The Ways and Means of the Immune System: One Week at a Time

Thursday, March 13, 2008

One Week at a Time

So my last post was about how charged up I am about an academic career.
With that in mind, let me describe my week:

Saturday: Transfected cells, let's say A cells, to use for experiments. Fed them, put them away, felt very good about the adventurousness of the experiment being undertaken.

Sunday: Realized while 40 miles away that I had completely forgotten to get another set of cells, call them B cells, ready for the experiment. B cells are needed for the final step of the experiment. Crap. Bummer. Well will just have to get them ready on Monday.

Monday: Got B cells, and third and final type of cells, called C, ready. A cells, of course are nice and confluent and ready to use, only I am not going to use them. F*cking A. Efficiently set up more of A cells to start the whole things again, but nested so I don't waste any time.

Tuesday: Set it all up, A cells, B cells and C cells. They are happy in the incubator, ready for me to read them tomorrow. Whew, that didn't work out too badly did it?
Transfected second batch of A cells.

Wednesday: Started off readings, all negative. Completely, and it doesn't even look like A cells make the protein I transfected into them (which is the whole entire point of transfection!). Double sh*t. No f*ck it, triple sh*t. Then the blinding realization dawns that I threw away my leftover B cells after using them yesterday, and I don't have any more going. There are no words, only anti-endorphins.

Thursday: Started round 2, with some alternative B cells. Also, smartly decided to check whether transfecting served any purpose this time, since I screwed up the previous time and let A cells go much longer than they should have. Turns out that transfecting A cells doesn't work when I do it (though it is routine procedure in my lab). Nothing, nothing at all. There's no point in doing the next step, with alternative or otherwise B cells. Now what? Blog, I suppose. Maybe some beer.

Friday: Strategize? Re-evaluate? Retire?

I am a shining example, I tell you.

4 comments:

post-doc said...: I'd say the situation calls for alcohol, yes. My guess is that something will occur to you soon - don't retire just yet.; March 13, 2008 at 7:10 PM
Unknown said...: i second alcohol.

and keep the light shining. :)

heartfelt sympathies.
:)
-tgfi; March 14, 2008 at 7:33 AM
Veo Claramente said...: Seriously :)

Honestly though its amazing how often retirement comes up these days :)

Thank you both...; March 14, 2008 at 7:43 AM
Mad Hatter said...: I so feel your pain. There are times when I wish I had decided to work on bacteria or yeast...they're so much less fussy than mammalian cells or mice.; March 15, 2008 at 7:06 PM

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Welcome and Disclaimer

I am writing here to express my interest in the wide variety of research that goes on in Immunology today. I am NOT a medical professional, and I do not offer medical advice. These are just my personal opinions, formed by the reading of published journal papers. They are not representative of anything other than my private personal opinions. I do not endorse or revile any journal or group or university or researcher. They are shaped by my background in research, and my specialties. I am not omniscient, so I do not know or understand everything. Enjoy!

The Vocabulary

An Antigen is any molecule that is recognized by the specialized cells of the immune system, usually by antigen receptors on the surfaces of these cells. Antigens are picked up and displayed by other specialized cells called antigen presenting cells. Antigens can be recognized by two broad categories of cells, T cells and B cells. T cells detect antigens through an antigen receptor called the T cell receptor, but only when these antigens are bound to antigen presenting molecules called MHC molecules. MHC proteins carrying antigens are found on the surface of antigen presenting cells. B cells make antibodies, which also recognize antigens. Once a B cell recognizes antigens through its antigen receptor, the antibody, it makes many many more of the same antibody and secretes , or spits them out, into the body so that they circulate throught the body. Naive B or T cells are cells that have never seen an antigen, and activated cells are those that have. Effector cells are those cells that have seen antigen and can do something about it, like kill that the cell carrying the antigen. Memory cells are cells that retain a memory of their encounter with an antigen, and can react faster and more effectively the next time they see the same antigen. The immune system consists of a few major lymphoid organs: the thymus, where T cells are made; the bone marrow, where all cells originate; the spleen, where many effector cells reside; and the lymph nodes, which are present at multiple sites throughout the body. Immunes cells spend their lives whizzing around between these various organs in various states of activation. A pathogen is any organism that infects a host, they can be bacteria, viruses or parasites.