Dialysis and matching simulation
Tue, Dec 15, 2026 · Week 17 · Genetics of Disease (Medical Interventions)
Today's goal: Simulate dialysis and HLA crossmatching to model how patients are kept alive and matched.
This is a model of the work you should turn in today. Use it to check your own: match the structure and the level of detail, do not copy it. Your data and wording should be your own.
Dialysis waste-level time series (recipient R):
- Start (0 min): urea 110 mg/dL
- 60 min: urea 78 mg/dL
- 120 min: urea 51 mg/dL
- 180 min: urea 33 mg/dL
- 240 min: urea 22 mg/dL
Reading: Dialysis pulled urea down from 110 to 22 mg/dL over four hours, modeling how the machine does the filtering the failed nephrons cannot.
HLA crossmatch scores (recipient R vs three donors):
- Donor A: 5 of 6 antigens match, no reaction in the well = COMPATIBLE
- Donor B: 3 of 6 match, weak reaction = BORDERLINE
- Donor C: 1 of 6 match, strong reaction = INCOMPATIBLE
Rejection-risk flags:
- Donor C flagged: a strong crossmatch reaction means the recipient already has antibodies against the donor tissue, so the immune system would attack the kidney quickly.
(Tip: a positive or strong crossmatch reaction is a stop sign, not a detail; it predicts fast rejection even if a few antigens match.)
This model shows the level of evidence and organization needed to complete: Records a data table showing how modeled blood-waste levels drop across a dialysis session, scores each donor-recipient HLA crossmatch as compatible or not, and flags crossmatches that predict rejection with a short reason.
- Name the variables and include units.
- Enter observations without changing the raw values.
- Check labels, calculations, and patterns before interpreting the data.
Keep the structure. Replace the question, facts, measurements, and evidence. Then recheck units, vocabulary, and whether the conclusion goes beyond the evidence.
Also due today: turns in the completed simulation table on Schoology under today's data-table assignment.
Turn in: Dialysis and crossmatch results table
Go to Schoology to turn this in.
Submit one PDF. Put your first and last name in the document header. Name the file: FirstName LastName - Assignment Title - YYYY-MM-DD.pdf.
Open Schoology PDF upload helpIf you cannot get in, see Mr. Mendoza. Do not skip the work.
Claim ceiling: Today's evidence supports a classroom claim about today's lesson. It cannot prove causation, diagnose a real patient, or justify action outside this room.
One exam-style question that uses exactly what you practiced today. Try it before you reveal the answer, then read why each choice is right or wrong.
Tap an answer to see the full explanation. Nothing is recorded or graded.
It builds this reusable test skill: Scoring an HLA crossmatch and predicting rejection risk.
- Name the concept or data pattern being tested.
- Cross out choices that violate that rule or the evidence.
- Justify the best remaining choice before checking the answer.