Time To Read
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OVERVIEW
PART 1
PART 2
PART 3
PART 4
PART 5
PART 6
PART 7
Quiz
CHART CLUE
Stina’s bloodwork over the years shows sky-high inflammatory markers – even between attacks, when she looks fine. It is a chemistry clue everyone explained away. This module introduces the molecular cast of her disease, each member riding in on its biomolecule class.
The Story
A new clinic finally pulls Stina’s scattered records into one screen. A pattern no single visit caught jumps out: even on her good weeks, her inflammatory markers run high. Past notes wave it off – “lab error,” “stress,” “she’s anxious.” But chemistry doesn’t get anxious. To read those labs we start at the bottom: what matter is made of, and the charged particles – ionsCharged atoms or molecules. and electrolytes – the body spends enormous effort keeping in balance.
From Stina’s chart: When she finally requested copies of her labs, she found years of high inflammatory markers, each stamped with some version of “likely stress.” She had been told she was fine while the numbers quietly said otherwise.
Compare Stina’s uninfected appendixA small, finger-like pouch attached to the cecum, thought to play a role in immune function. to an infected appendix.
Activity:
Activity:
Atoms rarely travel alone. Next: how they bond – and how those bonds hold a protein like pyrin in its working shape.
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How Atoms Bond
List of terms
- ions
- appendix