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Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, Vol. 29 (6) (2001) pp. 234-238
© 2001 IUBMB. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: S1470-8175(01)00086-8

Laboratory exercise

A laboratory exercise designed to teach medical students about reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction

Michael J. Fay a * mfayxx@midwestern.edu, Nalini Chandar b and Susan M. Viselli b

a Department of Pharmacology, Midwestern University, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, 555 31st Street, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA
b Department of Biochemistry, Midwestern University, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, 555 31st Street, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA

Accepted 14 August 2001

Abstract

This report describes a laboratory exercise that was incorporated into an endocrinology elective course, with a class size between 5 and 20 students, taught to second year osteopathic medical school students. This exercise was designed to reinforce understanding of basic molecular biology techniques within the context of a clinically important aspect of endocrinology, that of hormone-dependent cancers. Students used the technique of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to determine if two breast cancer cell lines were estrogen receptor-alpha positive or negative. The experiment served as the basis for discussing the importance of estrogen in relation to breast cancer, and the use of antiestrogens for treating hormone-dependent breast cancer. This laboratory exercise has been used successfully for both second year osteopathic medical school students and high school students.

Keywords: RT-PCR; Estrogen receptors; Breast cancer

*Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-630-515-6382; fax: +1-630-971-6414

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