From the 2003 Holiday Lectures — Learning From Patients: The Science of Medicine

More About Angiogenesis

A tumor consists of cells that are dividing at an abnormally high rate, crowding surrounding healthy cells and competing for resources. Tumor growth typically proceeds in 3 dimensions, pushing out from the surrounding normal tissue and growing to become visible to the naked eye. A tumor must recruit blood vessels from the surrounding tissue to grow much bigger than 1 mm across(see the VEGF animation).

This animation includes audio narration, please make sure your computer's volume is up so that you can hear it.

Angiogenesis Background

Cancer occurs when a single cell acquires the ability to reproduce aggressively and to invade other tissues. This rebellious cell shuns its normal role, instead multiplying and ultimately colonizing areas of the body where it doesn't belong. Left unchecked, this anarchy destroys the cellular society. It interferes with the body's normal function, destroys organs, and eventually kills the organism.

Angiogenesis Teaching Tips

The animations in this section have a wide variety of classroom applications. Use the tips below to get started but look for more specific teaching tips in the near future. Please tell us how you are using the animations in your classroom by sending e-mail to biointeractive@hhmi.org.

1. Use the animations to make abstract scientific ideas visible and concrete.
2. Explain important scientific principles through the animations. For example, the biological clocks animations can be used to demonstrate the fundamentals of transcription and translation.
3. Make sure that students learn the material by repeating sections of the animations as often as you think necessary to reinforce underlying scientific principles. You can start, restart, and play back sections of the animations.
4. Urge students to use the animations in accordance with their own learning styles. Students who are more visually oriented can watch the animations first and read the text later, while others might prefer to read the explanations first and then view the graphics.
5. Incorporate the animations into Web-based learning modules that you create to supplement your classroom curricula.
6. Encourage students to incorporate the animations into their own Web-based projects.

Resources

The 2003 Holiday Lectures Series "Learning From Patients: The Science of Medicine."

Angiogenesis Credits

Director: Dennis Liu, Ph.D.

Scientific Direction: Bert Vogelstein, M.D.

Scientific Content: Satoshi Amagai, Ph.D.

Animator: Drew Berry