10 Reasons Why Mucus Is Our Friend | TAPP 154
The A&P Professor
Kevin Patton tackles one of A&P’s slimiest subjects: mucus. In this playful but powerful episode, he reveals ten (or eleven) reasons mucus deserves more attention in our teaching. From immunity to fertility, mucus does it all. 00:00 | Introduction 00:45 | Mucus & Mucous 04:27 | Virtual HAPS Conference * 05:41 | Mucus: Body-Wide Protector 10:13 | Gross Episodes * 11:15 | Mucus in Motion 15:46 | Kerry Hull Honored * 16:28 | Mucus & the Human Story 20:42 | Running Concept Lists 21:11 | Mucus is Vital 26:05 | Staying Connected * Breaks ★ If you cannot see or activate the audio...
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Pulse Check: A Year in Review & What’s Next for A&P Teaching | TAPP 153
The A&P Professor
"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future," said Yogi Berra, but that's never stopped me before! In this annual episode, we'll revisit last year's educational forecasts, explore what's popped (and what's fizzled), and check the tea leaves (and little gray cells) once again. With help from colleague Jerry Anzalone—and some cheeky assistance from AI—we'll bravely map out what's next for anatomy and physiology education, all seasoned with empathy, wit, and a cautionary look at history’s lessons. Buckle up: predicting the future is a bumpy—but fascinating—ride! 0:00 |...
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Fascinating Fascia: Kate Oland Galligan Unravels the Ties That Bind | TAPP 152
The A&P Professor
Episode 152 centers on a lively conversation between Kevin and Dr. Kate Oland Galligan as they trace her path from a curious undergrad to a passionate fascia educator and clinician. The duo challenges old perceptions of fascia, recounting stories from early lab experiences where fascia was simply “ripped out,” and contrasting them with new insights on its dynamic, interconnected nature. They reveal how subtle fascial restrictions can cause significant clinical symptoms—linking pelvic imbalances to jaw pain—and explore the emerging field of mind-body connections in fascial therapy....
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Muscling Through Barriers: The A&P Student Accommodations Handbook Unveiled | TAPP 151
The A&P Professor
In Episode 151 of The A&P Professor podcast, host Kevin Patton is joined by Jennifer Stokes, Rachel Hopp, and Abbey Breckling to discuss the Anatomy and Physiology Student Accommodations Handbook. This handbook released by the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS), provides instructors with evidence-based suggestions and best practices for making A&P labs and classrooms more inclusive and accessible for all students. Developed by a HAPS subcommittee, the handbook offers guidance on accommodating students with a wide range of needs, from physical limitations to visual or hearing...
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Textbooks to Slides: IP Attorney Brenda Ulrich on Legal Image Use in Anatomy & Physiology | TAPP 150
The A&P Professor
In Episode 150 of The A&P Professor podcast, host Kevin Patton speaks with intellectual property attorney Brenda Ulrich about copyright law and image use in education. They discuss how educators often mistakenly assume they have rights to use textbook images and the complexities of permissions that expire. Brenda highlights the differences in legal standards for physical versus online teaching and emphasizes the importance of understanding licensing agreements and fair use. By the end, listeners gain valuable insights into legally and ethically incorporating multimedia into their anatomy...
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Examining the Anatomy & Physiology Exam: Chatting with Greg Crowther and Ben Wiggins | TAPP 149
The A&P Professor
In episode 149 of The A&P Professor podcast, host Kevin Patton chats with Greg Crowther and Ben Wiggins about their work with exams in the anatomy and physiology (A&P) course. They discuss the importance of exams in assessing student learning and the need for exams to be more connected to course objectives. They also mention the challenges of designing exams that are fair and inclusive for all students. Crowther and Wiggins are conducting a survey on A&P exams and encourage listeners to participate to contribute to the understanding of exam practices in the A&P community. The...
