Abstract
This interrupted case study explores the role of cytoskeletal structures on human health, specifically on respiratory function, sperm motility, and female fertility. It follows the story of a couple struggling to conceive a child and the doctors working to help them. Students are presented with clinical histories, narrative elements, documentary-style videos, and microscopic evidence in order to determine the cause of the couple's infertility. Along the way, they learn about the three types of cytoskeletal elements and the roles these play in cellular biology and human physiology. The use of videos makes it suitable for the "flipped classroom," allowing students to prepare outside the classroom for the case study, which they then complete in class. An original video by the author on the structure and function of microtubules, microfilaments, and intermediate filaments is included. The case was developed for an introductory level general biology course and could be delivered during a unit on the cell structure and function. The case could also be used in a cell biology course.