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Larry Keeley, Professor Emeritus of Entomology
Department of Entomology
Texas A&M University
After 37 years of teaching and research with Texas A&M University, I have retired.
However, I am still interested in science, especially the biochemistry and physiology of insects. During the last several years of my teaching, I became increasingly interested in developing computer animations as a means of assisting students to visualize and comprehend physiological and biochemical processes. I am continuing to develop Web-based tutorials that use animation to illustrate the physiological processes of insects and other animals. The physiology of living organisms consists of dynamic processes that involve movements and actions by molecules, cells, tissues and organs. The representation of these processes using static figures in lectures or books, fails to convey the vital, active nature of these processes. By use of computer technology it is now possible to illustrate these processes "in action".
Furthermore, I also found that I enjoyed the challenges of creating both the graphics and the actions within the animations, and their production has become a hobby with me. Therefore, I plan to continue to develop animations of these complex processes during my retirement: (1) to maintain interest in science; (2) to contribute to education; but most importantly, and (3) to keep busy and stay out of my wife's way to maintain the happiness in our marriage!
It is my goal that interested students will find these animations helpful to demonstrate how physiological processes operate. Hopefully, the animations will assist the student in understanding and learning these processes. I welcome comments from students and my colleagues on these animations and their usefulness in illustrating and explaining the complex, and dynamic processes of biochemistry and physiology.
It is my intent that these animations be provided on this website to assist students throughout the world that want to understand these processes. The animations are often "works in progress" and will be modified to improve them and up-dated as the improvements are completed. Also, new animations will be added as they are completed.
To Users:
The following animations are provided for educational use. Some animations relate to insects, some illustrate general physiological processes, and some describe general processes using insects as examples.
The animations presented here are accompanied by a text that describes the actions that occur in the scene. A text is used to allow the animation to load quickly to accomodate computers that are not connected to broadband internet.
All interested parties, especially students and educators are welcome to view them, or to link to them and show them from the internet in a class, seminar or as part of a presentation at a scientific conference.
If you do use the animations and find them of educational value, I would appreciate if you would let me know how they were helpful (llkeeley@tamu.ed) and let me know where you are a teacher or student.
The animations are playing on my website, and are not available for being downloaded.
The animations are copyrighted and registered with the US Copyright Office, Washington, DC.
For those interested in having a narrated CD copy of the animations to use in classroom teaching, as tutorials for individual study, or for illustrating physiological principles in seminars or scientific presentations, please visit: PhysioViva Educational Animations or write to me for information at info@physioviva.com.
Animations:Viewing these animations may require installation of the latest version of the Flash Player
available free at:
Endocrinology
G-Protein Signal Transduction (540 kb)
Neurobiology
Gibbs-Donnan Equilibrium (180 kb)
Muscle
Muscle Structure and Contraction
(590 kb)
Vertebrate and Insect Muscle Innervation and the Control of Muscle Contraction
(88 kb)
Reproduction
Vitellogenin Uptake by Ovaries (360 kb)
Entomology
This last tutorial is an overview of insect internal structure and organization with a brief explanation of functions.
It is suitable for high school and freshman biology students, and students of introductory entomology and as an introduction to insect physiology.
Go to: Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University
