In Spring 2004 I developed a new undergraduate course in

1
TEACHING PROTEOGLYCAN BIOLOGY AND BIOMECHANICS IN
AN UNDERGRADUATE EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX COURSE K.
Jane Grande-Allen, Ph.D. Department of
Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX,
USA,

• We formed teams/discussion groups in the 2nd
  class.
• Students had the same group partners all semester
• We had several group discussions on various
  topics, for example
• Design devices to stretch cells for
  mechanotransduction studies
• Discuss potential cellular responses to signaling
  from the ECM
• Test and discuss various hand lotions. What do
  they really need to do for skin? Do you trust
  their claims? Design a skin treatment and how
  you would market it.
• How would you characterize a certain tissue
  biomechanically and construct a constitutive
  model to explain its behavior?
• Teams were encouraged to study together for
  quizzes and the midterm exam.
• One quiz was taken in groups of 3.
• The teams worked on group reports all semester.
• Potential Topics (these topics were chosen)
• Heritable disorders of connective tissue.
• Discuss how ECM components is/are different in
  the developing fetus vs. juvenile and adult
  matrix.
• Normal aging of the ECM and the accelerated
  aging process in premature aging syndromes.

• GAGs and PGs were studied in several lectures.
• Outline of lecture material
• Definitions and building blocks
• GAGs
• PGs
• Types of GAGs and PGs
• Structure and definition of modifying groups
• Function
• Distribution
• Biomechanics
• How GAGs and PGs are studied
• Biological vs. biomechanical roles
• How PGs are different from glycoproteins
• GAG chain synthesis
• Sulfated/modified GAGs
• Hyaluronan
• PG synthesis and aggregation
• Matrix-matrix interactions Decorin and Lumican
  in Collagen Fibrillogenesis In Vitro

• Students questions about PGs and GAGs
• Im not very good at chemistry and nomenclature.
  What is the function of these modifying groups
  and how can I tell them apart?
• Are all HSPGs the same PG?
• Is the large HSPG of basement membrane
  perlecan?
• If the decorin concentration was found to be
  elevated in ., will that make the tissue failure
  strength increase or decrease?
• Why do all these literature papers have opposite
  data about the trends in GAGs and PGs?
• What is the difference between aggrecan and an
  aggregate?
• How specifically does decorin inhibit collagen?
• How are sugars made?
• Feedback from Formal/Informal Course Evaluations
• Most of the students felt that the cell biology
  information was too redundant with their previous
  coursework.
• One student who had never had this material
  before, however, really appreciated it. I think
  that I will have outside-class review sessions in
  the future.
• The receptor-ligand and enzyme kinetics sections
  were not very popular.
• Revise these to relate them more clearly to
  tissue degradation and mechanotraduction
• Almost all students wanted more information on
  PGs, GAGs, and glycoproteins
• Students requested more material about matrix
  production, turnover, and remodeling
• Students want more in-depth information on
  biochemistry techniques

• In Spring 2004 I developed a new undergraduate
  course in Extracellular Matrix.
• Designed to be a senior level elective for our
  Biomaterials and Biomechanics and Cellular and
  Molecular Engineering pathways
• 1 semester course, 3 credit hours
• 21 students enrolled
• 8 undergraduates (7 seniors and 1 junior)
• 1 of the undergraduates was from the Biosciences
  Department
• 13 1st and 2nd year graduate students
• 1 graduate student was from another school
  (Baylor College of Medicine program in Medical
  Physics)
• The course was taught by myself and 1 teaching
  assistant (1-2 lectures)
• Course topics

Part 1 Cell Biology Basis for Matrix Mechanics
Course Overview, Cell structure and organization
Cell phenotypes, Cellular responses to stresses
Cell Signaling and Communications
Cell Binding/Adhesions, Integrins
Receptor-Ligand Binding Models
Mechanical Properties of Cells
Part 2 Extracellular Matrix Constituents and Analysis
Collagen Structure and Mechanics
Elastin Structure and Mechanics
Proteoglycans/GAGs Structure and Mechanics
Glycoproteins Structure and Mechanics (Basement Membranes)
Biology/Biochemistry Techniques
Part 3 The Roles of Matrix in Tissues and Organs
Tissue Organization, Tissue Types, Cell lineages
Tissue Origins, Cells, Functions, Examples of Connective Tissues
Definition and Organization of Organs
Experimental Techniques for tissue mechanics
Part 4 Matrix Production, Turnover, and Degradation
Cellular Production of Matrix
Matrix-Matrix Interactions
Tissue Degradation
Michaelis-Mentin Models of enzyme-substrate kinetics
Tissue remodeling variations, impact on mechanics
Tissue Aging