Class Activities

Lung Ideas

Make sure you pass around a freeze dried set of cow lungs. Students are always amazed at the Styrofoam-like feel of these. Another interesting thing to show students on a video or a projecting microscope is a slide of oat cell carcinoma (also called microcell carcinoma), the third most common type of lung cancer and one of the fastest killing cancers in humans. This pathology slide may show the fibrous connective tissue which tends to be mixed up with the tiny, rapidly mitotic and invasive cancer cells. You can compare a microscopic view of this cancer with that of a normal lung. Oat cell carcinoma slides are available from some biological supply houses.

Reference: McMurtie, H. and J.K. Rikel. 1991. The Coloring Review Guide to Human Anatomy. Dubuque, IA: WCB/McGraw-Hill.

There is a thoracic organ atlas from the University of Washington. This has spectacular colors and views.

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