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Blueprints for Learning: Justin Shaffer on Structured A&P Course Design | TAPP 148
The A&P Professor
In Episode 148, Justin Shaffer joins host Kevin Patton to discuss high structure course design. Justin shares his success in building a scaffold for learning by using a variety of course structures to improve student engagement and success, such as pre-class and post-class activities, micro-case studies and clicker questions, brief active learning practices, and much more. 00:00 | Introduction 00:46 | Introducing Justin Shaffer 02:49 | High Structure and Low Structure 20:47 | Badge Break 21:43 | Transparency, Expectations, & Flexibility 34:06 | Secret Code: TAA Conference in Nashville...
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Pulse of Progress: Looking Back, Moving Forward | TAPP 147
The A&P Professor
In Episode 147, host Kevin Patton reviews the highlights and events of the previous year in the world of The A&P Professor. He then turns to last year's predictions for teaching human anatomy and physiology to see if he was on the right track. Finally, predictions for the coming year are revealed. And lots of other stuff—this episode is two hours long, after all! 0:00:00 | Introduction 0:00:50 | Debrief: Topics, Stats, Reflections 0:21:28 | A Long, Long, Long Episode 0:23:05 | Debrief: More Reviewing & Reflecting 0:38:59 | Did I Get My Predictions Right? 0:50:22 | Textbook &...
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Anatomy of Trust: Promoting Integrity in A&P Education | Winter Shorts | TAPP 146
The A&P Professor
Episode 146 of The A&P Professor podcast is one of our winter shorts, where I replay interesting segments from previous episodes. In this one, we discuss the importance of academic integrity in the Anatomy & Physiology course. We emphasize the need to incorporate discussions about integrity in the syllabus and course materials and share real-life examples of violations in the healthcare field. We highlight how dishonesty can have serious consequences and discuss strategies for prevention, such as using multiple test versions and unique topics for papers/projects. Providing examples of...
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A Tongue Twister's Guide to Mastering Anatomy Pronunciation | Winter Shorts | TAPP 145
The A&P Professor
Episode 145 of The A&P Professor podcast is one of our winter shorts, where I replay interesting segments from previous episodes. In this one, you'll hear about the trials and tribulations of teaching and learning pronunciations of anatomy and physiology terminology. Including why the instructor is ALWAYS correct! 00:00 | Introduction 01:07 | Variations in Anatomy & Physiology Pronunciations 10:24 | Say Anatomy & Physiology Terms Out Loud 20:30 | Staying Connected ★ If you cannot see or activate the audio player, go to: 🏅 Apply for your credential (badge/certificate)...
info_outlineKevin Patton tackles one of A&P’s slimiest subjects: mucus. In this playful but powerful episode, he reveals ten (or eleven) reasons mucus deserves more attention in our teaching. From immunity to fertility, mucus does it all.
00:00 | Introduction
00:45 | Mucus & Mucous
04:27 | Virtual HAPS Conference *
05:41 | Mucus: Body-Wide Protector
10:13 | Gross Episodes *
11:15 | Mucus in Motion
15:46 | Kerry Hull Honored *
16:28 | Mucus & the Human Story
20:42 | Running Concept Lists
21:11 | Mucus is Vital
26:05 | Staying Connected
* Breaks
★ If you cannot see or activate the audio player, go to: theAPprofessor.org/podcast-episode-154.html
❓ Please take the anonymous survey: theAPprofessor.org/survey
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“If life hands you a painful irritant, cover it in an iridescent mucus‑like substance until it becomes a pearl.” (Sarah Rosenshine)
Mucus & Mucous
3.5 minutes
What’s the difference between mucus and mucous? One is a noun, the other an adjective—but that subtle difference trips up a lot of students. This short segment makes a strong case for calling out that distinction early and often in your A&P course.
Virtual HAPS Conference
1.0 minute
Need new ideas for your A&P course? This brief segment promotes the upcoming virtual HAPS conference and Kevin’s own flipped-session presentation—packed with audio strategies for teaching.
