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Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
Who are we?
Scientists
We work at the Babraham Institute
We investigate how our bodies work
and what can happen to make us ill
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
Who are you?
Students
Which school do you go to?
Are your parents scientists?
What experiments have you already done?
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
Today you are…
Scientists
You’ll be investigating what makes us sick
AND finding out how our bodies keep us safe
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
What are microorganisms?
Small, tiny, microscopic… Living creatures.. Can make you sick, but MOST DON’T Can be… bacteria, viruses, fungi
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
What do they do? Good things?
Antibiotics
Toothpaste
Food & Drink
Decomposition
Bad things?
Infections
Tooth decay
Food decay
Plant diseases
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
Where are they found?
On our bodies
In and on other
animals
In rivers and lakes
In the air In the soil
On your bodies
Inside your
bodies
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
Where are they found?
Everywhere!
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
How do they spread?
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
Can you find any bacteria?
On you?
In food?
From our lab?
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
You will need: • A balloon (your microorganism) • Some shapes (antigens) for
your microorganisms • Colouring pencils
Create your own microorganism and infect your friends!
Colour me in
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
PRINTABLE ‘ANTIGENS’
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
Why are we not always sick?
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
When you are infected with a pathogenic microbe the dendritic cell collects parts of it and shows them to other cells.
If the B cell ninja recognises these parts (or antigens) on the dendritic cell it responds by making antibodies which are specific for the microbe.
The immune response
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
These antibodies all stick specifically to the parts of the pathogen that they recognise. This acts like tomato ketchup – or butter on toast – making the microbe taste a lot more yummy to the Macrophage muncher.
Macrophages then munch up the invading pathogen and help your body clear the infection!!
The immune response
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
Help the B-cell Ninja to create some antibody flags!
Infect a friend with your microorganism
Create some antibody flags which match the markings on your
microorganism
Y Y Y
Match the antibody flags
to the marks on the
microorganism
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
PRINTABLE ‘ANTIBODIES’
Weapons of Microscopic Destruction – How Your Immune System Keeps You Safe from Attack © Babraham Institute 2015
What have we learnt today?
• Microorganisms are everywhere
• Washing your hands can stop them spreading
• Some are harmful…
Your Immune System army, keeps you safe from attack