin