What other cells should you examine for effects from this mutant gene?

Question

A.  prefrontal neurons
B.  gustatory neurons
C.  cholinergic neurons
D.  Schwann cells

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· What type of thinking is required?
· What key words does the question contain?

Gather Content/Choose Answer
· What do you already know about this mutation? Which cell type do we know it affects?

Consider Alternatives
· What other information is related to the question?

Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?

Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
 

Answer 1

D.  Schwann cells

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o The question is asking about the effects of a specific mutation on types of neural cells.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o This question is asking you to take your knowledge concerning myelination and to evaluate which cell types will most likely be affected.
· What key words does the question contain?
        o Cells, effects, mutant gene, oligodendrocytes (from previous question). How are all these terms related to the previous question?

Gather Content/Choose Answer
· What do you already know about this mutation? Which cell type do we know it affects?
        o To solve this problem, you’ll need to apply your knowledge of the form and function of nodes of Ranvier, which are unmyelinated regions of axons. The mutation causes oligodendrocytes to enwrap shorter sections of axons with myelin. Remember that oligodendrocytes enwrap axons with myelin in the central nervous system, and Schwann cells perform the same function in the peripheral nervous system.

Consider Alternatives
· What other information is related to the question?
        o The answers are all types of neural cells. The first three are types of neurons, and the last answer, Schwann cells, is a type of neuroglia. We learned in the previous question that oligodendrocytes were affected by the mutation? What type of cell is an oligodendrocyte? It is a glial cell.

Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o At this point, you should have everything you need to know to answer the question. Since you know that the mutation affects oligodendrocytes and not not neurons, you can eliminate the answers other than Schwann cells. In further support of Schwann cells as the answer, you know that oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells are both glial cells that myelinate axons.

Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
        o If you figured out the correct answer, great! If not, where in your thought process did things go wrong? If you arrived at an incorrect answer, were you thinking that one of the neuron types was the answer because the mutation affects nerve impulses? Did you remember that both oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells perform the same myelination function?
        o Was it clear to you that the type of thinking needed to answer this question is to evaluate different neural cell types and find one that myelinated axons as oligodendrocytes do? Consider where in the problem solving process your thinking went astray.