TEACHABLE MEDICAL NEWS

CREATED BY ELEASYS LLC

Month: December 2020

How can an anti-wrinkle treatment help patients suffering from an overactive bladder?

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On December 26, 2020

In microbiology, muscular system, nervous system, urinary system

TeachableMedicalNews article 12262020

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. muscular tissue chapter – neurotransmitter release at the neuromuscular junction
  2. autonomic nervous system chapter –  parasympathetic division and its neurotransmitters
  3. urinary system chapter – role of detrusor muscle in emptying of the bladder
  4. microbiology – Clostridium botulinum and its toxin

The news item:  Recently an unusual report appeared about the anti-wrinkle treatment, Botox:

https://westnewsmagazine.com/2019/11/13/117802/beyond-wrinkles-botox-offers-effective-treatment-for-common-bladder-condition

The article states that people suffering from an overactive bladder may find help for their symptoms from twice-a-year Botox injection.

So, Why Do I Care??  There are about 50 million people in the US suffering from overactive bladder symptoms. While this affliction is not life threatening, everyday life, ability to hold down a job are disrupted by it. There are several medical interventions to help patients, so Botox is the latest to join the remedies.

Plain English, Please!!!  First, let’s talk about the mechanics of urination. For urination to happen the muscle (called detrusor) inside the wall of the urinary

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How could gene editing fight cancers?

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On December 8, 2020

In cellular basis of life, lymphatic and immune system

TeachableMedicalNews article 12082020

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. cellular basis of life chapter – chromosomes contain many genes
  2. cellular basis of life chapter – a gene is a specific stretch of DNA that encodes one protein
  3. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of gene mutation leading to protein

malfunction

  1. immune system chapter – function of T lymphocytes (T cells)

The news item: Recently the gene editing approach to cancer fighting was in the news:

Doctors try CRISPR gene editing for cancer, a 1st in the US

The first attempt in the U.S. to use the gene editing tool CRISPR against cancer seems safe, but it’s too soon to know if it will improve survival.

The report described an experimental treatment of one sarcoma patient and two multiple myeloma patients with the Crispr technology. The article states that this approach deletes 3 genes and adds one gene to the T cells of the patients, and the gene-edited T cells are infused back into the body of the patients.

So, Why Do I Care??

The thing to care about is the potential of the technology of gene editing.  While experimental in humans, and the targets of the technology are relatively rare diseases, if proven useful there are many human genetic disorders that may be managed or cured by it. Any disorder that is caused by mutated genes and malfunctioning proteins may be the future target of gene editing.

Plain English, Please!!!

First, let’s talk about multiple myeloma and sarcoma. Myeloma is a cancer that forms in the red bone marrow. Sarcoma is a cancer that starts from connective

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