Educator Guide: How Muscle Cells Keep Otters Warm

two sea otters in water

A new study shows how the high metabolism of adult and baby sea otters begins at the cellular level.

Randall Davis (Image obtained under USFWS Marine Mammal Permit No. MA-043219 to R. Davis)

About this guide

In this guide, students will learn about how mitochondria help the ocean’s smallest mammal generate body heat. Then, students will discuss cell structure and energy production, diagram how mitochondria function and brainstorm a research question.

This Guide Includes:

Sea otters’ cellular surprise

Students will answer questions about the online Science News article “Sea otters stay warm thanks to leaky mitochondria in their muscles,” which explores scientists’ efforts to figure out how the ocean’s smallest mammal maintains an extreme metabolism. A version of the story, “How muscles keep otters warm,” appears in the August 14, 2021 issue of Science News.

Mighty mitochondria

Students will answer basic questions about cell structure and energy production, draw diagrams to visualize how mitochondria in sea otters may function differently than in other marine mammals and brainstorm a research question for further investigation.