Student-Directed Investigations of the Actin Cytoskeleton in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells

 

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2010, Volume 31

Connerly, P.

Abstract

As part of an upper-level Cell Biology course, students utilized fluorescently labeled phalloidin to visualize actin in fixed Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Students learned aseptic technique, then grew and stained CHO cells for observation and characterization of chromosome number. Students next designed their own experiment to manipulate CHO cell growth condition to induce changes in actin cytoskeletal structure. All groups used the same actin visualization procedure, using fluorescence microscopy and digital photography to record data. The fluorescent visualization of cortical actin is always dramatic, and students gained insights into cell culture methods, experimental design, fluorescence microscopy, and data analysis.

Keywords:  Chinese hamster ovary cells, actin cytoskeleton, rhodamine-phalloidin, CHO cells

University of Delaware (2009)