Mucus: Body-Wide Protector
4.5 minutes
Reasons:
- Mechanical Barrier
- Immunological First Responder
- Homeostasis Helper
Mucus forms a body-wide protective network—physically trapping invaders, launching immune responses with secretory IgA and enzymes, and maintaining pH and hydration across exposed epithelial surfaces.
Gross Episodes
1.0 minute
This short segment encourages instructors to lean into the gross-out moments. Why? Because they’re often where the best learning happens. And yes, that includes mucus, poop, and pee.
Mucus in Motion
4.5 minutes
Reasons:
4. Lubrication
5. Trap-and-Transport System
6. Environmental Sentinel
This segment gets things moving—literally. Mucus lubricates tissues, rides the mucociliary escalator to clear debris from the lungs, and even signals health status through color and consistency changes.
Kerry Hull Honored
0.5 minutes
Kevin pauses to celebrate A&P educator Kerry Hull, who received the HAPS President’s Medal. It’s a quick but heartfelt recognition of excellence and contribution to our teaching community.
Mucus & The Human Story
4.0 minutes
Reasons:
7. Microbiome Mediator
8. Fertility Facilitator
9. Digestive Ally
10. Indicator of Health
In this segment, mucus supports friendly microbes, gets involved in reproduction, protects the gut from self-digestion, and signals health changes. It’s a slimy but vital player in our human physiology narrative.
Running Concept Lists
0.5 minutes
Want to reinforce deeper learning? Use mucus in a running concept list. Kevin explains how this recurring theme links systems and encourages students to build long-lasting conceptual connections.
Mucus is Vital
4.5 minutes
Reasons:
11. Mucus is Vital to Understanding the Human Body
Kevin wraps it all up by calling mucus what it is: vital. It’s not just a side note in A&P—it’s a unifying, system-spanning feature worth revisiting throughout the course.
Links
1. What Is Mucus, Anyway? (popular explainer article in Popular Science)
2. Hagfish Slime Expands Faster Than Almost Anything Known (research-based article in Popular Science)
3. Mucus Has Evolved at Least 15 Times in Mammals (article in New Scientist discussing evolutionary biology)
4. Personal Lubricant Made from Cow Mucus May Protect Against HIV (biomedical research article summary in New Scientist)
5. Mucus, Slime, and Other Sticky Substances (open-access review in Journal of Functional Biomaterials)
6. That’s Disgusting: Unraveling the Mysteries of Repulsion by Rachel Herz (book exploring the science of disgust, includes discussion of mucus)
7. Slime: How Algae Created Us, Plague Us, and Just Might Save Us by Ruth Kassinger (book blending science and storytelling about slimy lifeforms, including mucosal adaptations)
8. Future Fibers May Be Spun From Slime (short video + article in Science Friday)
9. Seeking medical insights in the physics of mucus (article in Science Daily)
10. Preparation and applications of artificial mucins in biomedicine (scientific review in Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science)
★ HAPS Virtual Conference page
TAPP episodes related to this episode's topics (NOTE: the episode numbers mentioned in the audio narration are incorrect; use those below)
The Pee Episode | Teaching Urinary & Renal Concepts | TAPP 125
The Poop Episode | Using Fecal Changes to Monitor Health | TAPP 121
Running Concept Lists Help Students Make Connections | Episode 8
★ List of TAPP podcasts (sortable list with titles, links to episode pages, and topics)
theAPprofessor.org/podcast-list.html
★ TAPP Jukebox (a fun way to browse and play TAPP episodes)
theAPprofessor.org/podcast-jukebox.html
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Production: Aileen Park (announcer), Andrés Rodriguez (theme composer, recording artist), Kevin Patton (writer, editor, producer, host).
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Robotic (AI) audio leveling/processing by Auphonic.com, initial draft transcript by Rev.com, and the content, spelling, grammar, style, etc., of this episode and notes are assisted by various bots, such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, and QuillBot.
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★ Transcript available in the transcript box: theAPprofessor.org/podcast-episode-154.html
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